Club Obi Wan

The infamous 'Ford' felt is one of the softest and most flexible felts Steve has had the fortune to get his hands on. I own one myself, and have had it since 2005/06 too. I have only owned one other like it, and that is the recent camel colored AB acquisition.

Good or bad, count yourself lucky if you own one of these fine felts. As bad as the situation regarding their creation, they're top drawer hats.

That said, the individual who was responsible for the 'Ford' felt debacle is a banned member here, so it's best we now let this drop as per the posted rules.

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=13312

Regards! Michaelson

Consider it dropped! I was just curious as to the real history behind this hat... and now I got it. So thank you everyone for your help!

I ended up having to put up one of my AB's for sale. This is the one that was recently reblocked and mentioned by Steve in this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=44173

Here is the link to the hat for sale: viewtopic.php?f=40&t=44769

Strider wrote:

I have one question for everyone who has meat DL. Why hasn't someone ask her to sit on their hat??????

John... you are a strange guy.

John, as a gentleman I make you this promise:
If I ever have the honor of Ms. Nadoolman Landis' company and the privilege of a few moments of her time... I WILL do just exactly that!

(I mean, ya never know... maybe she's got "the magic touch"...)

(I know what you're thinkin' jnicktem... "Oh great, now there's TWO of 'em!")

Why wouldn't you have her sit on your hat?????? Are you crazy?????

I'm not sure if I really need that SA butt print in my hat.

That is the first thing I would say to her.

"Hi, Mrs. Landis. My name is David. Would you sit on my hat, please?" I betcha she'll remember you forever.

Dave

DR Ulloa wrote:That is the first thing I would say to her.

"Hi, Mrs. Landis. My name is David. Would you sit on my hat, please?" I betcha she'll remember you forever.

Dave

Now remember Guys and Dolls. If you ask her I get 10 percent.

Ok, lets get the train back on track. Bring on the AB's.

Well, here's my best effort to BUMP up this Thread.

Since the end of October 2009 I've been the VERY happy owner of one of Marc Kitter's beautiful Adventurebilt Deluxe Fedoras.
I'll admit I'm pretty embarrassed about the fact that I haven't come forward about this before now...but, there's a number of things that have contributed to the delay.

Here's the (quick version) of the story:
- Back in early October (of 2009) I purchased this special hat from a fellow C.O.W. Member in a private sale that they wished to keep just that: Private. Very early on in the arranging of the this transaction, they expressed that they simply wished to remain anonymous... and I agreed to abide by that request.
- That hat arrived into my waiting hands towards the end of that month.
- For several weeks life got very busy and I had NO opportunity to take some worthwhile shots... as some of you know, I'm a BIG advocate of hat shots that are both "on your head" AND "outside in natural light" when it's at all possible to do so... in MY case, opportunities to do so kept evading me.
- Another week or so goes by with still no opportunity to take any "outdoor/ON noggin" shots, so I decide to take a few pictures of the hat sitting atop my kitchen table but then decide to wait another little while and see if I can get something better.
- Then the pattern begins to take shape: when I'd get home from work it was already DARK, leaving me with only the weekends as my one hope for daylight shots... BUT weekend after weekend ended up featuring snowy/dreary/drizzly/dark skies.
- Then life became all about work, Christmas Holidays, family visit and one winter storm after another (again, featuring ZIP in the way of clear skies and anything other than grey, wet days.)

- So, for now I'm putting my desire to actually have some shots of me WEARING this beautiful hat ON HOLD until later and instead I've reconciled myself to posting those few pictures that I took of it simply sitting on my kitchen table...

Please check them out and let me know what you think.
I sincerely hope you like 'em!
All the Best,
Mitch

*I've now removed these photos (and links) in order to not exceed my maximum number of posts and links in a single thread...
Please look further along this thread to see the shots I've used to replace them.
Thanks!*

My goodness Mitch! That hat looks AMAZING!!!! I love the colour of that felt!

I would love to see some pics of the inside... and of course on your noggin' when you get the chance!

Congrats on owning one of these ultra fine lids from Marc!

Beautiful Hat Mitch! Someone around here once wrote than an AB looks like "carved out of chocolate" and that´s right what came into my mind when I saw the first picture.
Hope life gets a bit easier for you soon so you can do some classic Mitch LaRue shots!

Mitch LaRue wrote:
...Please check them out and let me know what you think.
All the Best,
Mitch

P-E-R-F-E-C-T-I-O-N-!

Bernie

What a beautiful hat! I love that crease too. Congrats on the ABD my good friend. I am truly envious of you. The one that got away from me. I hope to have an ABD as beautiful as yours one day.

Dave

Oh, brother!

Gimmee, gimmee, gimmee, gimmee, gimmee!!!!!

Oh, come on, Mitch! Let me HAVE it already!!!!!

Oh, you're no FUN!!! I'm telling MOM!!

MOOMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mitch won't let me wear his new HAT!!!!!!!




Fine! I don't want to wear your STUPID ADVENTUREBILT DELUXE MADE BY MARC KITTER ANYWAYY!!!



Good!

Great!

I'm glad!

Whatever!





But seriously, that thing is sexy. (Jean Claude Van) Damm!.

DHW

Oh yeah, and let's see some pics of you wearing it!



DHW

Daren.... someone didn't have their nap today!!!

jnicktem wrote:Daren.... someone didn't have their nap today!!!

Yeah, me.

Mitch, that must be the nicest dang "piece of chocolate" I have ever seen! Wear it in good health buddy

Oh, and don't try to actually eat it

Regards, Geert

WOW!
Guys, I'm LOVING this feedback that you're giving... it's very flattering (and VERY funny!)
I'm also really proud that the reaction these photos are getting has resurrected this Thread

You guys are awesome!

So glad you like the hat (and the photos)... I can only tell you that it's even prettier in person.


I hope you all enjoy these photos because as I mentioned, as soon as I can manage it I'll be replacing these with some "on the noggin" shots (and I'll do my best to have them live up to the Hat itself!)

Hey there Mitch, you wouldn't mind if I borrowed that for about 50 years or so would you?

NICE!!!

Weston

Not only the color is gorgeous, but the crease is superb!

Congratulations Mitch!

The shots of the back were a big wow factor for me! That's one nice lid!

Awesome hat there! Just fantastic!

Thanks guys!
We're due for some sun on Sunday (how appropriate)...
I'll be getting a few more shots taken then and hopefully posting them same day.
The photos will still have this beautiful hat in them, but this time you'll have to tolerate my ugly mug just below it.
(Sorry, but it's the price you'll haveta pay)

Ok, I've got some new photos to add to this thread. Since we got blanketed with snow AGAIN today, we made a snow man. "Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology."

Here he is wearing my rabbit felt AB:


And here are the architects:


The hat held up pretty well for being blanketed in snow. There was an inch of snow on the brim of my hat that fell off right before we took the pics. If we are blanketed again overnight, I might make a snow Sphinx.

Guess it just ain't that exciting.

Strider- the hat looks a little small on the snowman!!!

I like your pictures... and look forward to the possibility of a snow sphinx! That would be pretty sweet!

That's one well-dressed "Frosty"


You've got more courage than me, though, Strider...
Oh, I've thought about doing that with some of the snowmen my son and I have built... but I just couldn't bring myself to do it...
Guess I'm still treating my AB with the "kid gloves"

I wish I had gotten a picture of the hat with an inch of snow on the brim after an hour of putting that guy together. The hat handled like a champ, and hasn't tapered a bit after drying up, at least not that I can see. The ABs can take a lickin and keep on tickin!

Mitch LaRue wrote:That's one well-dressed "Frosty"

That's what they say about me!

Well, it's been a crazy, non-stop insanely busy weekend... yet I still managed to get these photos taken.
But my compromise of getting these posted tonight is that I'm going to go very short on my notes...
well...
short for ME (you're welcome!)


For those of you who hadn't read my previous mention of this, these are shots of one of Marc Kitter's Adventurebilt Deluxe Fedoras.
I'm sure it goes without saying that I love this phenomenal hat... I only hope some of these shots begin to suggest the immaculate feel and quality of this fedora.



First PHOTO (Non-IndyGearish):


And a LINK (also "Non-IndyGearish"):
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... C04764.jpg

PHOTO #2 (after all, even without it be strictly "IndyGear", sometimes ya need a satchel):


PHOTO #3 (I'm adding my Wested Jacket here so you can decide what you think of these colors together):


A few more LINKS (INdoor lighting now with a few different angles, and featuring me trying to ignore my wife's attempts to make me smile or look generally silly - she succeeded to a degree):
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... C04803.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... C04809.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... C04820.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... C04832.jpg

PHOTO #4:


PHOTO #5:


Last LINK:
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... C04844.jpg

PHOTO #6


I hope you like what you see.
Please feel free to let me know.
All the Best,
Mitch

Mitch, your photos are always FANTASTIC!!! I love the outdoor shots! (Speaking of which... can you share some of that sun and bring it to me???)

I love the rich brown color of that felt! Seriously... even though I know it's not chocolate I'd still be tempted to take a bite!

By the way- do you have any idea about when this fedora was made? I'm just curious.

Thanks for sharing those great pictures!

I'm really surprised no one else has yet commented on those pictures! It's not very often you see an AB Deluxe on here (I wish I saw more)... and it's even more rare to see such great pictures of an AB Deluxe!

All I know is that your pictures, Mitch, are making my wait for an AB Deluxe THAT much harder! I am really close now... so Marc tells me... that I can almost smell it!

I love the smell of high quality beaver...

Dave

What are the differences between the AB and the AB Deluxe?

I dreamt about ABs last night...I was trying to get to the store that Steve had apparentlyl set up in the basement of a small shopping complex. Lots of IndyGear members in full regalia where in the complex. Maybe this means delivery time is at hand???

Bernie

XPLSV wrote:I dreamt about ABs last night...I was trying to get to the store that Steve had apparentlyl set up in the basement of a small shopping complex. Lots of IndyGear members in full regalia where in the complex. Maybe this means delivery time is at hand???

Bernie

Preminitions....preminitions...

generalFROSTY wrote:What are the differences between the AB and the AB Deluxe?

For starters, ABs are made by Steve here in the US while the AB Deluxes are made my Marc over in Germany. Marc uses pure beaver from Portugal and kangaroo sweats. Steve uses pure beaver which is sourced from the US. Marc uses finer grit sandpaper and spends a bit more time pouncing. The wormanship is the same. You cannot find hats better than these, and I include the Penman in there. The ABD is like the Shelby Cobra with all the trimmings.

Dave

I see....(said the blind man to the deaf man)
Thanks for clearing that up - I was a little confused, I know John had mentioned to me the difference before but I had forgotten or was just confused.
In either case, going with an AB or ABDLX, you're getting the best in the world.
Sometimes I wish I made more money - OK, who the heck am I kidding, ALL the time I wish I made more money!

I had this saved on my computer... I'm not sure where it came from but it predates when I joined COW:

The regular AB uses 100% pure beaver felt from the US. It's a good quality felt which is pounced to a wonderful finish. Many other hatters source their felt from the same supplier (Including John Penman).
The AB Deluxe uses 100% pure beaver felt from a felter in Portugal. It's one of the best (in my opinion THE best) pure beaver felt available anywhere in the world. Marc pounces his hats to a remarkably soft finish. As far as I know, Marc is the only Indy hatter who sources his felt from this particular supplier, so if you want an Indy hat with that amazing felt, the AB Deluxe is the only way to go. BOTH versions employ a technique that artifically ages the felt to make it less prone to shrinking and tapering with excessive wear.

Both hats use the same type of vintage ribbon that was once used on HJ's back during the Raiders era.

The regular AB has a high quality leather sweatband (I'm not sure what sort of leather it is, though). The AB Deluxe uses Kangaroo Hide sweatbands, which are extremely durable and less prone to shrinking than many other types of leather.

The regular AB offers several different variations on the traditional "Raiders" style blockshape, as well as THE original Crystal Skull blockshape. The AB Deluxe offers a slightly different "Raiders" style block, as well as THE original Crystal Skull blockshape.

jnicktem wrote:I had this saved on my computer... I'm not sure where it came from but it predates when I joined COW:

The regular AB uses 100% pure beaver felt from the US. It's a good quality felt which is pounced to a wonderful finish. Many other hatters source their felt from the same supplier (Including John Penman).
The AB Deluxe uses 100% pure beaver felt from a felter in Portugal. It's one of the best (in my opinion THE best) pure beaver felt available anywhere in the world. Marc pounces his hats to a remarkably soft finish. As far as I know, Marc is the only Indy hatter who sources his felt from this particular supplier, so if you want an Indy hat with that amazing felt, the AB Deluxe is the only way to go. BOTH versions employ a technique that artifically ages the felt to make it less prone to shrinking and tapering with excessive wear.

Both hats use the same type of vintage ribbon that was once used on HJ's back during the Raiders era.

The regular AB has a high quality leather sweatband (I'm not sure what sort of leather it is, though). The AB Deluxe uses Kangaroo Hide sweatbands, which are extremely durable and less prone to shrinking than many other types of leather.

The regular AB offers several different variations on the traditional "Raiders" style blockshape, as well as THE original Crystal Skull blockshape. The AB Deluxe offers a slightly different "Raiders" style block, as well as THE original Crystal Skull blockshape.

I'm feeling that itch again....

Steve's sweats are made of sheepskin, if I remember correctly. They remind me a lot of the sweats in most of my vintage hats. They are usually kind of stiff but once broken in, soften up very nicely and conform to your head beautifully.

Dave

"I'm feeling that itch again.... "

The Euro is falling!

Is it really? Looks like it might be time to finally get an AB Deluxe. If I do ever get one, though, I have no need for another Indy hat. I'll have Marc make me something unique, like Steve is doing for me now and John has been doing for me for over a year now.

Dave

DR Ulloa wrote:Is it really? Looks like it might be time to finally get an AB Deluxe. If I do ever get one, though, I have no need for another Indy hat. I'll have Marc make me something unique, like Steve is doing for me now and John has been doing for me for over a year now.

Dave

Yes, been listening to NPR/Marketplace and every day they mention the declining Euro. Wife would kill me, but I have that Mail Boxes Etc address now.....

jnicktem wrote:Mitch, your photos are always FANTASTIC!!! I love the outdoor shots! By the way- do you have any idea about when this fedora was made? I'm just curious.

jnicktem wrote:I'm really surprised no one else has yet commented on those pictures! It's not very often you see an AB Deluxe on here (I wish I saw more)... and it's even more rare to see such great pictures of an AB Deluxe!
All I know is that your pictures, Mitch, are making my wait for an AB Deluxe THAT much harder! I am really close now... so Marc tells me... that I can almost smell it!

j, I'm sorry I didn't respond before this... but I just wanted to take a second to say Thanks for the compliment and supportive words!
I forgot to come back and check on this thread, but when I did I realized that 11 days went by (without a peep from anyone but yourself) before you posted your follow-up comment (above).
I'm sorry to say that I'm not sure of the year it was made, but if it helps to get a general idea... I get the impression it's maybe 2 years old.
Anyway I really appreciate you pumping a little life back into this Thread - for a little while there I thought my mug had killed it!