Ebay Hats: Victories, Defeats, Gripes & Items of Interest

[carter]

"Here's the one I lost this afternoon. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEDW:IT&ih=014"
Carter,
Mea Maxima Culpa.
John

John,

At least it went to a member of the FL.

I simply must stop taking naps, eating, mowing, etc.

Enjoy the hat and please post some photos when you have it on your noggin.

Carter

 

[MattJH]

Enjoy the hat and please post some photos when you have it on your noggin.

Assuming it's a 7 5/8 and assuming it fits me right, I certainly will!

 

[carter]

Great Borsalino but too small

While looking at hatbox listings on OFAS, I stumbled across this Borsalino. It cost more than I hoped but may still be a good buy. I'll post more when it arrives.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=270271158207&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=017

This Borsalino arrived and it is pristine, even better than it looks in the pictures poted. However it's about 7 1/4 and I am not interested in destroying this hat by having it remade to fit me. What do you think? Should I relist it on OFAS or find someone who is interested in making a swap?

 

[Spats McGee]

I'm no hat pricing expert, but I think someone got a steal on this one. Anybody here care to 'fess up?

 

[Rick Blaine]

I BLEW IT!

Vintage Borsalino Mens Hat Fedora 6 9 Indiana Jones NR


THIRTY ONE BUCKS!...hope someone here nabbed it.

 

[jonbuilder]

This Borsalino arrived and it is pristine, even better than it looks in the pictures poted. However it's about 7 1/4 and I am not interested in destroying this hat by having it remade to fit me. What do you think? Should I relist it on OFAS or find someone who is interested in making a swap?

I have to kick myself over this hat. It got no bids the first time it was listied with at 24" around the interior. I emailed:eusa_doh: the seller saying base on the 5.5French size the hat was 7-1/4 and should messure about 22-1/2 inches. She reply yes she did messure 24" so I wrote the hat off. After re-reading her reply I saw she messured with a steel tape and was not sure of the size.

 

[suitedcboy]

I am periodically amazed at hat auctions where the size is listed in the form, "6 3/4 inches by 8 1/4 inches"!

DUHH!

That sure tells me a lot.

I have seen questions asked about circumference and it is answered in that form.

Double DUHH!!

OK, I know there is no qualifying sellers on OFAS........

 

[carter]

Perhaps the sellers have rectangular heads?
Then again, they appear to have a paucity of knowledge when it comes to mathematical terms.

 

[Garrett]

Another Mossant

Just picked up another one http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=250293944001

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I am periodically amazed at hat auctions where the size is listed in the form, "6 3/4 inches by 8 1/4 inches"!

DUHH!

That sure tells me a lot.

I have seen questions asked about circumference and it is answered in that form.

Double DUHH!!

OK, I know there is no qualifying sellers on OFAS........

I agree with this method of measurement. It tells you pretty much all you need to know since the circumference is directly related to these two measurements. Were i selling on eBay I would never give the interior measurement. Why? Because every time i measure an interior circumference i come up with a different number. Different enough to give a buyer a chance to send it back. With the two measurements quoted (across and front to back of the sweatband) above the buyer should know if the hat will or will not fit.

Maybe it's the buyers who don't qualify.

bk

 

[mike]

I agree with this method of measurement. It tells you pretty much all you need to know since the circumference is directly related to these two measurements. Were i selling on eBay I would never give the interior measurement. Why? Because every time i measure an interior circumference i come up with a different number. Different enough to give a buyer a chance to send it back. With the two measurements quoted (across and front to back of the sweatband) above the buyer should know if the hat will or will not fit.

Maybe it's the buyers who don't qualify.

bk

I knew I should have paid attention in math class! Surely there's a formula to determine the circumference of a circle (or oval) if you know the height and width.... I'll ask the next 15 year old I see

 

[Baron Kurtz]

You don't need to know a formula. You don't need to know the circumference. What you need to know is this:

If the seller gives an accurate circumference you need to know if it will fit you. Know your circumference. Your head will be a consistent circumference, at least in the short-term.

Your head will also have consistent side-to-side and front-to-back measurements. So, if the seller gives these measurements (my preferred measurement as they're much easier for the seller to take accurately) you should know what your numbers are, and if the hat is likely to fit, albeit with a little coaxing.

This discussion is a bit like the suits section where people can't work out if something will fit if it doesn't say a specific number on the tag.

KNOW YOUR MEASUREMENTS!!!

bk

 

[mike]

You don't need to know a formula. You don't need to know the circumference. What you need to know is this:

If the seller gives an accurate circumference you need to know if it will fit you. Know your circumference. Your head will be a consistent circumference, at least in the short-term.

Your head will also have consistent side-to-side and front-to-back measurements. So, if the seller gives these measurements (my preferred measurement as they're much easier for the seller to take accurately) you should know what your numbers are, and if the hat is likely to fit, albeit with a little coaxing.

This discussion is a bit like the suits section where people can't work out if something will fit if it doesn't say a specific number on the tag.

KNOW YOUR MEASUREMENTS!!!

bk

So you're saying just measure one of my hats that fits correctly and head off into the sunset of ebay victories? No 15 year old needed?
Lots of sense going on up there... lots of sense indeed! Next time I'll think about thinking about what I say before hitting send :eusa_doh:
cheers!

 

[carter]

I agree with this method of measurement. It tells you pretty much all you need to know since the circumference is directly related to these two measurements. Were i selling on eBay I would never give the interior measurement. Why? Because every time i measure an interior circumference i come up with a different number. Different enough to give a buyer a chance to send it back. With the two measurements quoted (across and front to back of the sweatband) above the buyer should know if the hat will or will not fit.
Maybe it's the buyers who don't qualify.
bk

Sorry, bk, but I disagree. the circumference of a circle is calculated thusly:

The circumference of a circle can be found by multiplying pi ¶ (which is equal to 3.14) by the diameter of the circle.
If a circle has a diameter of 4, its circumference is 3.14*4=12.56
If you know the radius, the diameter is twice as large.

Since most hats are not a true circle , as evidenced by sellers giving length and width measurements, there is not a consistent radius.

An interior circumference measured with a cloth tape, use paper clips to fasten to sweatband, should be a consistent measurement of size. Alternatively, use a length of string and then calculate by laying the string on a straight-edge such as a yard stick, or it's metric equivalent.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

You're right, Carter, but that doesn't explain why front to back and side to side are not an appropriate measure of size.

I never argued that circumference was not an appropriate measure of hat size. I simply stated that it is not the only one that's consistent from hat to hat.

Because of the flexibility of the item, slight variations will conform to the same head - hence Resistol's great advance with the self-conforming! To claim that circumference is the only valid measurement (as is claimed above) is absurd.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Since most hats are not a true circle , as evidenced by sellers giving length and width measurements, there is not a consistent radius.

Therefore you can't use that formula (Pi*D) to calculate the circumference of the sweatband. There are a couple of ways to approximate the circumference of an ellipse - check the wiki, i can't be bothered to go through it - and they take into account the variable radius. Funnily enough they are based on the widest and longest measures of the ellipse (sound familiar?)

All i was saying is that circumference is not the only way to determine whether or not a hat will fit you (vosotros). Your head is consistently long and consistently wide. Hence the measurements derided above are useable, and the vintage hat wearer should know their measurements.

bk

 

[carter]

Absurdity

OK, BK. I bow to your superior wisdom. However, I did not state that the circumference is the only way to measure size. What I explained was that there are methods whereby circumference can be measured with a reasonable degree of certainty.

 

[jonbuilder]

I inadvertently started this discussion of hat measurements that influence fit so I going to express my thoughts. Start off I am new with buying hats I brought my first hat on ebay less than 3 months ago and have nine hats. I know the math for an elliptical circumference but that not going to help a hat fit. I say measure you head with a cloth tape along the line you want to wear a particular hat style. Compare to the true interior measurement around the sweatband. I also like to compare to the tagged size. My experience is a hat built as a 7-1/4 and measures around 22-1/4 will stretch to 22-1/2 with better results than a hat built as a 7-1/8. I am a hand on type of guy with limited experience, but play with the 9 hats 7 are fitting fine and the other 2 ore very wearable.
I still kick myself for not buying the hat at $39 and take the change base on the tag 5-1/2.

 

[suitedcboy]

I have come up with circumference measurements that are accurate for the hat size (verified by being a hat that fits me and I know my size) a couple of ways.
1. use a cloth tape and carefully run it around circumference.

2. use a piece of string and run it around carefully then meaure.

In both methods I would stop every 2-3 inches and then hold my current position with one index finger and then go the next 2-3 inches.


I have an odd shaped skull with a "pointy" forehead. My front to back and side to side dikmension would not agree with any standard dimensions for an oval or long oval. I'm an extra long oval sort of.

 

[MattJH]

I didn't win this one or try to, but I thought it was a great deal for a 7 5/8 alpine / tyrolean from Austria.