New 1000X Fedora

[myronw]

Hi,

Late Friday afternoon, I received my new Pecan colored 1000X Sterling Beaver Fedora from the Gladhatter. It is without a doubt the finest hat I've ever seen.

I haven't posted before, but I know from lurking for the past few months that Charlie is not the most popular vendor with some of the guys here. I am not interested in getting in an unfriendly discussion about anything. I just wanted to let you guys know that he builds a gorgeous hat, and his customer service is beyond reproach.

The hat is so soft and smooth that I thought at first that I must have gotten some kind of lubricant on my hands before I picked it up. I actually looked at my fingers and wiped them on a white paper towel to make sure that I wasn't soiling the hat. It's just that smooth and soft to the touch. The sweatband and liner are also of the highest quality.

Keep smiling,

PS: I was so impressed with the Pecan hat, that I now have a Silver Belly on the block!

 

[Art Fawcett]

Congrats Myron!! When can we see some pics??

 

[fedoralover]

I have a fedora from Gladhatter that I got in a trade with fedora. the felt is indeed very nice. I question why it is often referred to as 500X or 1000X though. A 100% beaver felt hat was most often a 10X or even a 7X could also be 100% beaver. Adding a few extra zero's doesn't make it more beaver than a real beaver can be can it? Or is there something I'm missing here? Congrats on the hat and please post some pics.

regards fedoralover

 

[K.D. Lightner]

My new fedora

Hi, I am new to this site. I also just received a custom built hat from the Gladhatter and I just love it.

It is a navy blue fedora and it is a perfect fit. I was a bit nervous ordering a hat via the internet but Charlie sent copious emails, assuring me that he could build a great hat for me. He walked me through the process of making the hat and sent photos. Yesterday, after receiving the hat, I wrote to him:

The softest things I have ever touched were:

A bat's wing

A puppy's belly

and my new fedora

The fedora is a beauty and the hat of my dreams.

karol

 

[Art Fawcett]

Welcome K.D!!!!

Same request as Myron, how about some pics?? There has been alot of controversy here about GH and we would love to see the finished products.

 

[BD Jones]

Originally posted by fedoralover
Adding a few extra zero's doesn't make it more beaver than a real beaver can be can it? Or is there something I'm missing here?

Nigel Tufnel: The numbers all go to eleven. Look, right across the board, eleven, eleven, eleven and...
Marty DiBergi: Oh, I see. And most amps go up to ten?
Nigel Tufnel: Exactly.
Marty DiBergi: Does that mean it's louder? Is it any louder?
Nigel Tufnel:[b/] Well, it's one louder, isn't it? It's not ten. You see, most blokes, you know, will be playing at ten. You're on ten here, all the way up, all the way up, all the way up, you're on ten on your guitar. Where can you go from there? Where?
Marty DiBergi: I don't know.
Nigel Tufnel: Nowhere. Exactly. What we do is, if we need that extra push over the cliff, you know what we do?
Marty DiBergi: Put it up to eleven.
Nigel Tufnel: Eleven. Exactly. One louder.
Marty DiBergi: Why don't you just make ten louder and make ten be the top number and make that a little louder?
Nigel Tufnel: [Pause] These go to eleven.

Sorry, what you asked reminded me of this part in "Spinal Tap". The 10X and 7X being 100% beaver are mainly a vintage device. Nowadays, the X's are useless. Most hat makers load up on the X's to make it seem like their hat is better than the others, no matter what the fur content. True story: I went in to a famous hat shop in downtown San Antonio in February and asked to see the best felt they had. They showed me a 5000X, yes 5000X. When I asked if it was a pure beaver, they looked at me like I was nuts. Their exact words were "We don't sell pure beaver hats. This is about 60% beaver, 20% hare, and 20% Kashmir." What Charlie calls a 500X or a 1000X, can easily be called a 100X or 500X by another maker. The best thing to do is to ask what the beaver content in their hats.

By the way, I too have a GH beaver hat that I got just last week. I'll try to post about it tomorrow, with pictures if anyone is interested.

 

[Butters]

Ok, i too have though about buying a gladhatter custom. Ive seen pictures and heard stories, and im sure they are all wonderful quality. So heres my only question. How does is feel spending in excess of $500 on a hat? Do any of you have buyers remorse of any sort? I would love to own a 500x or 1000x from charlie, but cant see myself spending $500 on a hat. Now i may be restricted that im only 16, jobless, and have the motivation of an ant. personally i imagine my mom would kill me if i spent that much on a hat when my '65 mustang is in dire need of a new carburetor.

Like i said, i just want to know how you guys feel after buying one, if everyone here feels like the money was really well spent, then i might invest in one.

 

[BD Jones]

I don't have any regrets. They way I look at it is this. I am financially secure enough to where I can pay all my bills, put away for retirement, prepare for emergencies, and still have money left over for entertainment. I'm not rich, but I also make sure other priorities are taken care of first. I also look at a hat like this as an investment. With its overall quality, with proper care, it should last long enough to pass down to my children. Of course, not having any kids at the moment helps free up my cash a little more as well.

 

[Panamabob]

I wouldn't buy a cup of water from Charlie if my ***** were on fire. To those of you who read Hat Chat, someone is at it again.

But, to each his own.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Hi --

In response to the person who requested photos, I will have to figure out how to get them from my computer to the website so you can see my navy fedora. I tried to do it last night and it didn't work. I don't have a digital camera, just photos Charlie sent me.

To the 16-year old who wrote: I did not pay a great deal for my hat. It is a 25X and is beautiful and soft as a baby's bum. I can shape it in all sorts of styles, but usually wear it a la Indiana Jones. It has a 3 inch brim. I paid a little over $225. It freaked me out, too, to spend that amount on a hat -- I have a stetson "Gus" cowboy hat I paid about $165 for, but that was it. However, I could not find a good navy fedora on either ebay or at the hat shops. So, I went for a custom hat. I paid more than I would have thought, but got exactly what I wanted. (In the past, I spent well over $200 buying cheaper navy blue hats I had to give away or sell as they were not what I wanted.) If you are 16 and get a hat like mine, you will have it all your life.

best, karol

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Also I wanted to add that another place you may find a great fedora at a good price would be to look in the antique shops and flea markets, even yard sales.

A few years ago, I went to an antique mall here in San Diego and noticed a hat hanging on a rack. I recognized it instantly as an old Borsalino Alessandria . It was in great shape, certainly a better hat than my newer Borsalinos, and I have it now. It is a wonderful light brown color, soft and shapeable, and fits like a dream. Best of all, I got it for $30!!

Some of those old hats probably sat in someone's closet for 50 years and maybe were worn twice, if that. Once the 1960's hit, even my father stopped wearing his fedoras and started wearing, unfortunately, ball caps.

I have seen some nice looking Borsalinos on Ebay, but the bidding can be furious. I have yet to get a hat off Ebay that I really like.

karol

 

[Art Fawcett]

I agree with you on the Borsalino's. None better!! Also, if you get a moment you might want to stop by my website as I have a vintage clothing store and a hat renovating/sales/custom section that might interest you. Also there are a few very good vintage shops in San Diego with "Frock you" being near the top of my list. "Wear it again Sam" is good but they stock repro hats that are not high quality but wearable. It sounds like you are beyond them taste wise but every now & then you find a deal!

Take care

Art
Vintage Silhouettes