Club Obi Wan

erri_wan wrote:I just say that the AB rabbit is thicker than the HJ rabbit.

My rabbit HJ is thicker then my rabbit AB.

Indiana Wayne wrote:

erri_wan wrote:I just say that the AB rabbit is thicker than the HJ rabbit.

My rabbit HJ is thicker then my rabbit AB.

Interesting. Indy Wan, do You have a Herbert Johnson Fedora?

When I ordered my AB rabbit the price was NOT the issue. I actually thought beaver was an option for those who wanted a Fedora in a better quality for wearing than the originals from the movies, and from what I read they clearly are.

I am going to use my AB for photo purposes and therefore went for the felt material actually used in the original film Fedoras. This could prove to be a wrong descision from what I read in this thread, but what bothers me more is the fact that so few in here will stand up for the rabbit and that there is even being made jokes about it.

I dont like the way this is turning. To me it looks more and more like the forming of a "beaver-club". If You have the beaver, You're a member. If You have the rabbit, You're on Your own kid...
I just think it's unfair to all the rabbit owners who could feel they were being let down here.

But anyway, I'm a collector so I will probably end up having both the rabbit and the beaver one day. I just dont think this is good PR for offering two materials. I'm really looking forward to see what I get for my nearly $200 now.

Cheers

Fedora wrote: I spent years looking for a hat that would not taper, and discovered that the animal does not exist.

Gotta breed'em Yourself and call them "Fedorabbits"

Cheers

Indiana Wayne wrote:

erri_wan wrote:I just say that the AB rabbit is thicker than the HJ rabbit.

My rabbit HJ is thicker then my rabbit AB.

I meant the AB rabbit is thicker than the 80's HJ rabbit. Not the actual rabbit HJ.

I'm glad that an interesting topic came out from this simple comparative thread i opened. Thanks Fedora for entering in the discussion. You're the only one ... or at least the most qualified here... who can answer our questions

Your rabbit AB is thicker then my rabbit AB!

Indiana Wayne wrote:Your rabbit AB is thicker then my rabbit AB!

ah ops.. i didn't think properly on your previous words
How many centimeters? (or inches if you prefer)

Your rabbit AB is 3mm and my rabbit AB is 2mm and my rabbit HJ is 3nn.

Prairie Jones. Proud member of the beaver "Club"

prairiejones wrote:Prairie Jones. Proud member of the beaver "Club"

I joined both rabbit and beaver with pride !

IndyK wrote:I dont like the way this is turning. To me it looks more and more like the forming of a "beaver-club". If You have the beaver, You're a member. If You have the rabbit, You're on Your own kid...
I just think it's unfair to all the rabbit owners who could feel they were being let down here.

But anyway, I'm a collector so I will probably end up having both the rabbit and the beaver one day. I just dont think this is good PR for offering two materials. I'm really looking forward to see what I get for my nearly $200 now.

Cheers

I see your point. We have had threads where someone on a budget asks about a good hat and is told to "save up and get a beaver AB!". While I appreciate the enthusiasm, it does not answer a request for a good, cheap(relatively speaking) hat. Even when the AB rabbit is mentioned, responses usually follow along the lines of "for x dollars more you could have a beaver hat." That talk reminds me of a guy walking into a car showroom with $25k and the salesman talking him into the 'better value' at 40!

This is not a jab at AB's, beaver hats, or any members here but I am expanding upon my concern through IndyK's comment.

O.k., I am off the soapbox now...

My favorite comment I heard about Akubra rabbit hats was made by Michaelson(I think).
He said they were made from 'wild' rabbit fur...
The idea of wild, mangy rabbits rounded up for hatmaking put an odd grin on my face!

I think there has been plenty said here about rabbit hats. I learned of Akubras on this post. I was looking for a budget Indy hat and got an Akubra based on info from here. The advice I might give to the rabbit buyer is to really consider the AB rabbit. Akubras are priced at betwee $70-$80, but cost a little over $100 with shipping. THat's around $25 for no value. THe AB is $150 to COW members. $50 more than an Akubra for a handmade hat that has the proper block.

Well now it's the time to defend the Rabbit... it's a ####### great hat! And if you compare with many others rabbit it's one of the best quality in commerce (that's from what i heard).
Believing that most of the fedora are made of rabbit felt and the AB has a good rabbit felt for a so good price (if you dont believe it's a good price have a look at Borsalino's price and borsalino's quality) why not saying that the rabbit is a ####### good hat? It's absolutely true. Then as everything we have something quite better... the beaver. But you'll always find a better of something.. you buy a car and you know there will be always another better for a little more expensive price.

So for who has no limit with his wallet the beaver is the best you can get but if you buy a rabbit for any other reason it doesnt mean you'll get a bad hat or anything SOOOOOOO WORST! On the opposite it's a great hat of great quality.

My rabbit AB is the best hat I own. I have a rabbit AB, rabbit HJ, a vintage Wormser, a vintage Stetson, and a wool fedora. The rabbit AB is the best, the vintage Wormser is second. I will see how good the vintage Borsalino is when I get it.

Indiana Wayne wrote:My rabbit AB is the best hat I own. I have a rabbit AB, rabbit HJ, a vintage Wormser, a vintage Stetson, and a wool fedora. The rabbit AB is the best, the vintage Wormser is second. I will see how good the vintage Borsalino is when I get it.

I heard the old borsalino hats had a great felt! Curious to know more about that borsalino
thanks for saying

Feraud wrote: I see your point. We have had threads where someone on a budget asks about a good hat and is told to "save up and get a beaver AB!". While I appreciate the enthusiasm, it does not answer a request for a good, cheap(relatively speaking) hat.

I started this thread not too terribly long ago to pose that exact question. Here you go:

viewtopic.php?t=12364

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I see your point. We have had threads where someone on a budget asks about a good hat and is told to "save up and get a beaver AB!". While I appreciate the enthusiasm, it does not answer a request for a good, cheap(relatively speaking) hat.

That's like me going to my local car dealer and say: "I want a Sports Vehicle that can go off-road and handle itself in the most extreme conditions, go down the road at 145 Miles per hour, get 40 miles to the gallon, last well past 300,000 miles… and cost only $9,000.”

I'm answering this as myself, someone who has great experience with AB, Vintage Silhouettes and Akubra, and as the dude who runs The Fedora Chronicles which endorses the AB.

Someone's on a budge and asks, "Where can I get a good fedora under $100," I have to say: There's no such thing because you get what you pay for.

That’s not going to happen. Ever.

From my experience, nobody can afford budget hats. Because you’re either going to buy them again and again because they lose their shape too fast, or you’re going to go with out for a while and get a quality fedora.

Let’s say that you want a fedora NOW and buy a Dorfman. With-in a few months that fedora is going to taper. THEN you’re going to want to buy an Adventurebilt. When all is said and done, you’re going to pay MORE for a fedora that lasts when you ad the cost of the original Dorfman to the total cost of your quest.

If “Budget” fedora’s were worth the price and lasted as long and held up as well as the higher priced ones, then there would be no need for the higher priced ones. If a $40 fedora lasted as long and held up as one as the $240 fedora, who would buy the more expensive one?

I would actually like to see the people who rip fans off by selling @#$% as "The Official Licenced" what-not or "Authentic" fedoras be driven out of buisness or see them prosicuted for false advertising. But that's another rant.

Fisk, very well said.
If I add up all the money I spent on lesser quality hats, I could have bought two high quality fedora's.

Fisk,

I agree with what you say about getting what you pay for. I am a top drawer kind of guy. I don't like to pay more than I have to, but I want to own the best because it lasts and performs better. As far as fedoras are concerned, I am a member of the Adventurebilt club. I have some other hats for various reasons, but I only ever wear the AB.

Having said all of that, I have to add that it also depends on the way the owner treats a product and takes care of it.

I am not going to mention any names, but there are more than one person on this forum that for whatever personal reason, bought a Dorfman. These people rebashed the Dorfman and quite frankly, they look great. I have seen these hats in person.

These hats would not do well for me, but they are not my hat. They do not have a tall enough crown for a big guy like me, especially with my mega mellon. However, these folks are slighter in stature than I am and have smaller head sizes.

At least one of these hats is worn on a daily basis and yes, it has seen rain. But, these hats are very well cared for and still look great. They really do fit the people that own them. Are they for everybody? No.

On the other hand, I know some people here on COW that own an Adventurebilt 100% beaver hat that quite frankly, I would not give you two cents for, unless Steve told me in advance that he could reblock the hat and make it look decent again. These hats do not look like they were drug behind a truck, they look like they got run over by a truck.

These cases are the exception to the rule. But, they have caused me to stop and think when someone asks which hat would be the best for them. I know that several people have posted these same sentiments lately and I have come over to their side.

I am going to try very hard to recommend hats and other items that will fit what they desire, as opposed to just recommending that they buy what I have because I think it is the best. I would have done this a short time ago. Having seen these hats that I speak of has gone a long way towards making me engage my brain before I open my mouth. I know it is going to be hard to do that, but I am going to try.

Well, said, Bufflehead. (Hey, who you calling small-headed? )

Hi, my name is Jerry, and I wear a DP. (Everybody say, "Hi Jerry".)

I bought it cheap, and styled it my way. Is it 100% accurate? Nah... And what am I planning to do someday? Buy an AB. But until then, I just keep working it.

To most people who know me, it IS the Indy hat. To most people here, it likely doesn't look like it.

To me, I just wish I could figure out a way to raise the back of the crown a bit taller...other than that, it's fun to shape, and I've gotten a shape I like out of it. I'm tempted to reblock it over a piece of tupperware...but I digress.

It's the hat I wear, and I'm comfortable w/. Someday I will buy a better one. But I've already gotten a year out of my $30 hat, and plan to get more.

And I still am keeping the PM Steve sent me w/ the discount prices for AB's for COW members...oh, sweet temptation...

Jerry,

You pinhead, I couldn't have been talking about you. I said I had seen these hats in person and I won't see yours until the QM.

Oh, that's right. Sorry, my walnut-sized brain couldn't handle both concepts at once.

Hey, but you handled ONE concept! That's a big step for you, Jerry! You make me so proud! *sniff*

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Momma always said, "Indy is as Indy does." Oh, and, "Life is like a box of snakes." (Momma had issues.)

Run, Jerry! Ruuuuun!!!

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