Optimo hat renovation stories.

Tone · Nov 26, 2009

Anyone have some before pics of a hat they've sent in to Optimo prior to posting their issues about the finished results only? That would be helpful.

Has anyone done that? Real time status and results on the outcome rather than "after the fact" type of stories?

carouselvic · Nov 27, 2009

Before & After

carouselvic · Nov 27, 2009

Before & After

Lefty · Nov 27, 2009

still the nicest conversion I've seen

mayserwegener · Nov 27, 2009

Habig Homburg 1961 Optimo

Habig Homburg 1961 Optimo

Before

After

This was a clean, block and new ribbon from last month.

HarpPlayerGene · Nov 27, 2009

Before:

After:

rlk · Nov 27, 2009

Ancient Dobbs Baku

Before:

After:

Matt Deckard · Nov 27, 2009

Boy do i need a straw.

High Pockets · Nov 27, 2009

I have dozens of before and after Optimo photos but I'll not bore you with but these;

Before

The hat was so filthy I didn't even want to handle it, and it was two sizes too small.

After

duggap · Nov 27, 2009

Matt Deckard said:
Boy do i need a straw.

The straw you need is the one that Gene has. Is that thing not fantastic. If I remember right he said that Graham had to clean the hat first. I wonder what he used to clean a good straw like that one. Anyone remember, Gene?

Rick Blaine · Nov 27, 2009

A few years ago & I sent three hats to Optimo for Refurb/rebuild. One Playboy, a chocolate Stetson guild edge & a 3x Stetson Western that I requested be rebuilt to resemble any one of a few designs of Optimo's own, on their web page.
I think the best advice would be BE VERY SPECIFIC about desired replacement components and their specs. I stupidly assumed they would replace like w/ like- i.e.- get as close to the original color/size as possible- didn't happen that way though.These are B & A of the Playboy, bear in mind that they also upsized 2 sizes, than ate up 1/4" of the brim, from 2.5 to 2.25:

Playboy before

Playboy after
I don't necessarily think the differences are aesthetically displeasing and the material & workmanship was top tier (as it should be @ $100 each) I was just surprised is all.

The 3x Mode edge was also somewhat different (sorry no pix) but it was a pretty badly abused hat, they rotated it because it had a razor pinch and used a wider greenish ribbon, a lovely sweat & lining. I am sure they did as well as they could w/ that one, it wasn't really a good candidate for a refurb. I was able to snag a NOS of the exact same model about a year later so the changes are easy to see. Maybe I get get a shot w/ both up here soon, you would see what I mean.

But then I gave them this beat up Stetson 25:

And was very pleased to receive this:

ScottF · Nov 27, 2009

Montecristi #1 Before and After

ScottF · Nov 27, 2009

Montecristi #2 Before and After

ScottF · Nov 27, 2009

Borsalino Trionfo

carldelo · Nov 28, 2009

Here's a thread by Marvelgoose - he had Optimo renovate a modern Stetson Chatham to good effect. Before and after photos are in there.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=45376

marvelgoose · Nov 28, 2009

carldelo said:
Here's a thread by Marvelgoose - he had Optimo renovate a modern Stetson Chatham to good effect. Before and after photos are in there.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=45376

Hey thanks, I was reading the thread thinking that I was going to have to come up with a contribution and you did it for me.

There are some AWFULLY nice pieces here. My experience is also that you should be specific. The Chatham I detailed in my letter and it came back perfect. I also sent a Nostalgia and the hat ended up needing more work - I should have asked them to call back and let me think. I assumed that the new hat ribbon would be the same color as the old. Opps!

barrowjh · Nov 28, 2009

Again

I posted this one a couple of years back; this is a Borsalino that I won - bids based on these pics;

Seller advertized it as taupe, but as soon as I got my hands on it, realized it was in fact a relatively dark olive called 'ninfea' by Borsalino, which translates to water lilly (color of the leaves, not the flower). The 2 1/2 in brim was really nice, sent it off to Graham - this is the result:

It was my avatar hat for a while:

Front and center in this group of felted edge top shelf hats:

Perfect ending to that story!!

rlk · Nov 28, 2009

Rolby Renov' and re-ribbon

Before:

After:

HarpPlayerGene · Nov 28, 2009

duggap said:
The straw you need is the one that Gene has. Is that thing not fantastic. If I remember right he said that Graham had to clean the hat first. I wonder what he used to clean a good straw like that one. Anyone remember, Gene?

I dunno but he had the thing soaking in something for a week.

rlk was actually at Optimo a few times during that process...

Tone · Nov 28, 2009

These are excellent photo testimonials for Optimo's services! :eusa_clap And a wide array of work, and nice work at that, shown to prove it.

I think I have a candidate or two - been sitting on my shelves forever - and I like Optimo's shown competence in working with many felts and types based on proof like this.

It's been very helpful to hear repeated advice that being specific with the details of an Optimo order are a safe approach toward receiving the hat the way one intends it to be, rather than being surprised by assumption.

Candidate - Borso "Roll Up" (has always been too small to ever wear - brim's already too narrow for my liking - but might clean up pretty well.)

Image shown is the hat's current and "Before" condition only.

Keep them coming. It's great to see the transformations!

Optimo hat renovation stories.

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