Club Obi Wan

NR16020 wrote:I ordered a Raiders in rabbit 6 weeks ago. I figured that since it seems like Steve's been doing ok with new orders, it would be worth the risk. But I've emailed him twice since I replied to his initial email with a picture of my face, and haven't heard back either time. I'm very confused, because I know that Emilio, who ordered his just a couple weeks before me, was hearing back from him on a semi-regular basis...more or less.

I don't want to have to keep emailing him, especially since I know that my situation is small potatoes compared to that of many on here, and since I don't want to be that guy constantly asking about his order, but I don't really know what else to do. Thoughts, anyone?
Or does someone know if he's doing okay? I'm really not trying to be a jerk or anything. I just would like to know what's going on.



Thanks, all.

Just a reminder that Steve doesn't have a phone or internet at his own house or his shop. When he visits his daughter that's when he catches up on e-mail so it is hit or miss with him, Even for me. Before his poor health he would get hit with a ton of e-mails a day.

BendingOak wrote:

NR16020 wrote:I ordered a Raiders in rabbit 6 weeks ago. I figured that since it seems like Steve's been doing ok with new orders, it would be worth the risk. But I've emailed him twice since I replied to his initial email with a picture of my face, and haven't heard back either time. I'm very confused, because I know that Emilio, who ordered his just a couple weeks before me, was hearing back from him on a semi-regular basis...more or less.

I don't want to have to keep emailing him, especially since I know that my situation is small potatoes compared to that of many on here, and since I don't want to be that guy constantly asking about his order, but I don't really know what else to do. Thoughts, anyone?
Or does someone know if he's doing okay? I'm really not trying to be a jerk or anything. I just would like to know what's going on.



Thanks, all.

Just a reminder that Steve doesn't have a phone or internet at his own house or his shop. When he visits his daughter that's when he catches up on e-mail so it is hit or miss with him, Even for me. Before his poor health he would get hit with a ton of e-mails a day.

Thank you so much. I knew about the phone, but not about the Internet. Again, I'm really not trying to be a jerk. I just had a few questions that I really needed to be answered. I have full faith in Steve, and I do frequently worry about him, so please don't take it as though I'm anything other than interested to be kept in the loop.

It never crossed my mind. Just dropping the info off for everyone who is waiting for a hat from him.

I've been on the various Indy forums since 1998 and I have 410 weeks on your wait for an AB, so relax and stick around a while. You can start getting worried in 2024. But remember, it's not the years honey, it's the mileage.

belloq wrote:I've been on the various Indy forums since 1998 and I have 410 weeks on your wait for an AB, so relax and stick around a while. You can start getting worried in 2024. But remember, it's not the years honey, it's the mileage.

Yeah, I almost didn't post anything because I know this is a touchy subject. If I have offended you, or anyone else in your situation, then I am truly sorry.
It's just that I'm new to this and my family doesn't really understand how sensitive this topic is, or how touch-and-go the process is, so I was trying to find something, anything, to tell them besides "Haven't heard from him, but really, there's nothing to worry about, because there are dozens of people who have been waiting years to get theirs."
I really don't want to get off on the wrong foot with anyone here, so please forgive me if I seem petty or anything.

Not trying to be a jerk either, but today happens to be my 8th anniversary since I ordered my (2) ABs from
Steve. Both KOTCS, (1) brown and (1) grey.

~Ron

No worries NR. You are not the problem. I just hope everyone gets their hats in the order in which they were purchased, if at all. Occasionally this thread needs a reality check and I guess it was my turn.

Hello fellow Indi enthusiasts!

My First post, however I have read all posts in this thread, while I wait for my AB to be made.
I was hoping for some info on an adventurbilt rabbit fur I bought on eBay (couldn't help myself). The previous owner says its from 2009 but it came in a Herbert Johnson box. It might be from another hat? Just wondering if that's what they come in?
I hope these photos work
Thanks M.J.

Legally, they can't come in a Herbert Johnson box. That definitely came from a different hat.
From what I gather, Steve sends his in plain white boxes from the Post Office or something like that. I can't speak to what Marc does, but it isn't a Herbert Johnson, surely.

I don't know how that hat ended up in that box, but who cares? It's an awesome box and an awesome hat.

Steve sends his in plain white. So I guess you got yourself a bonus gift then.

Another possibility, and I'm spitballing here. Could it be an old Herbert Johnson that was sent in to AB for improvements? New sweatband, liner, possible reblocking? Because that would explain all of the AB logos on it.

Just a thought. I don't know how likely it is.

or could it be simply that the person who sent it to you sent it a box he just had and it had nothing to do with AB.

Was a pleasant surprise and there is a definitely a part of me hoping it was a HJ/AB hybrid haha either way win win!

Quality of the fur felt on the pictures,this unique smooth finish,is for me definitively a true Adventurebilt from Steve !

Just gets better and better every time I wear it. I have Rolled it up and jammed it in a backpack. I have used it to collect water and used it as a pillow. It's versitile. Oh and it keeps the sun off your neck too.

http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b58 ... wco5xy.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b58 ... t4px14.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

erikgunnlugson wrote:Just gets better and better every time I wear it. I have Rolled it up and jammed it in a backpack. I have used it to collect water and used it as a pillow. It's versitile. Oh and it keeps the sun off your neck too.

http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b58 ... wco5xy.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b58 ... t4px14.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

To collect water , it looks pretty good still.

I don't want to be a jerk either, or offend anyone, but May is my eighth year of waiting for my order. And lest anyone think I don't sympathize or understand what Steve is going through, I was diagnosed with lung cancer last year. I understand.

Bob, I'm sorry to hear that.

Buchanan Bob wrote:I don't want to be a jerk either, or offend anyone, but May is my eighth year of waiting for my order. And lest anyone think I don't sympathize or understand what Steve is going through, I was diagnosed with lung cancer last year. I understand.

Sorry to hear that and thank you for your understanding.

Thought I would break this out of the closet. Gets little to no use but love it to pieces.

Johnny

Looking sharp

Well it's been almost a month since I received my hat, was not happy with the amount of turn it had so I added like an inch more (the back-end of the middle piece of the ribbon ends aligned where the front of my ear starts, I think that is SA). But somehow I see the hat gain some slight taper when viewed from the front, the front is 4.5" and the back is 4", the hat is 22 1/2, I was supposed to be 57cm but it fits tight, it leaves a red mark on my forehead, I like that it fits like that that since I think the raiders hat was a tight fitting hat since I've seen a a video where HF is on the seaplane in Peru and goes through the same process of putting a tight hat on, but if I eve order a LC or CS fedora I don't think this tight is good for me, I tried before a 58cm and it was too big now I don't know what my right size would be, I'm thinking of going one day all the way to Portland with John to get myself a perfect fit.

Here are some pics, sorry if they are too many, I really want a good opinion on this:

First pic old vs. new turn.



Some pics of the new bash:

I can always send out my portable conformator to not only get a accurate reading of your head size but also shape. Just remember that it has a lot more moving parts then a tape measure and a crown. I think the last shot looks great.

BendingOak wrote:I can always send out my portable conformator to not only get a accurate reading of your head size but also shape. Just remember that it has a lot more moving parts then a tape measure and a crown. I think the last shot looks great.

Thanks John, I'll probably ask for that when I'm ready to get a LC fedora from you or if I simply can't stand this one if it does shrink ,
It's always nice to receive comments from hatmakers like yourself.

Anytime, my door is always open. Anyone is free to call me at 971-246-1832 or e-mail me at info@penmanhats.com

No pictures at this time as I am moving and everything is packed until the week of July 11th.

Got my Beaver AB with a CS bash in today. The box looked damaged and when I opened it, I freaked as the fedora was about 2-inches tall and folded over to one side. After throwing a temper tantrum as the wife was not home and thinking how much money I had in the fedora, I resigned myself to trying to get it back in some presentable manner.

I wet it down (not soaked) and went about creating the bash as it had no memory of the one Steve put in (must have been squished on the whole trip over from the States). What surprised me was it was not as difficult as expected considering how it looked from the box. It kept wanting to revert to the way off center bash it had from being squashed. Anyway, it all finally came together after awhile and now looks fine. Only thing off is the felt has a few small places on the top of the crown where it was rubbed that do not match the rest of the felt.

What surprised me was in comparison to my other beaver ones from AdVintage and Northwest is how floppy the brim is. I figured it would be stiffer like the others. The beaver used is soft and very nice.

So - success. The fedora was not the bust I thought when first viewed and should only look better with time. It already has a head-start on having the worn and used look. I think Steve should pack them better as this was the first one from the many I have that got damaged and the packaging was not on par with my others.

Glenville86 wrote:No pictures at this time as I am moving and everything is packed until the week of July 11th.

Got my Beaver AB with a CS bash in today. The box looked damaged and when I opened it, I freaked as the fedora was about 2-inches tall and folded over to one side. After throwing a temper tantrum as the wife was not home and thinking how much money I had in the fedora, I resigned myself to trying to get it back in some presentable manner.

I wet it down (not soaked) and went about creating the bash as it had no memory of the one Steve put in (must have been squished on the whole trip over from the States). What surprised me was it was not as difficult as expected considering how it looked from the box. It kept wanting to revert to the way off center bash it had from being squashed. Anyway, it all finally came together after awhile and now looks fine. Only thing off is the felt has a few small places on the top of the crown where it was rubbed that do not match the rest of the felt.

What surprised me was in comparison to my other beaver ones from AdVintage and Northwest is how floppy the brim is. I figured it would be stiffer like the others. The beaver used is soft and very nice.

So - success. The fedora was not the bust I thought when first viewed and should only look better with time. It already has a head-start on having the worn and used look. I think Steve should pack them better as this was the first one from the many I have that got damaged and the packaging was not on par with my others.

When did you order yours?

Glenville86 wrote:No pictures at this time as I am moving and everything is packed until the week of July 11th.

Got my Beaver AB with a CS bash in today. The box looked damaged and when I opened it, I freaked as the fedora was about 2-inches tall and folded over to one side. After throwing a temper tantrum as the wife was not home and thinking how much money I had in the fedora, I resigned myself to trying to get it back in some presentable manner.

I was expecting a problable damaged box with mine since you are not the first one to report this kind of bad treatment from USPS; weird, I buy and sell a lot on the net and have never had a problem like that.

NR16020 wrote:

Glenville86 wrote:No pictures at this time as I am moving and everything is packed until the week of July 11th.

Got my Beaver AB with a CS bash in today. The box looked damaged and when I opened it, I freaked as the fedora was about 2-inches tall and folded over to one side. After throwing a temper tantrum as the wife was not home and thinking how much money I had in the fedora, I resigned myself to trying to get it back in some presentable manner.

I wet it down (not soaked) and went about creating the bash as it had no memory of the one Steve put in (must have been squished on the whole trip over from the States). What surprised me was it was not as difficult as expected considering how it looked from the box. It kept wanting to revert to the way off center bash it had from being squashed. Anyway, it all finally came together after awhile and now looks fine. Only thing off is the felt has a few small places on the top of the crown where it was rubbed that do not match the rest of the felt.

What surprised me was in comparison to my other beaver ones from AdVintage and Northwest is how floppy the brim is. I figured it would be stiffer like the others. The beaver used is soft and very nice.

So - success. The fedora was not the bust I thought when first viewed and should only look better with time. It already has a head-start on having the worn and used look. I think Steve should pack them better as this was the first one from the many I have that got damaged and the packaging was not on par with my others.

When did you order yours?

Early May as he had an open slot due to a cancelled order.

Oh. Ok, thanks.

I ordered at the beginning of April. Emailed Steve a few times to try and see where he is with it. Have yet to hear back on any of them. But what are you gonna do? Congrats on the hat, and I'm glad you were able to fix it.

Finally got word back from Steve last Saturday, but forgot to post. He says he has a bottleneck right now because he's waiting on more liners, but as soon as those come in, things should be up and running again.

I am not holding my breath.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T337A using Tapatalk

An unplanned purchase here on ebay from a chap in Spain. I had fancied an AB beaver hat but thought it a little out of my price range so bought an Akubra a couple of years ago and more recently a Penman Everyman, but when I saw this I had to have it. Looks to be unworn as well which is a bonus! Have to say the beaver does feel palpably better in hand than any of my other hats.

yellowduke wrote:An unplanned purchase here on ebay from a chap in Spain. I had fancied an AB beaver hat but thought it a little out of my price range so bought an Akubra a couple of years ago and more recently a Penman Everyman, but when I saw this I had to have it. Looks to be unworn as well which is a bonus! Have to say the beaver does feel palpably better in hand than any of my other hats.

Great find! Is it a Crystal Skull bash? You can usually tell if it's used if there are some stains in the liner, well at least for me after using it like 10 times the liner started with some spots, I guess it was also the high SoCal heat that got me sweating , I had read that white liners get stained fast and I didn't believe it until it happened to me.

Congrats. I love my AB beaver Steve made me. Thing is tough as a tank.

adiemilio wrote:

yellowduke wrote:An unplanned purchase here on ebay from a chap in Spain. I had fancied an AB beaver hat but thought it a little out of my price range so bought an Akubra a couple of years ago and more recently a Penman Everyman, but when I saw this I had to have it. Looks to be unworn as well which is a bonus! Have to say the beaver does feel palpably better in hand than any of my other hats.

Great find! Is it a Crystal Skull bash? You can usually tell if it's used if there are some stains in the liner, well at least for me after using it like 10 times the liner started with some spots, I guess it was also the high SoCal heat that got me sweating , I had read that white liners get stained fast and I didn't believe it until it happened to me.

Thanks and yes it is a CS bash. It actually has Indy 4 written inside the sweatband. Not a mark on the liner so it is most likely unused as the vendor said. Very pleased with the addition.

Well, be prepared to be 'ruined', as once you get used to handling/wearing a beaver hat, it's hard to put on anything else.

Regard! Michaelson

belloq wrote:No worries NR. You are not the problem. I just hope everyone gets their hats in the order in which they were purchased, if at all. Occasionally this thread needs a reality check and I guess it was my turn.

I ordered my hat in 2007, and I still haven't received it.

My AB in beaver just gets better and better.

So does that tree ! Sorry, couldn't resist this one! Great shot! W>

Michaelson wrote:Well, be prepared to be 'ruined', as once you get used to handling/wearing a beaver hat, it's hard to put on anything else.

Regard! Michaelson

Yes indeed. Our weather is getting back below unbearable, so I'll be switching over shortly.

I switched last week. The PB straw is back in its box, and my Ford felt AB is back on the road.

Regards! M

Anyone else order an AB Deluxe lately? I have one on order, and am reaching my 2 year mark, so I was wondering if this was normal... Last time I had a wait this long it was after KotCS came out, and that was with Steve's understandably long backlog. No luck in trying to contact Stefan so far.

Wow. I had known it was a year lead time but two? That's not cool. Hope things don't repeat themselves for AB.

Maybe it's just busy over there. Usually it takes a few days to hear back from them.

For my last outfit of the year, I opt for my CS Adventurebilt and my Alden 405

Been a long time since i looked into this forum, nice to see all the AB hats being received except for the fact that i've been waiting on mine for about 9 years give or take. Very disappointing exercise all round. I'm still living under my akubra feds.

How much are original AB hats going for these days? I have an AB raiders beaver felt fedora with the original lining with the headpiece on it that I may be looking to sell

I was wearing my Adventurbilt today - a favorite hat for sure.

Nice David. Where's that like option? nice bag too. Looks like an oil tanned leather.