Christy's of London

Dewhurst · Aug 26, 2009

avedwards said:
Just beware of the low crown. I personally find it too low as I can't pull it down to the level that I wear my other hats (unless I wear it open crown which defeats the object of a fedora). However if Hornet Hats makes them with higher crowns on request then that's a different matter of course.

Thanks for the caveats avedwards. But I don't really care whether a crown is low or high, either! (A lot I do not care about, eh?). I have low and high crowns and adore them all if they are snappy and dressy.

Besides, I wear my hats in a "medium" seating position (I can fit a full side on finger width between the bottom of the hat and the tippy top of my ears). Not super low "almost touchin' mah eeeaaarrrsss".

So low crowns don't tend to touch the top of my head.

avedwards · Aug 26, 2009

Dewhurst said:
Thanks for the caveats avedwards. But I don't really care whether a crown is low or high, either! (A lot I do not care about, eh?). I have low and high crowns and adore them all if they are snappy and dressy.

Besides, I wear my hats in a "medium" seating position (I can fit a full side on finger width between the bottom of the hat and the tippy top of my ears). Not super low "almost touchin' mah eeeaaarrrsss". So low crowns don't tend to touch the top of my head.

In that case get a foldaway as the felt feels very nice. Just do be aware that the crown is extremely soft (as it is made to be re-creased dry after being unrolled) but the brim is very stiff. While on many hats the angle of the snap can be varied without steam, the Foldaway has a stiff brim which can only snap up or down at one angle and would need steaming to change the angle. I personally don't mind the angle of the snap, but you may think it too much. However it can roll up despite the very stiff brim which surprised me, but then it is supposed to do that.

gtdean48 · Aug 26, 2009

What is the brim width of on a Foldaway? [huh]

avedwards · Aug 26, 2009

gtdean48 said:
What is the brim width of on a Foldaway? [huh]

Dimensional 2 1/2" front and back and 2 3/8" on the sides. Since there's only 1/8" different you can't really notice it, and it can be altered on request.

cybergentleman · Aug 26, 2009

dimensional

speaking of alterations, does anyone know if you can get the brim larger?

if i wanted a fedora with a 3inch brim etc can they do that or does it need to be equal to or less than the standard size?

avedwards · Aug 26, 2009

You'd have to email Christys as it might not be possible due to the extra felt required. But as I am no position to answer your question I'd ask them.

Dewhurst · Aug 27, 2009

avedwards said:
Just do be aware that the crown is extremely soft (as it is made to be re-creased dry after being unrolled) but the brim is very stiff.

Thanks for the info. I'll have to treat the crown like I did my Akubra Sydney: every time I put it on the crown it would need to be creased again.

I like a good strong snap. Great... now you have me all looking forward to the Foldaway and I haven't even ordered it yet.

Curses!

cybergentleman · Sep 1, 2009

color updates

For those of you interested... I received this email today:

"I do agree that it is difficult to to get an accurate portrayal of the Felt colours from the website images - the disadvantage of online shopping!

The Epsom and Adventurer shown online are in fact both Sable, just taken in different lights. The Huntsman is also in Sable.

The second Epsom shown is Light Grey.

The Wincanton is Bessemer, but the photo shows this lighter than it really is.

The Berkley, Europa and Savannah are all shown in Elm.

The Marlborough and Foldaway are shown in Burma..."

I had convinced myself that the epsom was the peatwood color. How deceiving online shopping can truly be.

Mr. Lucky · Nov 11, 2009

So, interesting opines! Now, is there a domestic (U.S.) source for the adventurer? Or is it just through Hornet Hats?

Fedora · Nov 11, 2009

Steven, I see what you mean, however I talked to an John Halifax who is in the British hat industry and he told me that the felts used by Christys are made by Tonak but blocked and finnished in England. He also didn't seem like the sort of person to swindle me as he has no personal interest in promoting Christys, being a competitor of them.

Ok, you guys want to know the facts? If you buy a Christy from Hornet Hats, or an H.J. from H.J. both of these hats are made in Spain. The factory in Spain also makes their own rabbit felt. How do I know? Because we have a hat made in this same factory! But, we have Portugal felt sent in to them, as we did not like their rabbit felt.

There is no coincidence that both the Christy and the HJ sweat bands are identical. Just different names on them. Look for yourself. Get an HJ and a Christy, and you will see the same hat, from sweat and felt, to the ribbon used.

I don't know why those guys said something contrary. No clue. But, trust me on this one. I have both hats, and when I saw the similarity, I just made a call to verify it.

This factory in Spain makes many of the hats sold in Europe. Under different names. The factory is small for hat factories and can only make 24,000 hats a year.

You find out alot about who makes hats in Europe when you seek out a factory to make a hat for your own company. That's how I found out.

We have a factory made hat that we pay to have detailed, with a vintage like sweat, a great bow, and hand stitched liners. Along with the Portugal 20 per cent beaver body. You would not know it came from the same factory that makes the HJ and Christy. But, our costs are what the Christy retails for and then some. This Spanish factory makes low end and high end hats. As they have always done. And been around a long long time.

Don't expect to get facts when talking to HJ or Christy. That is not the way it works. Fedora

mayserwegener · Nov 11, 2009

Fedora said:
This factory in Spain makes many of the hats sold in Europe. Under different names. The factory is small for hat factories and can only make 24,000 hats a year.
Fedora

What is the name of the factory?

I know that there are felt and hat factories in Slovenia that are rarely mentioned.

For example:

http://textil.stfi.de/partex/detail.asp?ID=60114&bi_lang=6

scottyrocks · Nov 11, 2009

cybergentleman said:
as for the foldable trilby and its low crown, why do hats come with such low crowns these days? it's not limited to just brimmed hats, even baseball caps come with low crowns, but like any low crowned hat, you can't wear it properly!

...manufacturers trying to cut cost on material and passing if off as a new trendy style perhaps?

I believe that low crowns for ball caps were sort of a throwback to the old days when pro ball players wore low, unstructured caps. These days, people wear them probably for style, and not with the conscious thought that they are a nostalgia item, unlike, I assume, most of us fedora wearers who are very much aware of a decade, or other specific time frame our hats are 'from.'

Fedora · Nov 11, 2009

What is the name of the factory?

I know that there are felt and hat factories in Slovenia that are rarely mentioned.

Sorry, I can't divulge the name. I have to draw the line somewhere when talking about this stuff. I know more, but can only tell what would keep me in good with our sources.

I know Gary White at one time prior to the conflict, got his felt from Yugoslavia. Not really that many feltmakers left in the world today though. Around 8 the last I heard. But I guess you would have to add China to that number today.

My bud Marc knows the German guy who maintains and sells hat making equipment to most of the felt factories in the world. He has great info, like where the best felt mixers are located. Talking about people here, doing the art of making blends. One is at Tonak, but is under utilized as they really make only rabbit felt, different qualities, or did so at the time of my info. That info is two years old, about the number of feltmakers. We lost a good one awhile ago, from South Africa. Milan used them at one time, before having to go to Portugal for a replacement felt. So, I take that to mean the South African factory made some really good felt for dress hats. But, have never seen one in person.

Me having my partner in Germany has been a godsend in so far as learning about the international hat biz. He can speak the language as he speaks 3 or 4. A great help when dealing with sources that don't have an English speaker. Fedora

mayserwegener · Nov 11, 2009

Fedora said:
Sorry, I can't divulge the name. I have to draw the line somewhere when talking about this stuff. I know more, but can only tell what would keep me in good with our sources.

I know Gary White at one time prior to the conflict, got his felt from Yugoslavia. Not really that many feltmakers left in the world today though. Around 8 the last I heard. But I guess you would have to add China to that number today.

My bud Marc knows the German guy who maintains and sells hat making equipment to most of the felt factories in the world. He has great info, like where the best felt mixers are located. Talking about people here, doing the art of making blends. One is at Tonak, but is under utilized as they really make only rabbit felt, different qualities, or did so at the time of my info. That info is two years old, about the number of feltmakers. We lost a good one awhile ago, from South Africa. Milan used them at one time, before having to go to Portugal for a replacement felt. So, I take that to mean the South African factory made some really good felt for dress hats. But, have never seen one in person.

Me having my partner in Germany has been a godsend in so far as learning about the international hat biz. He can speak the language as he speaks 3 or 4. A great help when dealing with sources that don't have an English speaker. Fedora

I understand. I will ask one of my hat sources in Germany.

Bahner

http://www.hatmachines.com/default.asp?lg=gb

By the way TONAK was Johann Hückel´s Söhne up to the end of WWII and made the best velour finishes plus very fine finished hats. PolkaP was formed out of Johann Hückel´s Söhne Skoczów (Poland) factory.

Colby Jack · Nov 11, 2009

Great information Fedora!:eusa_clap

Mr. Lucky · Nov 11, 2009

All well and good, thank you, but where can I get one in the U.S.?

Fedora · Nov 11, 2009

By the way TONAK was Johann Hückel´s Söhne up to the end of WWII and made the best velour finishes plus very fine finished hats. PolkaP was formed out of Johann Hückel´s Söhne Skoczów (Poland) factory

Thanks for that info. I can never get too much. That name sounds familiar to me, but not sure where or when I read , or heard it.

I think Portugal makes the finest rabbit body to be had. You just have to request the same body as used in the Hasidic Jewish hats, but with a smooth finish. I heard it was the ultimate dress body when ordered in this manner. I think I have this right, if not, someone who remembers it better can correct me. But I guess you better be prepared to pay a bit more for this sort of body. I would love to hold one in hand. Fedora

Fedora · Nov 11, 2009

All well and good, thank you, but where can I get one in the U.S.?

A Christy? I don't know who retails them here. Most use Hornet Hats as the source.

mayserwegener · Nov 11, 2009

Fedora said:
Thanks for that info. I can never get too much. That name sounds familiar to me, but not sure where or when I read , or heard it.

I think Portugal makes the finest rabbit body to be had. You just have to request the same body as used in the Hasidic Jewish hats, but with a smooth finish. I heard it was the ultimate dress body when ordered in this manner. I think I have this right, if not, someone who remembers it better can correct me. But I guess you better be prepared to pay a bit more for this sort of body. I would love to hold one in hand. Fedora

The current TONAK factory in Novy Jicin, Czech Republic was Johann Hückel´s Söhne main factory up to the end of WWII. They had a massive operation with 3 factory locations. The operations in Czechoslovakia and Poland were nationalized after WWII. The felt that was produced by Johann Hückel´s Söhne was amazing (see the hat in my avatar) especially the velour finishes. TONAK continued operation after WWII and the Hückel family opened a factory in Weilheim, Germany that went out of business in the early 70s.

Tone · Nov 11, 2009

Mr. Lucky said:
All well and good, thank you, but where can I get one in the U.S.?

There are intermittent reports of the Christys Adventurer being seen at certain U.S. hat shops, but nothing seems to prove such in terms of someone saying they got one (nor confirming that it's actually the Christys Adventurer model to begin with); however, if the concern is time of delivery for a Christys from Hornetshats, the average is about ten days. (And that includes the reasonable custom requests.)

Hornetshats is about the best shop to place an order for a Christys as they are also able to get the hat built with the requested modifications in a very acceptable timeframe.

A Christys from Hornetshats built to spec - around $91.00.
A Herbert Johnson - with standard 5 3/4" crown - $380?

It'd be great if a U.S. carrier had a customizable Christys (fur felt) for around $100.00 - they don't.

But Hornets continues to have an honest gauge on their margin.

Mr. Lucky, are you concerned about the oceanic transportation, or just trying to keep it American, so to speak?

Christy's of London

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