Unaltered Poet...THE hat?

JohnNdy · Post by **JohnNdy** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 9:07 pm

If I order a plain Poet from HJ (That is, not make ANY mention of Indy) will it still be the same hat that I would order if I had mentioned that I wanted it Indy style, minus the dimensional cut!? I assume the ribbon may be different, which I could easily change, or request to have in Black, but other than that (and the dimensional cut) is it the same hat? I guess the crucial question is this...is the same block used!? That is extremely important. Any info would be greatly appreciated...

-John

Post by **Michaelson** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 9:23 pm

No. The standard 'Poet' has about a 3 to 4 inch brim untrimmed, and comes with open unbashed crown. Unless you give them direction, you'll be receiving a wide brimmed sombrero. (grins) Regards. Michaelson

cliffhanger · Post by **cliffhanger** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 9:48 pm

John,

I plan on ordering my McAlpine next week. This is just my 2 cents...I got the idea from another forum member. Because Swales is not there, there may be no one that knows the dimensional cut like he did. I would be afraid to ask for the dimensional and having HJ "get it wrong", even though they are professional hatters.

I plan on ordering one with the 39mm ribbon, and that's it. I can have Peter Bros. or Lee Keppler or basically any Indy-hat vendor trim it, granted that would be willing to do the brim trimming for me, as they know more about what we Indy fans want in a hat.

Again, not saying you should do this, it just is the route I may be taking. I don't want to spend this much on a hat I've always wanted and have it not look right. Perhaps when you call ask if anyone else could do a dimensional cut like Swales did. The worst they could say is "no".

Peace and good luck,
Cliffhanger

cliffhanger · Post by **cliffhanger** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 9:54 pm

Sorry for the double post guys...

...but I reread your post. I would think it would defintely be the same block as the Indy hat. The on-going debate here at COW is are the hats simply "finished" at HJ's shop, or does Borsalino send them felt bodies and HJ takes it from there.

I say even if they do block the hats there, A Poet is a Poet. From what I've read about the history of how it came to be Indy's fedora, they took a stock Poet, flattened the brim (I think its a derby), changed the ribbon and bashed it. So to answer the question (the long way around), my guess is it is the same block.

Peace,
Cliff

JohnNdy · Post by **JohnNdy** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 11:39 pm

All I care about is if the block is the same. I can cut the brim with my template and I usually change the ribbon anyway to make it just right. So long as it's the same block then I will be happy. Also, a standard Poet from HJ is much cheaper than it's Indy counterpart...

-John

Bushman · Post by **Bushman** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 9:57 am

Ahem! As the proud owner of an Akubra Sombrero (bashed by yours truly with a 'Katherine crease'), I can tell you 3 to 4 inches (!!!) ain't a sombrero!

Bushman

agent5 · Post by **agent5** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 11:29 am

Cliffhanger, you from Chicago or are you just on the Cubs play-off bandwagon?

IndianaJames · Post by **IndianaJames** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 11:53 am

Hey wait a second, I thought the Poet was no longer available? Didnt H J stop making the poet a long time ago?

IJ

Post by **Michaelson** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 1:02 pm

Depends on your point of view, Bushman. From the point of view of a feller who has to have his hat brims trimmed to 2.5 inches on sides and 2 .75 inches for front and back to look right, 3 to 4 inches IS a sombrero!

Regards. Michaelson

Fedora · Post by **Fedora** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 1:30 pm

On the availability of the HJ, I would like to know for sure as well. Since I have had several HJs pass through my hands, old ones and newer ones, this is what I have noticed. There was little consistency in block, brim size, or height. The best one, and it stood heads or hats above the rest was Mike's old one. This one is the only one that had a Raiders block. I think you got what they had on hand when you ordered in time past. The felt thickness and quality would not have accounted for the differences that I saw with my own eyes. I saw 6 inch crowns, all the way down to a smidgen over 5 inches, all the same hat size of 7 1/4, and one in 7 1/8.

Recently, Spaniard posted pics of what is the new felt from the UK, and from the front, the hat looks like it has the Raiders block to me. From the sides an unacceptable taper is apparent. I am puzzled over this, because "the hat", certainly did not have this taper after bashed. Just my 2 cents. Fedora

cliffhanger · Post by **cliffhanger** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 7:57 pm

agent5 wrote:Cliffhanger, you from Chicago or are you just on the Cubs play-off bandwagon?

Nope, no band wagon, my father started watching the Cubs in 1981, the year I was born, on WGN (former Brooklyn Dodger fan) and became hooked ever since. I am a Cub fan by default...watched them my whole life. I am thrilled that the Cubs are in the playoffs (not by wild card), and am crossing my fingers for this Atlanta series (I despise the Braves), as I worry about Kerry tonight.

So no, not on the play-off band wagon (I know a few folks that are, and I look at them and think, "you don't know the half of it").

Anyhoo, to keep this on topic, the HJ Poet is still available (as of three weeks ago), just the guy who trimmed and shaped them for the films is gone. I am going with John on this one...I am ordering one stock, with the 39mm ribbon, and I'll take it from there.

Peace,
Cliffhanger

P.S. Agent5, Sox or Cubbies fan? If you're a North-sider, I say keep those fingers crossed...95 frikin' years is too long to wait!

whipwarrior · Post by **whipwarrior** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 10:21 pm

I got the idea from another forum member.

*COUGH!* whipwarrior

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