Modern 100% Beaver felt fedoras.

thefedorastore · Mar 16, 2011

bowlerman said:
fmw-- congrats! Can't wait to see photos when it arrives.
Falcon Park is just too tempting. I'm considering his "julep" with a different ribbon color. I'm using my 2 beaver brand fedoras to try and figure out crown and brim dimensions; also I can't quite put my finger on these colors. What would you guys say these felt colors are? Photo taken in as much natural light as possible:

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If those are beaver brand hats, it would be Silver Belly and Sand. I have both colors here. However, BB does not make a bone.

bowlerman · Mar 16, 2011

thefedorastore said:
If those are beaver brand hats, it would be Silver Belly and Sand. I have both colors here. However, BB does not make a bone.

They are both BB, and thanks! I never know where the dividing line between Silver Belly and light grey lies.
Incidentally, that Silver Belly came from your store in Custer. I think it was a return or something, as it's labeled as a 7-56, but fit my 7 1/8 head with the addition of a small amount of foam. Now it fits perfectly without the foam.

bowlerman · Mar 16, 2011

Brent Hutto said:
I'd like to call the one on the left "Nice but not quite right for me" and the one on the right "Nice and I'll take it". Please!

Good answer!

I'm not quite decided on which color looks more fitting on me yet.

Big Fella · Mar 16, 2011

fmw said:
I agree with JLee's color assessment. The one with the tear drop crease reminds me of the vintage Adam hats. Nice look. My hat is going to cost $145 plus shipping. That's not even expensive by factory made standards. If the hats look as good as what I see on the web site, it is an absolute steal. It's a steal even if you had to pay someone else for a rebuild. I got an email from Parker a few minutes ago. He's travelling but says he will get back to me with an order confirmation shortly. Might as well get your order in, Bowlerman, the line isn't likely to get any shorter or the prices any lower. If his hats become more popular, you know what will happen to the prices.

You are right about the line not getting any shorter, You prompted me to start a conversation with Parker Said he will be in contact after his trip. Just got a black, HH. Aero coat from ebay and need a good hat to go with it.

bowlerman · Mar 17, 2011

fmw said:
Might as well get your order in, Bowlerman, the line isn't likely to get any shorter or the prices any lower.

You are right, and resistance was futile. I have ordered, and what a fantastic gentleman to speak with!

fmw · Mar 17, 2011

Atta boy.

job · Mar 18, 2011

I don't understand why the few name brand hat manufacturers that sell beaver felt hats cost more than some custom made hats. I've seen a Cervo beaver hat online for $525.00. They should be able to buy in bulk and pay less for their felts. Akubra is selling one western beaver hat (the saddle bronc) that is 30% beaver felt. I wish they would offer more like a Campdraft beaver hat. They would probably sell it for less than other manufacturers since they make their own felt.

facade · Mar 18, 2011

job said:
I don't understand why the few name brand hat manufacturers that sell beaver felt hats cost more than some custom made hats. I've seen a Cervo beaver hat online for $525.00. They should be able to buy in bulk and pay less for their felts. Akubra is selling one western beaver hat (the saddle bronc) that is 30% beaver felt. I wish they would offer more like a Campdraft beaver hat. They would probably sell it for less than other manufacturers since they make their own felt.

Running a business with employees has so many other costs that must be passed along to the customers, costs the custom hatter (often a 1 man operation working from home) does not have. If men's fashion hats were more popular then larger sale's volumes could allow the corporations to have lower prices (and allow for more competition) but this just isn't the case.

John in Covina · Mar 18, 2011

job said:
I don't understand why the few name brand hat manufacturers that sell beaver felt hats cost more than some custom made hats. I've seen a Cervo beaver hat online for $525.00. They should be able to buy in bulk and pay less for their felts. Akubra is selling one western beaver hat (the saddle bronc) that is 30% beaver felt. I wish they would offer more like a Campdraft beaver hat. They would probably sell it for less than other manufacturers since they make their own felt.

One concept is that you have a cost of an item and there is a mark up that covers that cost and some of the other costs and then there is actual profit. A general rule for many items can be double the cost. If I pay or spend $100 for an item or to make and item i will then sell it for $200. This is the case for some pens and even some auto parts.

The other rule has to do with "What the market will bear." If you actually look at a BMW that costs $80K at the dealer, please realize that that car did not cost $40k to make a n ship to the dealer. The brand name of BMW allows for a premium to be placed on the cost of a new BMW car. What that is I can't say but it is safe to say that there is an inflation of the price because of the brand name. Same thing happens with furniture the mark up is crazy, which is why the store can sell a couch for $1000 and then 8 months later sell it for $500. Chances are they did not double the price but tripled or quadrupled the mark up. i have a friend tha works for a cell phone accessories place. She said that often a packaged product may cost $2, they sell it for $16 and the phone store sells it for $45.

Cost and price are not always linear.

job · Mar 18, 2011

I guess the custom hatter is not trying to triple their costs. The time to make a hat by one person mostly by hand would not be as cost effective as a mass produced one. Usually the big corporations can undercut the mom and pop operations and put them out of business. The dress fedora must be too small in sales for them to care much about.

memphislawyer · Nov 21, 2012

Ok, I am going the custom route for next hat. I see that some hatters only have beaver and that the price for that is around $300 or so, maybe $350 for VS? I also see Buckaroo has some at $205 and then Parker has some at $150.

Want to compare apples with apples, so what sort of felt and qualities in felt will the $205 (Buckaroo) and the $150 hat have? Is it worthwhile to spend more for a blend? Dont know that I want to go up to the $300 range when I could have two lesser felt hats at that price. For comparison, I had an Akubra Stylemaster (sold it because brim too big and color not good on me), Stetson Saxon and two wool Baileys. I like the idea of getting a crown that suits me, with a configuration in the bash (center dent in Stetson is okay, but the teardrop in the Baileys look great from top down) and 2 to 2 1/4 brim and maybe contrasting ribbon on brim or not, and then the bow work (like some bows that have the three bow look and some that have that contrasting stiching running downward on the knot of the bow).

I know that beaver may be more rain resistant but Ill be under an umbrella when that happens. For me, it is mostly style and then warmth in cooler weather. Over 60'ish, Ill be sporting a Panama maybe.

gtdean48 · Nov 21, 2012

VS custom 100% beaver hats are now $385, if I am not mistaken.
The $205 & $150 prices are not for 100% beaver hats. Falcon Park 100% beaver is $295 & Buckaroo is $305.
Rabbit & rabbit/hare fur felts are less expensive than 100% beaver but are good quality felts.
They are just not beaver & won't pounce as nicely to achieve that smooth hand.
If you look at microscope photos posted, you'll see the fur fibers of the beaver are much more tightly packed than rabbit & thus the difference.
From across the room, it is hard to tell the difference but in your hand & close up, the beaver advantage is obvious.
IMHO, you owe it to yourself to own a 100% beaver hat if not multiple....

memphislawyer said:
Ok, I am going the custom route for next hat. I see that some hatters only have beaver and that the price for that is around $300 or so, maybe $350 for VS? I also see Buckaroo has some at $205 and then Parker has some at $150.

Want to compare apples with apples, so what sort of felt and qualities in felt will the $205 (Buckaroo) and the $150 hat have? Is it worthwhile to spend more for a blend? Dont know that I want to go up to the $300 range when I could have two lesser felt hats at that price. For comparison, I had an Akubra Stylemaster (sold it because brim too big and color not good on me), Stetson Saxon and two wool Baileys. I like the idea of getting a crown that suits me, with a configuration in the bash (center dent in Stetson is okay, but the teardrop in the Baileys look great from top down) and 2 to 2 1/4 brim and maybe contrasting ribbon on brim or not, and then the bow work (like some bows that have the three bow look and some that have that contrasting stiching running downward on the knot of the bow).

I know that beaver may be more rain resistant but Ill be under an umbrella when that happens. For me, it is mostly style and then warmth in cooler weather. Over 60'ish, Ill be sporting a Panama maybe.

Mulceber · Nov 21, 2012

I know that beaver may be more rain resistant but Ill be under an umbrella when that happens.

If it's style and warmth you want, beaver is the way to go. In person, the difference between rabbit and beaver is noticeable, and since beaver is denser, it's also warmer. -M

danofarlington · Nov 21, 2012

You know, I don't think I could recognize by sight what is a beaver felt hat and what is rabbit fur. I'm not even confident I would know if I handled it, let alone recognize any kind of blend. For example, I have a vintage Borsalino whose lining does not say beaver, where the felt is tight and dense and I would've believed it to be beaver if someone told me it was. Maybe others could know, but not me.

I am reminded of a beer tasting test I heard about decades ago, where all the beer aficionados who swore up and down they would know their favorite beers, couldn't tell when blindfolded.

fedoralover · Nov 21, 2012

I've seen and felt the raw bodies from Winchester on both rabbit and beaver. There is a huge difference, trust me, blindfolded and handed each felt to feel I know you could tell the beaver from the rabbit. Pounced down to a fine finish the difference isn't quite as noticeable to the sight but you can still tell by the feel. Now a blend I'm not so sure.

fedoralover

memphislawyer · Nov 21, 2012

ok. other than Buckaroo and Falcon Park, anyone else do the rabbit fur? I am guessing rabbit is what is in my Stetson Saxon?

and from reading, it may behoove me to go up to beaver at least for one special hat if I am going to be wearing them more (this year I am so far wearing one just about every day, except Saturday when I ran around, but at least to work and church I wore the hats)

jlee562 · Nov 21, 2012

Lots of custom hatters us rabbit. Penman, Black Sheep Hatworks, etc

Chepstow · Nov 21, 2012

Most fur felt fedoras are made with rabbit fur. A 10 x beaver has also rabbit fur in his mixture.

garyt · Jan 7, 2023

thebroker said:
You might also be interested in checking out Falcon Park Hattery (http://www.falconparkhattery.com), Black Sheep Hat Works (http://www.blacksheephatworks.com) and Buckaroo Hatters (http://www.buckaroohatters.com). While all my custom hats so far have come from Art Fawcett, I know many people who frequent the Lounge who have gotten great hats from these hatters as well.

Speaking from personal experience, Art Fawcett is a gentleman and working with him is a delight. His hats are only slightly more expensive than the Benchley, and while I've never held a Benchley, I can't imagine them coming close in quality to Art's work. Fair warning, though...once you order a hat from Art, you'll become addicted to the custom hat experience.

I used this posting to get a hold of Falcon Park Hattery. Worked with Parker to make a custom hat for me. I got it yesterday. Absolutely fabulous. Fits perfectly as it should considering it is a custom made hat. Over the course of making this fedora, we probably exchanged 20 emails or so,.

belfastboy · Jan 7, 2023

garyt said:
I used this posting to get a hold of Falcon Park Hattery. Worked with Parker to make a custom hat for me. I got it yesterday. Absolutely fabulous. Fits perfectly as it should considering it is a custom made hat. Over the course of making this fedora, we probably exchanged 20 emails or so,.

I have one of his hats that goes way back. I looked up his website the other day to see if was still around and yes he is. Don't hear much about him in these parts.

Modern 100% Beaver felt fedoras.

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