You have a very nice vintage fedora there. With you relatively long face you can wear a wider brim, maybe all the way to a 3 inch'er.

I would start saving my euros and buy either an Adventurebilt or a Deluxe Adventurebilt. You will love these hats!!!

jeboat

I have owned probably ten different models of Akubras and every one of them has been "loose" when they arrived. Also they all shrank with wear and exposure to the great outdoors. My biggest problem with some of them is they can shrink too much! I recommend using a hat stretcher to keep the...

I have always liked mules. It does seem they have a lot of "personality" but you learn to respect the mules' way, i.e. THEIR way!!!


jeboat

I have one I bought "as new" on Ebay. A female had paid a lot for it and needed money. I like it fine but don't wear it very often. Nothing wrong with it, it is soft, pliable and fits my 7 1/4 noggin very well. In quality I place it between the Federation and the AB. It is certainly not al...

For what it's worth I have bought a number of Akubras from different Australian vendors.

The one constant is they have all been larger than other brands and they all shrank over time to a near custom fit. I think Fedora will attest to this experience.

jeboat

I have several Indy type fedoras ranging from a Miller "Indy type" hat to the "real thing" by AB in both brown and grayish brown. I also have a Peters Bros./Borsalino collaboration as well as a regular Federation. I like them all, but...if you are anal retentive like most of us o...

Fedora,

Are you still feeding those Mississippi dogs expensive beaver? You know you can buy really good dog food for less than $1.00 a can at the grocery...

jeboat

I should have mentioned that the hat in question is not a western hat. It is a C-crown, pinched front, snap brimmed hat with a 2 3/4 inch brim. I think I got this one on EBay. It came in a box with a Greely Hat Works label on the outside.


jeboat

I took a new modified Stetson (I had Art change the sweat to leather and I changed the hatband to a horsehair band) in Silverbelly to the UK on vacation two weeks ago. The weather cooperated mostly but we did have a downpour one day. My Stetson got soaked even though I had put several coats of Scotc...

If you don't know the difference in hats what does it matter? A lot of people would soil themselves if they knew what a decent hat cost these days. By decent I mean a beaver or beaver blend. Even the hare/rabbit/nutria blends can cost a lot of money. For example, most of the modern Borsies have no b...

I laughed when I read about someone thinking you had an Indy hat when it was just an old beater! Last fall we visited Italy and stayed in Sorrento for a week. We found a favorite restaurant and ate there several times. As luck would have it we got the same waiter each time. I wore a Stetson Bear Cre...

Marc,

The customer is always right, BUT he is sadly mistaken if he thinks this hat will look good on him...too bad because the materials and workmanship are excellent.

jeboat

I can easily understand the availability of rabbit fur/meat since they are so prolific, both domestic and wild. But for the life of me I just cannot see how there can be so many beavers to supply the fur for high quality felt. Anybody know for sure where all the beaver skins come from? jeboat :cry: ...

Have you considered putting some personalized info such as the owners name or initials on the sweatband?

jeboat

I am the proud owner of 4 AB's. One brown ROLA, one gray(ish) ROLA, one Bogey type, and one Borsie type fedora. All 4 are beaver and all 4 are great hats!!!

jeboat

Who on earth could you be talking about, Sharpetoys??? LOL!!!

jeboat

One thing to always remember in a family(or business) squabble is "It is ALWAYS about the money!!!" Don't be distracted about the sewing machine or any thing else she may or may not be using as leverage. She thinks that $250.00 is a lot of $$$ for a hat, and she is correct! But, it really ...

I spoke with Fedora last night by phone. He had lost power 4-6 hours earlier but everyone was OK. Lots of wind and rain but nothing more scary than that.

The authorites had warned everyone to stay inside and definitely not travel.

jeboat

Looks like the "real thing" on you. I wouldn't change one thing.

jeboat

As an ameteur photographer I am always interested in controversial shots like this one.

It is not a bit unusual to use fill flash when outdoors. It causes the subject (IJ and friend) to "pop" and subdues the background.

jeboat

BTW that Bogie is my hat!!!

What is the hatband width? Is it vintage grosgrain?
jeboat

you look best with the 2nd hat, no doubt about it!

jeboat

Where are the "classifieds" located you refer to??

jeboat

You can get a horsehair hat brush, light or dark, for about $10.00 at noggintops.com.

It's a very good site to buy hats and associated products.

May God watch over you and yours during this very sad time...

jeboat

:D Thanks for all the help on the Kepler fedora. I spoke with Fedora on the phone last night and after hearing all the praise for him and his Adventurebilt fedora the decision was easy. I sent a money order today for a brown beaver Adventurebilt and have a lot of confidence that I will get exactly w...

As a new member to this site(and the "IJ fedora culture), I wonder why the Lee Kepler fedora made by Beaver Brand Hats is never mentioned in this forum. I sent an email to him asking the dimensions but got no reply. Is he still selling these fedoras? I know the Adventure Bilt has the nod in mos...