Club Obi Wan

Mitch LaRue wrote:The Doctor is IN...
...an absolutely gorgeous hat!

Beautiful job (again) John!

(Dave I'm thinkin' you should change your name to "Gator Raider"...
Since your crouching by your "Gator Gate"...
Wearing your "Greater Raider"!)

Too much?

Yeah,
I know...



Back to something sensible:
JOHN! You're KILLING ME with these AMAZING HATS!!!

And to everyone who has yet to post photos (and even those of you who already HAVE):
KEEP em' COMING!

I see only one problem with the name Gator Raider and that is that people may think I am a UF Gator. Though the University of Florida is definately the best in academics in the State, I cannot stand their sports teams. I am a Miami Hurricane to the death. I have to say, however, I like the name. But then everyone would have to stop calling me "Doc!"

Dave

Well, there you have it...
"Doctor's Orders" as they say.
I officially and respectfully withdraw my waaay too "punny" suggestion in favor of the already "road-tested" DR ULLOA (after all, if it ain't broke... right?)

I'M just glad none of us ended up spiralling off into some sort of stupid "Doc Croc" reference...


eewww...

(Man, if I could ONLY UN-write that...)

Seriously though (and all reptile references aside) I'm goin' back to calling you Doc.
As in:
Doc, that is one unbelievably handsome fedora you're sporting and it's doing a great job of single-handedly making
e v e r y
s i n g l e
d a y
until I get my hat from John feel longer and further away...
Ahhh... but the PRIZE at the END of such patience...

It is definately worth the wait. The date on my sweat band reads 8/13/08 and I recieved it 9/11/08. That was a whole month of setbacks, all out of Oak's hands. Not to mention the two months before John started working on the hats because of the sweats and ribbon issues. The wait was near excrutiating but well worth it. I don't think I can ever purchase another factory hat again and definately not a hat that has John's level of craftsmanship.

Dave

Here's 2 more pics I just took. I got the front pinch back in it. Oh, inside my sweat is signed "Handmade for Jared 23" Raiders, John Penman 8-31-08"
Nice touch John!

DR Ulloa wrote:It is definately worth the wait. The date on my sweat band reads 8/13/08 and I recieved it 9/11/08. That was a whole month of setbacks, all out of Oak's hands. Not to mention the two months before John started working on the hats because of the sweats and ribbon issues. The wait was near excrutiating but well worth it. I don't think I can ever purchase another factory hat again and definately not a hat that has John's level of craftsmanship.

Dave

Some sweats I had cut and placed on the side waiting for felts.

I just placed my order today,they look so awesome,how often can you get something that you've wanted since you were a kid and have it made, hand made for you. That's what makes it special. Not sucking up I just mean what I say. Can't wait to get mine.

Here's my son wearing my hat.
Looks good on him.

Thats a great shot J.

Them there's HIGH Marks for you in the Great DAD category, Jared...

If my Dad had dropped a hat just like the one Rooster Cogburn or Josey Wales or Rowdy Yates had worn on my little noggin when I was eight, told me the hat was made by the SAME GUY who made the Duke's (or Clint's) hat and then pulled out the ol' Polaroid camera to take a few snapshots of me WEARIN' it...?

Well...

I'd think I'd had the COOLEST Dad in the world at the time...
... and probably STILL remember it to this day...

You're given your boy some GREAT future memories, my friend...

All the Best,
Mitch

Thanks Mitch.
I asked him one time "How many other dad's have Snake Plissken's outfit and Wolverine's outfit and Indiana Jones outfit?" and he said "None, you're the only one!"

When he's not pretending to be "The Terminator" and playing "shoot 'em up" with me, he's dressed up like Indiana Jones playing shoot 'em up with me.

I always wanted to pretend to be these characters when I was a kid so it's great to be able to help him out. I think he thinks I'm a pretty cool dad.

That's a beautiful fedora! Hope to get a Penman fedora myself one day.

Weston

TheMechanic wrote:Thanks Mitch.
I asked him one time "How many other dad's have Snake Plissken's outfit and Wolverine's outfit and Indiana Jones outfit?" and he said "None, you're the only one!"

When he's not pretending to be "The Terminator" and playing "shoot 'em up" with me, he's dressed up like Indiana Jones playing shoot 'em up with me.

I always wanted to pretend to be these characters when I was a kid so it's great to be able to help him out. I think he thinks I'm a pretty cool dad.

Trust me, he does. I thought my father was the coolest guy in the world when he returned from a business trip one day with a whip for me. He taught me how to crack it and I thought "No one can possibly have a better dad than me!"

Dave

hey Jared,
I sure he does my dad also got me a whip and I was 15, as long as you play with him like you do he'll have great memories and think your the best,my dad always played with me and hung out and I'm trying to do the same with my boy .

Any new Penmans to show off?

Dave

...Or NEW PHOTOS of "Old" Penmans could also suffice...

(Y'know, ANYTHING to fight off the cravings to see more of those gorgeous lids!)

Just.. SOMEBODY throw us a bone, here!

Mitch

Still waiting for mine to arrive. After seeing Mechanic's, the wait is even more unbearable.

Mitch LaRue wrote:
Just.. SOMEBODY throw us a bone, here!

I wonder if I'll beat everybody to the punch on this one?

Here goes:

Well... after all, they DID name the DOG "Indiana"...

Here's some more for you-

Ssssoooo NICE!
Thanks you, sir!

The color of the felt... The shape of the hat...
That BOW! Even that Penman Logo on the Liner!
Has anybody sung any praises about that? 'Cause I've gotta say something about THAT, too...

Just a moment ago my wife dropped into my office and I said "Want to see a really classic, timeless logo on a hat liner?"
A moment later, she was nodding "You're right... that is one gorgeous logo! I LOVE that! Is that the guy you ordered your 'grey one' from?"

I confirmed that it was. Now she's more excited about it's arrival than she was before.
Y'see? I just KNEW that my wife cared about what was going on under my hat!


Quick question for you Mechanic:
How long after you took that LAST photo before you "broke down" and nestled that lid RIGHT BACK on your noggin where it belongs?
I'm thinking (at least, if I were you) that it wouldn'r have been too long AT ALL...

Mitch , again thank you for your very kind words.


J, I like that first shot you just posted.

Hey thanks. In that pic you can see some of my Indy stuff in the background. I just love the shape of the crown on this hat.
Mitch, I took the hat off to photograph it and promptly put it right back on.

Oh yeah, that bow looks great too doesn't it?

I like it because it shows how deep the center dent is and the sides are very straight.

When I first put the hat on it was a little bit loose and tended to rest on top of my ears. I've worn it since on a few hot days here and the sweatband got sweaty. A couple days later I put it on and it's snugged up a little. It's just getting better and better.
Thanks again!

That could have been because of that little something extra that was placed in it.

Magic?

Dave

Some kind of Voodoo hex? Brotherhood of the Traveling Fedora, it magically fits anyone who puts it on.

It's a little far fetched, but what if Oak's secret is that he takes each hat for a swim at Kipu Falls and the waters somehow make the hat have an excess of awesomeness...ok, before the mods shut this down for going off topic, here are some more pics of my Penman.









Dave

Nice hat DR Ulloa!

BendingOak sure knows how to make an extremely fine hat. One day, after my Henry arrives, I've got to order me one of these. Maybe a Gray one and depending on how hooked I would get a brown and some other colours.

There's one other thing I would like to see a picture of though, but let's not muddy this thread up with pics of a Gibson

Regards, Geert

gwyddion wrote:Nice hat DR Ulloa!

BendingOak sure knows how to make an extremely fine hat. One day, after my Henry arrives, I've got to order me one of these. Maybe a Gray one and depending on how hooked I would get a brown and some other colours.

There's one other thing I would like to see a picture of though, but let's not muddy this thread up with pics of a Gibson

Regards, Geert

I think you will be very happy with the "Henry. " I know I haven't seen one in person but I know Marc Kitter and Steve Delk and they wouldn't put their names on anything that wasn't top notch. It would be very fare to say that the " Henry " will be the best factory made fedora ever. Knowing how picky those two guys are.

Geert, ask ye shall recieve.



Since buying that Gibson Les Paul, I've not felt the need to buy another guitar. I was talking to Steve about this guitar the other day and I was telling him that this is the first Les Paul I've played that really sounds like a '59 Les Paul. It really is great. If there were a fire and I only had time enough for one run into the house I would strap leashes to my dogs, grab that Gibson and put on my Penman. Now that is saying something because I have two other Les Pauls and a huge collection of books that I hold very dear to my heart.

Dave

Les Paul and a Fedora just seem made for each other (although I'm sure Jimmy Page would disagree). Les Paul has always seemed a little classier in appearance than other factory guitars. Although, wasn't there a blues guitarist that played a telecaster that wore a fedora a lot? IIRC correctly his name was Roy Buchanan?
O.k. just to get back on topic, classy guitar and classy Penman.



Peace.

Thank you Bemo. Correction, however, the higher-line Gibsons, like the Les Paul Standard, are handmade. That is why they cost what they do. Gibson and PRS are just about the only handmade guitar makers that have managed to go mainstream successfully.

Dave

Everyone makes a statement like that one. " If my house was on fire I would grab." Please, after fighting fire for 7 years and now teaching a faire safety class. take nothing , this junk isn't worth it. I'll get off my soap box but it a bad mind set to get into.


take nothing, get out. buy the junk later. I would hate to think someone risked their lives over one of my hats or a guitar. let the pros risk their lives for you stuff.

I'd probably already be wearing my Penman anyway. I'm wearing it now!

Dave

Just would like everyone in the right mind set, thats all.

Your right. The only reason I would ever go into a burning home would be to safe someone. If my family were inside, I'd go in, otherwise, everything is replacable.

Dave

I would leave that to the pros as well.

I've been unfortunate enough to be in my parents garage when a fireball shot through it. Unfortunately I had to put the fire out myself in order to get out. Nobody got hurt and not a great deal of damage was done, but it tought me to respect fire and to see how nasty and frightening it can be. I would rather swim an ocean than go into a burning house.

Dr Ulloa, Nice gibson you've got there. For some reason it goes rather well with the hat.

BendingOak, I know I'm going to love the Henry. I also know that I would absolutely love your hats when I get myself one, because the look just great.

Regards, Geert

thanks for the kind words.

there is a big difference in have to fight fire to get out of a house then it is going back in. By going back into a house to try and save someone you highly risk your self becoming a second person for the firefighters to have to find and save. You just made their job that more risky and and dangerous. You become part of the problem no the solution. it's better to stay out and give information that the fire department wouldn't have if you went inside.

Listen to Bending Oak. Recently in my subdivision there was a huge fire, 10 home burned, 7 of them literally to the ground. It was a 'perfect storm' of high winds and really dry conditions. Luckily my house was a couple miles safely away and there was only one fatality. But what stuck in my mind was how many folks were only able to get out with the clothes on their backs. Several did not have time to put shoes on. The fire went so fast and was so aggressive that houses were virtually exploding. So as Bending Oak said, take nothing and get out.

Sorry this thread has taken such a dark turn. Back on to more uplifting things.


Peace.

I just want everyone thinking safely.

Sweet looking hat, you're sure to enjoy it for years to come.
Best regards, Ken.

Oh I will, thanks!
I was wearing it today while playing outside with my son. We live on a busy road next to a McDonalds and there's always people walking past.
My son was dressed completely as Indy and we got looks and smiles from everyone who passed by.
In a college town where about half the people are walking around in rags and dreadlocks and the other half look like zombies, I must really stand out!

I just updated my web-site to show the different styles of Indy hats. This way you can see all the pics in one place.

Oak,

Great job. Man, its almost like you read are minds! I was just thinking how I could get pics of all the hats you make so I could get a good idea of what I wanted. You will be successful because you put yourself in the shoes of your customer. It makes my decision so easy for the next hat. Penman Raiders!

I hope to have some non-indy pics posted soon as well .

Anyone recieve their Penmans or have updated photos?

Dave

I have sent some out in recent weeks that have not been posted.


I am working on a few right now but only one will be ready to be sent out this week ( due to me being out of town. next week there should be a good amount leaving my hands.

I decided to un-turn my Penman to get that Kipu Falls look. I didn't quite go with that crease, but I love the brim on that hat. Penny is drying right now so I guess updated photos will come when she is done. It was a little bit of a pain to re-crease the hat, but I think it was worth it. It has just a hair of a turn, but looks straight.

Dave