Phoenix Hat Company

[Woodtroll]

That's a real looker right there! Nice!

Thank you, friend, I appreciate that. But all the credit goes to Rick, as I shamelessly asked him to copy this hat for me from one he posted back in August. I'm looking forward to seeing it in person!

 

[Frunobulax]

Okay RM, now your comment has me thinking about future marketing strategies. "Custom hats lovingly handcrafted by drunken elves" Can't miss!

Hey, if Keebler can claim they make cookies in a hollow tree, you should be on solid legal footing with that slogan.

Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[Just A Hat Rack]

Thank you, friend, I appreciate that. But all the credit goes to Rick, as I shamelessly asked him to copy this hat for me from one he posted back in August. I'm looking forward to seeing it in person!

I remember that hat, and this one appears to be just as glorious. I can't wait to see it out in the wild.

Ryan
Hat size: 7 1/2

 

[T Jones]

Okay RM, now your comment has me thinking about future marketing strategies. "Custom hats lovingly handcrafted by drunken elves" Can't miss!

Sounds like my kind of elves. In fact, I do my best work after a few beers, or so.

A little bit of steam from the ol' tea kettle for a couple of touch ups and it'll be golden!

 

[DesertDan]

Y'all may have noticed Rick hasn't been posting much lately. That's because he's been busy perfecting his latest creation, a copy of a hat he posted a couple months back but built to larger proportions to suit my big head. It ships Monday! My Christmas is coming early this year.



I hope you all have a great weekend!
Regan

Looks fantastic Regan, Congrats!

 

[humanshoes]

Hey, if Keebler can claim they make cookies in a hollow tree, you should be on solid legal footing with that slogan.

Sent directly from my mind to yours.

Sounds like my kind of elves. In fact, I do my best work after a few beers, or so.

A little bit of steam from the ol' tea kettle for a couple of touch ups and it'll be golden!

Hah! That's a beauty Terry and it doesn't look like you'll even have to break out the rounding jack. Truth be told, I love that hat and want one just like it. I figure it couldn't hurt to bring a little Gandalf magic into the hat shop.

 

[BobHufford]

I figure it couldn't hurt to bring a little Gandalf magic into the hat shop.

That's the Hogwart's Sorting Hat (think Harry Potter). The only reason I know this is that my 32-year-old daughter made me watch those movies this past year.

 

[T Jones]

Hah! That's a beauty Terry and it doesn't look like you'll even have to break out the rounding jack. Truth be told, I love that hat and want one just like it. I figure it couldn't hurt to bring a little Gandalf magic into the hat shop.

Ha ha! I have all kinds of hats that turned out looking that! I can't say that they have magical powers, though. If they did, they wouldn't look like that! But after a few beers it doesn't matter.

 

[drmaxtejeda]

Y'all may have noticed Rick hasn't been posting much lately. That's because he's been busy perfecting his latest creation, a copy of a hat he posted a couple months back but built to larger proportions to suit my big head. It ships Monday! My Christmas is coming early this year.



I hope you all have a great weekend!
Regan

Wowww! Ooooooh, and Ahhhhh!

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[drmaxtejeda]

Thanks, Brent, that color combo caught my eye right off the bat, so I’m tickled that he had a natural felt body on hand that was big enough for what I was after. Once he told me that, it was a no-brainer.

This hat is roughly 5” to the top of the pinch, as creased, with a 3” brim. A big hat, certainly, but at size 7-3/4 it still looks proportional to me. From the picture alone it looks like a more “average” sized hat. And you know what happens when you put a hat of average dimensions on a big head!

Good luck with your own Christmas presents! At least you know that they are most certainly worth the wait.

Hope you all enjoy a peaceful Sunday,
Regan

What is the cost of that beauty? How long did it take? Wowwwww

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[drmaxtejeda]

Rick made a beautiful tolliker for me. Woodtroll's post made my mouth water. Wonderful.

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[drmaxtejeda]

My "new" luring stove in action. I really don't know if this little beauty was made specifically as a luring stove, however, it works just fine for that particular purpose. I suppose any hotplate with a solid burner surface would do the job, but I do love the old gear.
View attachment 141875

What is "luring"?

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[drmaxtejeda]

Natural beaver with navy ribbon in the Tennessee morning sun. It's so beautiful here I want to put this hat on and play hooky from the day job.
View attachment 132467

Do you still have a day job? I assumed you were retired from it. Wow! Mis respetos, Rick.

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[humanshoes]

What is "luring"?

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It's a process whereby a hot pad (luring pad) is used with the hatter's choice of oil to replenish the oils that are stripped from the fur in the felting process. Much the same as using conditioner on one's hair. Here's a brief pictorial on page 8 of my thread: https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/phoenix-hat-company.93410/page-8

 

[Woodtroll]

What is the cost of that beauty? How long did it take? Wowwwww

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Rick's price sheet is on the third post, first page of this thread. I am not sure if the prices posted there are current, as Brent mentioned some time back there would be a cost increase coming soon. Even if the prices did go up some, you can see they are VERY reasonable. I chose to have this hat done in 100% beaver from a mid-weight Western body he had on hand, so the price upon order was $225 plus shipping. This is only my second order from Rick, but my first hat was exceptionally well made and exactly to the specs I had requested, and so I ordered this one almost immediately upon receipt of the first. Rick quoted 10-12 weeks completion time when I ordered, and he is shipping this one Monday right at the twelve-week mark.

I know Rick still has several outstanding orders, so if you're interested drop Rick a message to discuss current price and time frame. I promise you that whatever you decide on will be very fairly priced and easily worth the wait.

Good luck!
Regan

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Do you still have a day job? I assumed you were retired from it. Wow! Mis respetos, Rick.

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I’m glad I got in with Phoenix before you found them, Max. Rick’s hats are very nice, but just like your Optimos and VS, they are different than vintage.

Rick is reworking his hat price list for 2019 and we’re all waiting for it. No matter what it will be fair and a great deal.

Luring is the process of impregnating the felt with heated oil, usually coconut oil, in order to replace some of the natural oils the felt loses in the felting process. It makes a small but noticeable difference to the sheen, hand, and pliability. It’s an old technique that not everyone uses. I have Phoenix hats with and without luring and I like the lured felt better.

Rick has a full-time job in addition to making musical instruments, hatters tools, and hats. He’s a busy man.


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[Woodtroll]

Looks fantastic Regan, Congrats!

Wowww! Ooooooh, and Ahhhhh!

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I remember that hat, and this one appears to be just as glorious. I can't wait to see it out in the wild.

Ryan
Hat size: 7 1/2

Thanks, gentlemen, I appreciate the kind words. Rick created the original, all I did was ask for a copy in my preferred size. So all the credit is Rick's.

 

[humanshoes]

Do you still have a day job? I assumed you were retired from it. Wow! Mis respetos, Rick.

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No retirement yet Max. I am the director of an addiction treatment center and find the work too personally rewarding to ever fully retire from. Semi-retirement is right around the corner though. I'm also the proprietor of several other small businesses in addition to the PHC. I do still manage the occasional day on the golf course (your golf course pictures are killing me) or in the mountains with a fly rod in hand, but not nearly as often as I'd like. Gracias por tu respeto! Mis padres inculcaron una fuerte ética de.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Here’s an idea!

Last summer I wanted to get a Phoenix in Blue Smoke beaver (light bluish grey); however, the felt company (Winchester) has a minimum order of 36 hat bodies for that color. Do you think there would be 35 other folks here on the Lounge who would be willing to pony up the cash for one of these special orders? I’m also interested in Limestone if Blue Smoke isn’t your thing but all 36 felts would have to be the same color. I’d suspect the wait time would be...long, but maybe Rick would allow us to pay for the price of the hat body and secure a place in his queue and then when your turn comes up you can pay the balance and get your hat. I don’t even know if Rick would be interested, but I’d love a Fedora Lounge exclusive Phoenix Hat.

Anyone else? Heck, I’m down for both colors if we can get find 70 others to join in (all assuming that Rick can fit that much hat making into his busy life). I’m liking this idea.


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[drmaxtejeda]

Here’s an idea!

Last summer I wanted to get a Phoenix in Blue Smoke beaver (light bluish grey); however, the felt company (Winchester) has a minimum order of 36 hat bodies for that color. Do you think there would be 35 other folks here on the Lounge who would be willing to pony up the cash for one of these special orders? I’m also interested in Limestone if Blue Smoke isn’t your thing but all 36 felts would have to be the same color. I’d suspect the wait time would be...long, but maybe Rick would allow us to pay for the price of the hat body and secure a place in his queue and then when your turn comes up you can pay the balance and get your hat. I don’t even know if Rick would be interested, but I’d love a Fedora Lounge exclusive Phoenix Hat.

Anyone else? Heck, I’m down for both colors if we can get find 70 others to join in (all assuming that Rick can fit that much hat making into his busy life). I’m liking this idea.


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What felt company was the Willow color from? I forget

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