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Leather Hats

AlterEgo

A-List Customer
Messages
320
Location
Southern USA
What's the scoop on leather hats being made these days?

I had a brown cowhide one in the early 1970s:

Heavy? Check. At least a pound.

Thick? Check. Maybe as much as 3/16 inch.

Quality? Well, it never fell apart, but when I was a kid, I had a toy gun holster made out of better leather.

Style? Vintage hippie. Wearing it would cause you to spontaneously utter things like "groovy," "far out," and "Twist one, man."

Dyed? Check. The least bit of sweat or rain would cause a permanent stain on anything it touched. Like your forehead.

Odor? Dry, just tolerable. Wet, strong and sickening, as if something had died in it.

I wore it to a Stones concert, where this blitzed chick snatched it off my head. I did not get the opportunity to thank her. Last I saw, she was puking in it. Could have only been an improvement.

I've seen the Jacarus and BCs on David Morgan's site/catalogue, and they look pretty good, but have never held one in my hand. Would appreciate your reviews on either of these or other brands of leather hats.

What's that ridiculous-looking one that Jack Hanna wears on his animal show? Considering what he does, you'd think a guy like that would select a really cool outdoor hat. Shameless pitchman that he is for Nationwide Insurance or any company that'll put a dollar in his pocket, perhaps it's a deal he has worked out with the hat maker.
 

J.B.

Practically Family
Messages
677
Location
Hollywood
Long ago in tFL, a member mentioned a London-based hatter -- Jill Corbett -- who made leather hats. I saved the bookmark, but never got around to buying one.

"Hatter Jill" -- her eBay store -- is here.
 

dnjan

One Too Many
Messages
1,687
Location
Seattle
Barmah makes some nice lighter-weight hats from kangaroo leather. Just wish they had better sizing (more than just S, M, L, XL, XXL).
 

thespoiler

One of the Regulars
Messages
105
Location
Virginia
Barmah makes some nice lighter-weight hats from kangaroo leather. Just wish they had better sizing (more than just S, M, L, XL, XXL).

Barmah does make a good leather hat. I got my son one for hiking....I have also been impressed with BC hats. ...got another son one of those. They are light weight and high quality leather and well made. Their crowns are higher than Barmah's ...'m thinking of getting me a BC just to shove
into the truck glove box just in case...
 
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J.B.

Practically Family
Messages
677
Location
Hollywood
Similar in appearance to some of Jill Corbett's leather hats, Goorin Bros. offers a new model from their American-made line -- the Belsky. Appears to be made in New Jersey by one of the last standing cut and sew hat factories in America run by Ruben "Ruby" Spitz.

...Two-minute factory-tour video here.
 

Lastmohecken

Familiar Face
Messages
91
Location
Ozark Mountains, United States
Barmah makes some nice lighter-weight hats from kangaroo leather. Just wish they had better sizing (more than just S, M, L, XL, XXL).

I too, have a Barmah crushable, which says in the top of the hat, Squashy Buffalo. I was told it was made from Water Buffalo hide, when I purchased it. Like you, I thnk the sizing could be better, but I actually tried mine on before buying and it has not ever shrunk or streached out, and has been in countless rain storms and snow storms, and still looks as good as new. And I can throw it in the truck, and nothing has ever hurt it.

I will never wear it out, based on the use it's had, and it still looks great. The only thing is you have to get used to a sorta floppy brim, but mine has always maintained that Aussy slouch, but you better like it as it comes, because there is not changing the shape to something else.
 

BlackBrim

Familiar Face
Messages
99
Location
AZ
Similar in appearance to some of Jill Corbett's leather hats, Goorin Bros. offers a new model from their American-made line -- the Belsky. Appears to be made in New Jersey by one of the last standing cut and sew hat factories in America run by Ruben "Ruby" Spitz.

...Two-minute factory-tour video here.
I saw the Belsky at a Goorin Brothers shop in California.The large seemed to fit fairly well but it was just a little tight.I was going to buy it but I was concerned that it might get tighter.I have never owned a leather fedora before.Do leather hats tend to shrink and get alot tighter?
 
Messages
10,524
Location
DnD Ranch, Cherokee County, GA
Leather draws as oils evaporate = main reason felt hats get snugger after wearing as the sweatband loses oils with the evaporation of sweat.
Leather hats will become tighter & need leather conditioner....nature of the material.
 

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