Mitch LaRue and the Quest for COW Wisdom

Mitch LaRue · Post by **Mitch LaRue** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 4:16 pm

Hi everyone,
I need just a little bit of help, but from as many of you as possible...

Like a lot of you who frequent this forum, I've begun on what will likely turn out to be a 2 or 3 year journey... A quest to own (and wear with pride) a few specific fedoras handcrafted by a few VERY SPECIFIC gentlemen.

But, let me back this thing up just one step (and I promise, if you DO read this whole "lead-in", there IS a worthwhile question towards the end)...

First, here's what's already underway:
I've already ordered one of Magnoli's fine Herbert Johnson Fedora's that will soon be masterfully bashed into the Drinkin' With a Monkey (Streets of Cairo) look by Mr. Steve Delk... I hardly need tell you that every hour drags until that hat gets to me... An anticipation made worthwhile by the final product, I know...

Since ordering that lid my Hat Education here on these boards has grown and grown and I've learned far, Far, FAR more than I'd ever guessed I'd learn about fedoras (including how lucky my - then, UNeducated - instincts were in going after the Mag HJ!)... and my desire for that "One, true" Indy fedora grew to a short LIST of different kinds of fedoras I wanted for my noggin.

Here's what decisions I'd reached:
I'd want to get
2 more Indy "Raiders" Hats and 1 Grey Travelling (China Clipper-Style) Fedora

There was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to get the 2 "Adventure-Style" Raiders hats... my only problem was choosing a bash...
(I had already ordered the SOC - my personal favorite - so, would it be The Kipu Falls? The Idol Grab? The Raven Bar? The Well of the Souls? The Truck Chase?) Thanks to folks constantly re-asking questions about these styles - and you good people never tiring of weighing-in on this issue - I was able to fine-tune my choices.)

Finally, after learning so very much about these hats and the hat makers out there, I'd reached my decisions (and as you know, not easy decisions to make)...

Along with the Grey Traveller,
I'd be ordering
The Idol Grab
and
The Raven Bar bashes
and I'd be ordering the three of them from
Steve Delk at Adventurebilt and Marc Kitter at Adventurebilt Deluxe

Ahhh...
The decisions were made... All was well in the world...
SURE, there was a lot of money involved

, but the money would come in time... The IMPORTANT thing was that I was comfortable and at peace with my decisions...

...

Then, John Penman (BendingOak) and The Penman Hat Company came along and shook everything up (Although, as I'm sure most of you know, in a really REALLY GOOD WAY)

John's Artistic flair, his skill and professionalism - not to mention affordable prices and (for now) lesser waiting time - has forced me (happily) to throw HIS hat into the ring as well...

So, NOW here's where things sit with me (and where my questions arise and your help is needed):

Over the next few months I'll be ordering:

- A Raiders Fedora with The Idol Grab bash
(Here's a few little photo reminders for those of you newer folks):
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... lGrab1.jpg
And
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... lGrab2.jpg

- A Raiders Fedora with The Raven Bar bash
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... enBar1.jpg
And
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... enBar2.jpg

A Grey Traveller (more "brown-grey than blue-grey")
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... eller1.jpg
(and bashed similar to the very one John got from Steve himself)
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... eller2.jpg

And I'll be ordering them from:
John Penman at The Penman Hat Company

Steve Delk at Adventurebilt

and
Marc Kitter at Adventurebilt Deluxe

BUT...
NOT necessarily IN THAT ORDER.

THAT's my question.
Who do you think is best suited to make and shape each of these hats?
Who's the best man for each hat?

Now, don't get me wrong... I KNOW ALL THREE of these men could make an outstanding version of ALL THREE of these hat (and styles)... but my mind is made up that ALL 3 of THESE guys are the men for the job(s)... One for each hat.
(And I mean NO disrespect to the many other talented Hatters - AND Companies - out there who are providing such EXCELLENT hats nowadays...)
I'm just wondering if there are prevailing opinions as to what's the best "match-up".

For example, is John's strongest bash the Raven Bar or the Idol Grab? Or... since the Grey Traveller is the "dressier" hat, should I automatically be giving THAT hat to Marc, since he uses those fine, deluxe materials?

What do YOU think?
I'd like to get your opinions, please... as many as possible.

And quite frankly, given that - of the three orders - I'll be placing my order with John FIRST, I'm tempted to simply say:

"John, YOU choose... You already know that Marc and Steve will do an AWESOME job at whatever hat I - or ANY of us - ever ask them to do, so... given that I really just want you to first and foremost, enjoy making the hat itself... what hat would YOU prefer to do?"
(And John, even though this kinda' reads like an Open Letter to you, Steve & Marc... I SINCERELY hope you don't get around to reading this until Tuesday and are instead catching your breathe and doing a little R & R this Holiday Weekend...)

So THAT's it... please let me know what you (all) think... I really TRUST you folks...

(Seriously considering changing my Username to "Longwinded Jones", though...)

Mitch

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 6:22 pm

First of all, Longwinded--er, Mitch...

I commend you for all the research and homework you've done in coming to your decisions on what hats best suit your needs and desires. It can seem overwhelming when first presented with the wealth of information available on the boards, but it's nice to see people actually delve in like you do and try to find out as much as you can by reading the boards and then asking more direct and specific questions.

As to which hat to be made by who, I believe any of the three hatters you mention will do a fine job of bashing the hat to the scenes you like. That said, my personal experience with Steve has been that he's bashed my hats beautifully for my tastes. I have not had the pleasure of working with either Marc or John, however.

Since you're asking opinions, this is my suggestion: You said you are ordering from John first. My feeling is that you should sit down and think along the lines that if you could only ever have one Indy hat, which style could you absolutely not live without? Pick favourites between the three. Whichever hat style comes out on top as your favourtie of the three, that is the one you should have John style for you. That way, you get your "favourite" hat first, and the other two down the pipeline are icing on the cake.

Another thing to consider is that (to my knowledge) Steve alone made the travel hat for CS, while both he and Marc together provided all the brown hats. You could argue that getting the grey hat from Steve is akin to getting that hat directly from the maker. That, and the felt Steve uses for his Clipper hats is the same Winchester as the felt he used in CS. I have a grey from him which I feel replicates the nuances of the colour perfectly.

Mitch LaRue · Post by **Mitch LaRue** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 6:40 pm

Wise words AND great advice, binkmeisterRick...
Thank you!
(And thanks for taking time to read my POSTing homage to War & Peace.)

Anyone else out there care to share their thoughts?
Mitch

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 9:14 pm

Long winded Jones

Thanks for all the kind words. The grey fedora that Steve made me that you posted the pick of is mine and I bashed the hat. If I had to pick one to work on I would go with the grey.
Both Steve and Marc make and bash a hat far better than I do. I'm not being modest just telling it like it is. They are just master at their craft and really good guys.
I could go either way on who should do what between the two of them. If it was going to be a CS grey I would go with Steve on that one. For the reasons Bink stated.
I think I make the call on who made what based on how you were going to use it. The one that will see more abuse and weather would go with this order.

Marc, Steve, and then myself.

also Marc and Steve have a more SA block than mine.

Things to keep in mind.

Mitch LaRue · Post by **Mitch LaRue** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 10:36 pm

Steve and Marc ARE masters at their craft, it's true... you'll get no arguement from me.
But they've got nothing left to teach you in the way of courtesy, customer service and professionalism, I can assure you of THAT.

Thanks John, for your input and thoughts on this, as well as for taking a few minutes to share them... it's greatly appreciated!

Hope you're having a great weekend...
All the Best,
Mitch

Chewbacca Jones · Post by **Chewbacca Jones** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 1:41 am

I can say from experience that Steve's Idol Grab bash is killer. On that basis alone, I would say let him do the Idol Grab hat.

I general, I'd say that the AB boys, with their more accurate blocks, would just be best for the brown hats. Plus, you will probably tend to wear them in more "adventurous ways" and their durability is well proven.

For the gray, I say Penman. The gray hat, to me, seems less in need of a screen accurate block. Also, as Oak says, his hats might be the less durable of the three makers (only time will tell, of course). Finally, it sounds to me like he would like working on the gray more. Happy hatter equals happy customer!

With all that said, even if you ignore every word I wrote, you have chosen wisely. You will end up with three awesome hats. I just wish I could justify ordering a Penman. But when you have 3 ABs, a Magnoli, a JPD, and a Fed III... Yes, a man can actually have enough Indy hats. Maybe if John branches out into more exotic territory later on. *sigh*

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 1:51 am

I think your covered with the 3 AB's. I would love to move to different hats.

Mitch LaRue · Post by **Mitch LaRue** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:47 am

Okay, hold it for a second! Stop the presses!
John just posted a few photos over on his Penman thread that just kill me.
Those photos - and the opinions you've shared so far - has helped me make up my mind about this whole thing.

Here's part of the response I wrote to him over on his thread:

" THANK YOU, because THAT hat settles it for me: YOU'RE the guy for my next hat, the Grey Raiders Traveller (or China Clipper... whatever we choose to call it.)

I'll be sending you an e-mail (or pm - whichever you prefer) this week so we can work out details. There will be no words like "rush" or "urgent" or "soon"... I just want to give you the money and sit back and forget about it until... whenever you're happy with it.

I guess I should ask though, do you have access to the "browner of the greys" or would the hat be in a bluer grey? I might be getting confused about what you own, what you've blocked or bashed and what you've made...

I'd be looking for something in a shade like what Chewie posted for me once - the hat on the right.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... risons.jpg

Drop me a line when you can. "

I WILL say this, though... in the interest of giving John some variety in what he's doing, I'm now committed to ANOTHER idea, as well:
I'm going to commission him to make me a Humphrey Bogart "Big Sleep" fedora in about 6 - 8 months!

Chewie, you've really won me over on the issue of Steve doing the Idol Grab. (The truth is, there are about 10 people on this site - at least who I'm familiar with - whose opinions make me just stop in my tracks and pay attention. You, BendingOak and binkmeisterRick are, obviously, three of them... so I couldn't be happier that you guys weighed -in!)

My plan is now resolved.
It'll be
- John Penman for the Grey Traveller
- Steve Delk for the Idol Grab
- Marc Kitter for the Raven Bar
(and somewhere in there, Penman for my Bogart!)

Gentlemen, thank you all (and each) for your advise on this... to say nothing of your patience and inability to bore easily from long posts!

I'd still love to hear feedback from others, but I feel REALLY settled with these decisions now...

All the Best,
Longwinded Jones
(but... my friends call me "Mitch")

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 10:40 am

Thanks again

My hat would be like the one in your photo on the right side.

e-mail me question using info@penmanhats.com

I would love to do a bogey style hat. If you could find me some good shots of bogeys hat that would be help full.

I'm glade to see that you are getting a AB and ABD. They are by far the best hats made by the best hat makers. They have mastered their skills and craft. The wait will be long but when you get your hats you will be so glade you did.

Mitch LaRue · Post by **Mitch LaRue** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 9:14 pm

AHHHhhhh...

Now, THAT feels better...

(Just placed my order for the Grey Raiders Traveller - "China Clipper" - with Penman Hats)...
Gonna sleep like a drunk kitten, now...

Good night, folks... I'm off to dream of soft, pliable beaver felt of the "brownish-grey" variety...

All the Best,
Mitch

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 9:41 pm

Good for you, Mitch! Now remember to share those pics when you get it!

Mitch LaRue · Post by **Mitch LaRue** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 7:15 am

GUARANTEED!

You guys have all been so generous with your advice AND your opinions AND your photos, that you've inspired me to adhere to the motto to "give as good as I get".

You guys "gave" (and gave PLENTY) so as soon as I can, I'll definitely be "giving" back!

Consider that a promise, bink.
All the Best,
Mitch