My HJ Magnoli fedora

[Kredepops]

Today my Herbert Johnson/Magnoli Raiders Fedora arrived and I'm so pleased with this hat! It's so soft, compared to my Downtower and PB.
It even fits better than my PB, seems like I'm a size 58 rather than a 57, lucky me, I though it would be a tad too big.

I bought it from COW member TexasRaider who had it for sale in the bazaar. I simply love this hat, and quite frankly ends my quest for the Indy hat.
I'm not sure if I can bring myself to beat it up and dust it to the SOC look, which I love, but for now it looks like this:

[beaverlid]

Good looking fedora. I wonder if this is one of the new felt bodies Steve Delk spoke of. Anyway it is a good looking lid. Enjoy it!

Beaverlid

[Mitch LaRue]

Suits you perfectly, Kredepops!
You made a good puchase. You took a big chance by buying a hat you didn't think to be your correct size... but it really worked out well for you.
Congratulations on your new fedora!
Mitch

[Kredepops]

Thanks guys!

@beaverlid - yeah, maybe it is? I don't know, it does however look brand new - aside from a stain on the liner, it looks like it's never been worn at all.
It's specs did however surprise me a bit. The sides and front of the brim are slightly shorter than on my PB '_ style'

Sides: 2.4
Front:2.5
Crown: 4.6

@Mitch

Thank you Yes, it was a gamble for sure, but I just couldn't pass up the deal, I've always wanted to own a HJ Magnoli, just couldn't afford it till now.
My PB is also so rigid and leaves a mark on my forehead each time I wear it, hehe so it was a real pleasure to put on this soft fedora that just fit perfectly.

[Michaelson]

Just as an 'aside', why don't you send your PB back to Joe for resizing? It's part of the service, don't cha know? They'll make it fit!

As to you 'taking a chance' on sizing, since this is NOT a custom hat but off the shelf sizing, and since you KNOW what standard hat size you wear, not sure what kind of a 'chance' you were taking myself.

Looks DANG good on your noggin, young feller!

HIGH regards !Michaelson

[Kredepops]

Many thanks Michaelson!

Yeah, I would send it back to PB, but since I bought it some 5-6 years ago, it hardly would seem fair I could of course have done it when I got it in the first place but alas... living in Denmark (Europe) makes shipping sooo expensive - it would have been almost cheaper bying a whole new hat, rather than paying for 2x shipping but I have to say, it was kinda nice that it fit so snugly - I can stand on my hands without it falling off!

But nuff said about sizing - I can and have worn my PB many many times, I've been very happy with it, and it still looks great. It's the bulletproof felt kind, so it feels very different putting on a HJ that's sooo soft. Now this one is my new favorite .... until I feel the craving for an AB

[Mitch LaRue]

It even fits better than my PB, seems like I'm a size 58 rather than a 57, lucky me, I though it would be a tad too big.

You took a big chance by buying a hat you didn't think to be your correct size... but it really worked out well for you.

As to you 'taking a chance' on sizing, since this is NOT a custom hat but off the shelf sizing, and since you KNOW what standard hat size you wear, not sure what kind of a 'chance' you were taking myself.

If I misunderstood what you were saying Kredepops, my apologies - both to you AND Magnoli (and Steve).
I took your words to mean that you normally wear a size 57 and ordered outside your normal size through a privately arranged sale for this hat... That - at least, to me - seemed like a bit of a gamble (again, glad it turned out well for you)...
But to be clear, I never meant that as any sort of slight against either Magnoli, Steve or even the party from whom you bought the hat.
I (did) agree with Michaelson: sending it back to PB for a re-sizing seemed like the right idea... but now that you've made it clear how much time has passed, I see where you're coming from.
By the way, that "craving for a AB"? You'll find that hard to fight off for very long!

Cheers,
Mitch

[crismans]

I had one of these and the softness was awesome. Unfortunately, I took a chance on a private sale and the hat was just a tad too small (uncomfortable and left a red band) so I ended up reselling it. Very nice hat though and I'd definitely look at one again.

[Michaelson]

Well, just to close the door on the PB part of the discussion, understood on the cost of shipping, but keep in mind that PB stands behind their hats, no matter HOW long you've owned it. That is not an issue.

That said, just invest in a good hat jack/stretcher, and you can solve the tightness in just one over night use.

Regards! Michaelson

[Kredepops]

No no, I don't think you misunderstood Mitch. I DID indeed take a chance with this HJ fedora. I really thought 57 was my size. Maybe my heads gotten a little bigger in the 6 years since I bought it I'm sure PB would have fittet the old PB for me if I returned it It's still an awesome Fedora - wouldn't part with it ever!

Just to clarify - I bought this HJ second hand from member 'TexasRaider', so didn't deal with either Magnoli or Steve directly.

I actually bought it via Paypal from TexasRaider merely hours before going on a vacation for two weeks to Tunesia. I didn't even have the time to measure my head, I just thought 'Hey it's only one size bigger than my PB, it'll work out, if not I can always put cardboard under the sweatband if it's too large.

I just wanted it, it was too good a bargain to let go and as it turned out one inch bigger wasn't that much - and it did make for a more comfortable fit.

In Denmark we use the metric system so I'm not used to measuring in inches.

Hehe, yeah, oooh until now I'm just happy the wife let me have three fedora.

[Mitch LaRue]

keep in mind that PB stands behind their hats, no matter HOW long you've owned it. That is not an issue.

Wow. Even after 6 years? I did not know that. That's GREAT Customer Service.
I apologize that I'm helping to derail talk of your Mag HJ by talking about PB, Kredepops... so I'll shut my chops on this matter now, but I just wanted to say:
That's really good information to have Michaelson, thank you.

[DarenHenryW]

Beautiful hat, Man! I'm very impressed, and you should be very proud of that thing!

Hats off to you!
DHW

[Fedora]

I DID indeed take a chance with this HJ fedora. I really thought 57 was my size. Maybe my heads gotten a little bigger in the 6 years since I bought it

Funny thing about the HJs. The other felt we were using, the thinner stock, all ran small for a given size. So, a 58 was more like a 57. On the new felt we are using now, the first shipment was dead on in sizing. A 58 was a 58. I think some of this was due to the old felt shrinking up after the hat was made, and caused the hat to fit tight for a given size. To date, no problem with the thicker felt. Fedora

[Johnny Fedora]

VERRRY nice lid Kredepops!

The Mags HJ owners club is prowed to have you as a new member!
Seriously though, it's a very fine hat and looks good on you as well.

Congrats!
Johnny

p.s. Ok everybody, I'm finaly home from my spring/summer long TDY and have computer access again. What have I missed?

[Kredepops]

Tundrarider - Thanks for the kind words man, I appreciate it - Yes the crown is a bit shorter than on my PB.

(My wife prefers the HJ - hehe I can see from the posts by other members that their wives and girlfriends also prefer a slightly lower crown... what's up with that? - ) But I'm really happy about the overall look too! The crown seems perfect height with my face-shape which is slightly more round compared to Harrison's.

I'm going to Collectormania (a con in Denmark) next month as Indy, so I'll get some pics in full gear then. I'll try to snap a few later of the fedora alone. Right now all my gear is on my Mannequin.

Johnny Fedora - Thanks Johnny! I'm proud to be a member - Thanks so much!

DarenHenryW - Thanks!! I am very proud.. I though I'd never have the money to get this hat, that's where second hand deals are awesome!

[indyclone]

[quote="Kredepops"]Tundrarider - Thanks for the kind words man, I appreciate it - Yes the crown is a bit shorter than on my PB.

(My wife prefers the HJ - hehe I can see from the posts by other members that their wives and girlfriends also prefer a slightly lower crown... what's up with that? - ) But I'm really happy about the overall look too! The crown seems perfect height with my face-shape which is slightly more round compared to Harrison's.[quote="Kredepops"]

my head llooks good in the downtowner but my wife says she hates the hat , she does like my uptowner better tho, but that is a great hat you got there and hope you have many wonderful years with it --- i hopw to have many adventures with both my hats

[KingHamlet]

That's such a handsome looking hat. Very jealous. Cannot wait to get my mag hj. You look great in it.