Club Obi Wan

That's a smart, stylish and very unique chapeau John's made for you jlee... Congrats!

I'm definitely lookin forward to seeing it on your head, though...
I'm sure most here (yourself included) agree: in the same way some say that "the suit makes the man", around these parts it's "the head that makes the hat".

Ok, well, the sun came out for a bit today and I snapped some pics...unfortunately, it was only me holding the camera at arm's length. Gotta get someone to take a picture of me!




These pics give you a better idea of the ribbon color. I'm liking this hat a whole lot. My room mate, who has watched my hat obsession grow over the past year or so told me "Wow, that's my favorite one on you!" when I put it on.

I can't speak highly enough of John's work! The hat ended up a bit snug, but that's my bad for not measuring my head correctly ( )....I'm going to stretch it out a teeny, tiny bit, but aside from that, this is exactly the hat I wanted.

Agreed! That hat looks FANTASTIC on you! It suits you very well!

Another fine job by Mr. Penman!

Here is a quick pic Oak took of my reblock. This is the hat that I had blocked on the CS Hero block. I really liked the way my Hero hat looked/fit so I had him do the same to this one. I'll post pics when I get it next week. Enjoy!

Matt

jlee562,

Thanks for posting these shots. It's always nice to place a face with a screen name.

jlee, that hat has such a distinctive look & character to it that not just anyone can pull off the right "look"... It's definitely got to have the right owner to go with it.
It would be easy for me to simply make a play on words in saying that "that hat was MADE for you"... but it's really true that you and that lid are a fantastic match!
You've got a very cool, very sophisticated and very mysterious look going on with that hat my friend.
I'm totally on board with what your roomie said.
Warmest congratulations to you for owning a very special and distinctive piece of Penman workmanship.


mcmanm, that grey of yours could not be looking any sweeter fresh off that block. Can't wait to see a couple more shots from you once you get it back.


High regards, gents.

Will do Mitch. I don't think we have seen any pics of one of Oak's greys on a CS Hero block. I should hopefully get it by the end of next week.

Matt

Wow! That maroon ribbon makes the whole hat look like a dark true maroon color! Simply Awesome!

Gotta' say, that is one slick looking lid. It sure will go well with a navy chalk stripe suit. Congratulations! And well done John!

Cheers!

Dan

It's always a pleasure to see John's non-Indy creations. With some luck and patience I will be getting a hand made Tracy from him.

Couple of shots I took tonight of my Penman LC just for the heck of it.

Love this hat!

DHW

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I can't wait for John to write to me and tell me that my next order is ready to put together!

I need me a Penman Raiders something awful!

DHW

So Daren- is that your "go-to" hat?

I go back and forth between my Penman grey Raiders seaplane and my Last Crusade... sometime in the same day!

jnicktem wrote:So Daren- is that your "go-to" hat?

I go back and forth between my Penman grey Raiders seaplane and my Last Crusade... sometime in the same day!

At the moment its my only brown hat, so yeah, you could say that its my "go to" hat. I sold my HJ. Getting myself ready to order an AB Raiders in about a week. And I guess I'm due in May for another Penman. Also gonna get a Raiders.

But now I'm starting to think I need a Henry . . . hmmm . . . decisions, decisions.

Either way, Oak is the man!

DHW

I saw your 'gig' photos and thought you must have had a much better time than a right minded body should, especially with one in particular. She must have been a good sport?

DarenHenryW wrote:Either way, Oak is the man!

I couldn't agree more with this last part of your statement, Daren.

Here's where I am with regards to the hats I've got... and the hats I'll be buying in the future:
I currently have
- An Akubra Fed IV
- A Herbert Johnson Rabbit
- A Garrison Hatters Rabbit "Raider"
- A Penman Raiders Grey Seaplane (Beaver)
- A Penman Distressed Brown Raiders (Rabbit)
- An Adventurebilt Deluxe (Beaver)

And On Order:
- A FedoRaiders SoC
- An Adventurebilt from Mr. Steve Delk

The Fed IV, the HJ, The Garrison, The AB & AB Dlx have all satisfies very specific wants, need and curiosities in me... (so, NO regrets on any of these purchases: I LOVE 'em all and all of their different qualities and the little nuances that separate them from one another...)

BUT I want to be clear:
For me and MY tastes, ALL of my future hat purchases will be with John Penman.
His level of Artistry combined with his outstanding Customer Service make him THE guy I'll continue to do all my shopping with.
His catalogue of styles is ever-growing (if he doesn't already know how to make the hat you want, the man will LEARN how to do it for you)
and the way he applies his EXCEPTIONAL skills and eye for detail to his hats are designed to do one thing and one thing only: leave YOU - the customer - satisfied, smiling and proudly wearing his fine hats.

So yeah, I couldn't agree more...
John IS the man.



(Oh... and WELCOME BACK, Scott!)

Mitch, that's quite a list, and no doubt it will be less of a 'wish list' and become more of a reality soon. I have worked myself sick and am recouping back at the resort, but was able to accomplish some great things, and will share these soon, when I get back. Until then, thanks for asking and....

....party on Garth!

Mitch LaRue wrote: For me and MY tastes, ALL of my future hat purchases will be with John Penman.
His level of Artistry combined with his outstanding Customer Service make him THE guy I'll continue to do all my shopping with.
His catalogue of styles is ever-growing (if he doesn't already know how to make the hat you want, the man will LEARN how to do it for you)
and the way he applies his EXCEPTIONAL skills and eye for detail to his hats are designed to do one thing and one thing only: leave YOU - the customer - satisfied, smiling and proudly wearing his fine hats.

I completely agree with you guys, and for all of these reasons my next Penman LC has been ordered

Sometimes it blows my mind that some of you guys buy so many Indy hats! I guess I don't earn enough money to warrent purchasing another brown Indy fedora - and I can't imagine anything being much better than my Henry, so why bother? But I do think that sometime down the road I may get another brown but I would stop at two.
I am also interested in a gray Henry, and a custom non-Indy Penman (or two).

Mitch- I didn't know you had an Adventurebilt Deluxe??? When did this happen?

GF,

I have 3 hats. They all are all Penman Beaver. I always wanted a brown and a grey. But after seeing John's Raiders on his new block last Spring, I broke down and ordered one. I think 3 will do me fine and should last a long while. For the time being I am just tweaking them. Had Oak reblock my CS Grey (just didn't feel right on the block he uses for the Train Traveler). I am waiting to send him my CS Brown so he can put it on the new block and take advantage of his pouncing skills.

Matt

generalFROSTY wrote:But I do think that sometime down the road I may get another brown but I would stop at two.

Personally I wouldn't buy more hats than what I need to wear. My first 2 hats were a Raider Penman, that I wear with formal suits, and a Garrison Hatters Streets of Cairo, that I wear with casual jackets or shirts. For the lighter color suits I like to wear the Penman grey travel.

jnicktem wrote:Mitch- I didn't know you had an Adventurebilt Deluxe??? When did this happen?

Good catch there, nick.

Yes, 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 be posting several shots of this beauty - and the story of how I came by it - tomorrow in the "Post your Adventurebilts here!" Thread in the Fedora Section.
You know, it's ironic... I've been in posession of this hat for a couple of months now (the reason for the delay in posting before now is ALSO part of the story) but it was just this morning that I'd finally reconciled myself to posting a few pictures that I took of it sitting on my kitchen table... so, I guess even if you hadn't caught that reference to the AB Dlx and inquired about it, I'd still be doing this tomorrow regardless.
Please check them out and let me know what you think.
I sincerely hope you like 'em!

Anyway... back to talkin' about AWESOME Penman Hats...

I look forward to it Mitch!!!

The only two pictures I've been able to snap of my newest Penman are these two. They were taken on my cell-phone so the quality isn't the best. I hope to be able to snap a few more and capture the new top crease, which I've changed to a six point crease. Anyway, here goes.




Dave

Dave, that is truly a very interesting crown! I don't think I've seen one like that before! Looks very cool!!! I would love a good shot of that bow!

That is also a very tall crown. It measures 5 3/4''. The brim is 2 3/4''. That bow work is amazing but I think I'm going to send this baby back to John and have him put some 2'' ribbon her and make it all black. I find that I don't wear the hat as much as I'd like with the grey accents, though it is simply some of the most beautiful bow work I've ever seen. Its a tough decision, but one I think will pay off in the end. The 2'' ribbon will also help set-off that tall crown. Believe it or not, though, this is the hat that I get the best compliments in. Whenever I wear this hat, both men and women compliment it on simply being a beautiful hat. They don't say "nice Indy hat," or "cool hat," but rather, they say "That is a beautiful, sharp looking hat." And its everytime I wear it out. I think these may be the perfect dimensions for me.

Dave

Well before you send it out you need to get a pic or two of it on your noggin'!

Who worked out the specs for this hat? Was it you or John?

Maybe John can chime in on this one?

Dave

Ooooh... story time!

Gotta say... Regardless of the tinkering you want to have done, the end results going to be the same:
Yeeeesh, but that's a gorgeous lid!

(I'm with jnicktem though... it'd be cool to eventually see some shots atop your head... if you've posted them before now, I've somehow missed 'em.)

That is a great fedora! The crown shape reminds me of "Fedora" from the begining of LC. I've always liked that look.

Weston

I have definitely got to get me another hat to put in an interesting top crease in like that! Like it a lot, reminds me of old Bogey and Jimmy Stewart feds with six point or diamond creases. I think I agree with the larger ribbon though.


Travis

Thanks, gentleman. I will try to snap off a few pics tomorrow. I'll be sure to get some of the bow and some of me wearing it.

Travis, that crease was inspired by the crease my best friend has in his 30's era Knox. The crease is really set in and I would wager has been there since the hat was first creased. So it is very much a vintage 30's, film noir style fedora crease. I have changed it from the four point crease pictured there to a six point crease similar to the one John is very fond of. I'll make sure to get a pic of that too.

Dave

Yes...do that!

Travis

Just received my Penman CS Grey reblock today. Thanks John, its perfect (look & fit). I'll try to take some pics and have it on this thread by Frday.

Matt

Just figured out how to upload pics using my phone, so, I took a pic of my charcoal Penman while on my planning period. This hat is three months old now and only getting better. It has become the hat I wear most. The lighting isn't great but you get an idea of how the jat has morphed in such a short period of time.



Dave

Planning period ROCKS!!!!!

Travis

you take pictures while driving?

Good eye, Eric. I was stopped, waiting for a bridge to lower when I took those pics. I was not moving when I took those pictures.

Dave

thats good. cause it really looked like your were driving. LOL

and btw those hats! love'em. John does AMAZING work

Thanks, my friend. I really love these hats but. The charcoal one has become my go to hat for daily wear but that steel grey with the black ribbon holds a special place in my heart as it was a gift from a good friend.

Dave

Here are some pics from my phone. Thanks John for making the hat I really wanted . Talk about customer service. I originally went with the CS Train Traveller crown with Hero brim. However, it just didn't feel right (like my CS Hero John had made me). John was not satisfied until I was satisfied. So he offered to the reblock for me. After about four months, broken block , it finally arrived. It looks and fits perfect.





Matt

Sweet looking lid mcmanm! The dimensions suit you perfectly. Nice little swoop to the back of the brim. John has done it once again!

Cheers!

Dan

Thanks Daniel. I wanted this hat to match the Hero CS John made me on 2008. Just took a little longer to get what I wanted (well worth the wait). I have a Raiders John made me last year as well. However, I really like the CS the best. It just feels right .

Matt

Looks very sharp on you too, mcmanm.
And as you said... clearly well worth the wait.
Cheers,
Mitch

Been out in the rain/sleet/frozen rain/snow this morning in my Penman LC. It has been super rainy on the east coast this winter and John's hat has kept me dry and warm. The hat has been completely soaked (on the outside anyways, I don't know what you would have to do to soak it to the core!) and it has not tapered an iota. It has only aquired more character, it has truly become a Hollowpond hat now. Thanks John, and your hats are bulldog tough indeed!


Travis

Hi all kind of new here.

Just ordered my 1st Penman Raiders. Got until summer to wait though, but it'll defo be worth it.

Ian, two things:

First of all...

Welcome!



Second... you've ordered a Penman?

Giggidy!



(...and you're RIGHT, it WILL be worth the wait!)

Thanks for the welcome and....Giggerty Goo!!

I haven't got any decent pictures for my avatar yet, so I'm going with the Quag for now..

Aye, ordered the hat in January, so I suppose I've just got 4 months to wait. Had quite a lot of correspondance with John about the style etc. via the Fedora lounge. I get the feeling that he knows more about what I want than I do. Can't wait though.

I think the waiting is a good thing in a way because I'm sure that once it arrives, I'll just order another one.

Still, my CS AB will keep me happy in the meantime.

This is what I look like most days.