The Allan Quatermain Hat Thread - Where oh where

[K.D. Lightner]

By the way, folks, I just tapped into ebay and found if I go to men's accessories and type in the word "safari" I get a goodly number of hits for men's hats, including a couple of fur felts. Worth a look?

karol

 

[BellyTank]

Fun! double brim...

Yes, it's been fun- a short voyage of discovery-

I think the double brim thing may be to do with the combination of heat and moisture and tropical conditions of the jungle and general climate. Heat, wet, humidity and harsh localised weather conditions. If the fur felt hat already repels water, then a double hat would surely serve to keep you drier- insulating you from the water and I guess the heat but it may well be hotter with two layers. I guess the floppy, seperate double brims would allow for some insulation/isolation and possibly offer more surface area for evaporation and maybe act like a heat sink- more air flowing through between the brims- taking heat away from the hat...
Maybe the extremes of localised weather- sudden drenching then sudden heat would cause shrinkage and maybe the double hat prevents this to a degree- keeping the shape, offering more rigidity. Maybe sweat is an issue too- leaving the outer 'hat' looking relatively good and not so sweat stained- the inner serving as the 'dirty one'- keeping the Regimantal head dress looking relatively fresh in bad conditions.
Some of the ethnic type clothing we see in hot and tropical climates doesn't necessarily make sense to us westerners- long black woollen robes in the desert, thickly bound head dress, etc...

It's a tough one and I can but offer logic...
More thoughts anyone???

-BT.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Belly Tank -- I checked out a uniform hats website:

www.red-diamond-unit.com/stratton_hats.htm

And found that some of the uniform hats have a double brim (sewn together). It states that is helps the hat hold its shape. But, of course, they are talking about those Smokey-the-Bear and Sgt. Preston of the Yukon hats.

Anyway, check it out.

karol

 

[K.D. Lightner]

That one doesn't want to come up, even though it is an accurate site.

Just type in Stratton Hats on your search engine and go that that site, or try www.strattonhats.com

karol

 

[BellyTank]

Yeh- I saw Stratton yesterday and posted it.
Here's a couple of eBay Gurka hats-
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=67580&item=6516280815&rd=1
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=67580&item=6516184513&rd=1
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=586&item=6517588630&rd=1

BT.

 

[Mycroft]

Here is one you can modify to make an Allen Quatermain hat, sorta Boer-like: http://www.hatsdirect.com/cgi/products.cgi?view=23&returncat=Akubra+Hats&returnpage=1

 

[gandydancer]

I saw a photo of a mint looking Ghurka hat and it looked like it had a 2-ply brim bound together. My understanding was that was because it was difficult to shape/mold felt that thick. Could be the hat Granger was wearing was a surplus Ghurka that had been distress by the props department until the brim had delaminated.

Too me the worse thing about this thread is the realization that I saw that movie in a drive in theater. I think I may be a bit older than the average person on this forum. You guys do know the movies back then were no more "real life" than they are now, I hope?

 

[BellyTank]

I've seen them in person and remember that at very least the outermost inch of the edge is seperate. I remember twiddling with it and the shop owner looking over my shoulder... Damn, I shoulda bought it...

BT.

 

[Art Fawcett]

WOW!!! 6 pages and I'm just now catching this thread!!
OK MD, what size are you. THIS sounds like a challenge hat if I ever heard one. Old Hat, here I am...I'm game for this, and Gandy..take heart, you aren't the only "old guy" here.
I'm pretty sure I have the blocks for this one. Hmmm, how about two different color felts? Over the next week or so I'll play & see what I can come up with. This might be the "alternative" to indy.. :cheers1:

 

[MDFrench]

ART!

Thank god you showed up! I'll get my actual head size from Steve Delk. He just made me an AB and we had to tinker a bit.

YES - This is the alternative to Indy completely! Allan Quatermain was the original outdoors adventurer, though I feel that he evolved into a superior character in the Granger film from the original book version.

Is that hat not in every way as cool as Indy's?! As a kid, I always thought so - and even moreso at times because unlike Indy's, a brown fedora that I had seen in a million other films, the Granger Quatermain hat was wholly unique and looks totally funtional!

But I ramble! I'll get you measurements soon!

Regards,
Mike

 

[SHARPETOYS]

ART!

Thank god you showed up! I'll get my actual head size from Steve Delk. He just made me an AB and we had to tinker a bit.

YES - This is the alternative to Indy completely! Allan Quatermain was the original outdoors adventurer, though I feel that he evolved into a superior character in the Granger film from the original book version.

Is that hat not in every way as cool as Indy's?! As a kid, I always thought so - and even moreso at times because unlike Indy's, a brown fedora that I had seen in a million other films, the Granger Quatermain hat was wholly unique and looks totally funtional!

But I ramble! I'll get you measurements soon!



Regards,
Mike

What color should we get.??? Double brim or single. That is the question!

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Art, good to hear from you again. And, as usual, you are coming to the rescue of some folks who need a good hat.

If it is the Granger hat, you have to go for the partially deliminated double brim.

Gandy -- Not only did I see most of those old 50's films in a drive-in theatre, but my baby bro and I sat outside straddling the fenders of my father's old Fords (we pretended we were on horses).

How's that for "old?"

karol

 

[MDFrench]

Sharpe - Here's the deal for me -

I want THAT color and THAT brim(s). HAHA!

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Art Fawcett Hat Maker To The Loungers

Ok, thats what we will get Art to make us! Sounds like a plan.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Ok Gentlemen & Ladies, I'll order some "natural" bodies to work with. I think they will have to be staple ( rabbit) to keep the cost down since doing them in pure beaver would be umm prohibitive to many.
I can hear it now...the "Anti-Indy"?? What shall we call this?

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Big Game Hunter

 

[BellyTank]

Re: names- The King Solomon? The Granger? The Classic Safari?
The Colony? Let's have a poll?

Art- how are you going to approach the Pugaree?

BT

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Names

Safari Club Fedora
Continent Hunter
The Expedition
The Trekker
The Overland
Big five
Jungle safari
Rhinobilt Fedora
Back & Beyond
African Plains

 

[BellyTank]

Quatermain or Quartermain

It's Quartermain, with the the 'R' as in quart, isn't it?
Or is it? I've seen it spelt both ways...

Then it could be the Quartermaster!

Or the Great White Hunter.

BT.

 

[BellyTank]

Seems like you already did...

..like I said, I saw it spelled both ways...
...don't remember how it was pronounced- it's a long time ago now...
...understand?

BT.