Club Obi Wan

WHAT!! No Hat!!!

BendingOak wrote:This is what I look like most days.

BendingOak wrote:This is what I look like most days.

I know what you mean. The humidity here plays havoc with my hair as well.

...and dig those bandaged fingers & thumbs!

Mitch LaRue wrote:...and dig those bandaged fingers & thumbs!

Mitch got it right. Thats what my hands feel like right now.

Yesterday I just bought a new cam, so I decided to test it a little shooting my hat. I have been climbed on the roof of my house, because it just snowed in Rome..

Just shows you how smart I am. I never thought of Rome with snow.

Here's a new hat I just finished for a customer. It's my Rabbit Raiders. The last shot is of the happy new owner. I stitched the ribbon different than I normally do. I put the stitches in a different spot. The tack down stitches are above the sweatband stitches like they are in the movie. I would normally not do this but only on my Cairo hats but I did this for this customer. Let me know what you think.

Seeing those pics, and looking at my own hat, John's Raiders block is AMAZING! One of the most accurate blocks available.

The new Raiders hat above looks FANTASTIC, John!

Great work!

Always a pleasure to talk with you! Hope you have a great weekend!

DHW

Awwww dude!!!! That looks perfect!!

So, the stitching is different so that the ribbon rides up the hat slightly? How does that work?

Can't wait for mine!!

I would never put the tack down stitches ( the stitches that hold the ribbon that goes around the hat , not the bow) but at the very bottom of the ribbon. Where the brim break is. The reason is to keep the ribbon from sliding up and showing the sweatband stitches. On the Raiders hat the stitches where place above the sweatband stitches and you see them and the ribbon slides up a bit. You can clearly see this on the cairo hat.

When I make a " the cairo" my version of the SOC hat I make the hat differently than what I normally do. I add phony sweat stains, fullers earth, soften up the front of the brim break (in the front of the hat) and stitch the hat in this fashion. I also that very heavy duty thread to sew the ribbon on that I normally use to sew in my sew sweatbands a liners. It's a little bit of a over kill for a hat but since I beat the snot out of " the Cairo" hat and it has the moto " Bulldog tough" I make sure it's bulldog tough.

Now this hat is not the cairo hat just sewn together like I do for the cairo hat. I do have a cairo hat coming up for a customer soon and will post pics of that first one when it's done.

That's an amazing amount of detail involved.

I suppose you have the hardest job making Indy hats for fanatics that know where virtualy every fibre lies. I guess though, you are one, so you're probably your own greatest critic. What happens to the hats that don't pass the Penman quality standard (If there are any). I bet one of your own rejects is still pretty much perfect.

Wearin' it out today

http://i522.photobucket.com/albums/w342 ... G_3742.jpg

Ian wrote:That's an amazing amount of detail involved.

I suppose you have the hardest job making Indy hats for fanatics that know where virtualy every fibre lies. I guess though, you are one, so you're probably your own greatest critic. What happens to the hats that don't pass the Penman quality standard (If there are any). I bet one of your own rejects is still pretty much perfect.

When I started I used to mess up raw bodies all the time. I had a garage full of them. Believe me the raw bodies aren't cheap but I would treat them as if they cost me a dime. Now I don't mess up so bad anymore that it can't be used. I don't think I messed up a raw body in over a year. Except for ounce in a while when I cut the brim wrong and have to start over with a new body. The cut body can still be used but just not for that size.

There have been several that have been caught before I sent them out to customers and I tend to use that hat to experiment on and end up making a new hat. I had a couple slip by me and had to re- make the hat. I'm human and can make mistakes but if I make them I will correct them.

I hope that helps.

Impressive work John! Go treat yourself to a beer, fine cigar and some Reeces Peanut Butter Cups!
I wish I had more money so I could buy more hats from you! By the way, any new developments on tracking down that yellow felt?

generalFROSTY wrote:
Impressive work John! Go treat yourself to a beer, fine cigar and some Reeces Peanut Butter Cups!
I wish I had more money so I could buy more hats from you! By the way, any new developments on tracking down that yellow felt?

I might be able to have one of my felt bodies dyed special for this project.

Garrett wrote:Wearin' it out today

'Tis a beaut, Garrett!
(But I'm sure you already know that - as evidenced by your photo... it clearly shows you're no newcomer to the world of hats!)

Mitch LaRue wrote:

Garrett wrote:Wearin' it out today

'Tis a beaut, Garrett!
(But I'm sure you already know that - as evidenced by your photo... it clearly shows you're no newcomer to the world of hats!)

No not at all. He has a heck of a vintage collection and I have learn had much more. Lucky guy that he is the size that is popping p for sale unlike me who is of a commo n size.

I received my Last Crusade Penman yesterday. It is phenomenal!






Thanks again, John!

Hey Josh congrats on your new LC hat!

It's terrific!

John makes the best LC. I like it even better than the LC in the movie, if that makes any sense. I think mine is sort of a Raiders of the Last Crusade. Congrats and wear it in good health.

Travis

That's a SWEET LC, Mr. Fusion!

Hey Mitch, what's that hat in your avatar? Looks awesome!

Thanks Ian!
That one is actually my Fed IV.
I got it from another Member (not sure if they want to be identified, so I'll keep 'mum' on who they are)... but they did a lot of great work on this hat. After I got it, it became necessary for me to do a lot of tinkering with it in order to get it to where it needed to be to look "right" on my noggin. I'm really very indebted to this other Member, because they simply GAVE me the hat to keep... and moreover, invited me to feel free to tweak it and mess around with it (in doing so, this became my first ever "TEST" hat.)
Anyway, I'm still learning and continuing to experiment with it... but it IS coming along. The photo in the avatar is one of several I had taken a couple of months back... I think I'm starting to get some very good Raidery/Cairo-Streety results with it!

Anyway, that's as far as I can (or am willing to go) on this subject here in Mr. Penman's Thread...
Now, let's get back to looking at hats made by the man who keeps knocking our collective socks off...
JOHN PENMAN!

My Penman Dillinger-esque hat keeps getting better actually....wore it out in the rain the other day and did a little personalization to the brim (turned the edge up just a bit, and snapped the front down a tiny bit more).

John's work is simply top notch. I've gotten many compliments on my new hat, so thank you John!

I'll try to snap some more pics, but the weather around here has been really foggy lately.

..but of course.

How many you got? As I've said before, I've got one on order, but I'm already think about another one.

So far I only have these two:
A Grey Penman Seaplane and a Penman Distressed Raiders Rabbit.

Both are - as you might imagine - phenomenal.
I love 'em!


Now... currently, I'm still waiting on 2 hats from other vendors:
One from Mr. Steve Delk (which was ordered some time ago) and the other from fedoraiders (an order which was about as "guilty" a pleasure as one could enjoy)...
But apart from these two exceptions to the Rule, I consider myself to be someone who has already committed to making ALL of my future purchases from Penman Hats.

Knowing in advance the selection & variety of hats, the excellent level of Customer Service and the amazing skills and versatility of John Penman himself makes it an easy plan to make, too.
I've already got my next three orders settled on in my head... now it's just a matter of pacing myself financially, of course... but for me, one thing's for sure: I intend to be a proud and satisfied (to say nothing of very vocal) customer of John's for many, many years to come.

Wow! A couple more FANTASTIC looking Penmans!

Garrett- that looks great on you! Congrats!!!

Mr. Fusion- I know how long you have been anxiously awaiting your Penman LC- congrats on not only receiving it but receiving a SUPERB-lookin' Penman!!! (even though every single Penman is truly superb!)

I have four Penmans. These are the best hats money can buy. At this point I'm really only getting hats from two places, Penman and AB. I also buy vintage hats. But the only new hats I buy are John's and Steve's. Once Steve retires, John will be the only one I buy hats from anymore.

Dave

I have two Penmans, I have one more currently on order, I'm planning on order another after that, and I also plan to have John shape me a CS Henry.

John rocks. Straight up.

Daren Henry W

I'm quite new to all this, so my collection hasn't evolved that far yet, although I have well and truely passed the Dorfman stage

As regards customs, I've just got the one AB CS at the moment (which I love). I'm awaiting the Raiders Penman (can't wait) and seriously getting itchy about a Penman LC, especially after seeing the likes of Mr Fusion's.

Part of me thinks I should at least wait until I have the Raiders from John first though.

I have 3 Penmans (Grey Raiders Seaplane, Last Crusade, and a black custom fedora) and I have a Penman Panama on order. I am planning on ordering another one (I am really diggin' that Rabbit Raiders!!!). I also have an AB Deluxe and a reg AB on order.

I say if you can, order that Penman LC right now! I received my 2nd and 3rd Penman within 2 weeks of each other... and it was the greatest thing EVER!!!

Hats are addictive, and when you find a good source it can grip you bad! I currently only have one Penman (a charcoal dress hat), but eagerly await two more one order now. That includes an LC - a style I have never owned before.

So, welcome to the madness, Ian.

Chewie... the Penman you have is one of my all time favourites! It's actually on my wish list!

Chewbacca Jones wrote:Hats are addictive, and when you find a good source it can grip you bad! I currently only have one Penman (a charcoal dress hat), but eagerly await two more one order now. That includes an LC - a style I have never owned before.

So, welcome to the madness, Ian.

Hmmm, I think that some sort of discipline is required. I have mouths to feed.

Hey John. I got ya beat on what we look like. This is what I am looking like most days.





Fedora

Well, Steve... at least you're taking time out for the occasional cup of tea (or coffee... or... beverage of your choosing)




Oh!
And WELCOME to PAGE 30 of "The Penman post 'em up Pages" everybody!


WooHOO!

I bet in a short time I will look like that more than you.

Well, Steve... at least you're taking time out for the occasional cup of tea (or coffee... or... beverage of your choosing)

For me, it's McDonald's coffee. A very large cup. Followed by my vice, a large cappuchino, but homemade. Love that stuff, if Starbucks Espresso is used.

John, I dunno. I have a head start!

I checked out the hats on this thread. All are so great!!!! Great work my friend! Fedora

Steve,

Is that the new AB?? It's awesome!!

Mitch, this thread has hit (and lost) it's 30 page status at least once or twice by now. Just yesterday I went through and cleared out some posts with dead links, etc., which took it back a page.

Oh yeah! I forgot how that kinda thing works!

Ah well...

...my heart was in the right place.

(Psssst... Hey, bink... if you and I work together, maybe I can have another shot at being the 1000th Post!)

For some reason, Mitch's post count suddenly remains at a constant 999...

Fedora wrote:Hey John. I got ya beat on what we look like. This is what I am looking like most days.





Fedora

No, no Steve, thats me brother.

I hope I'm not boring everybody with with more pics of me wearing my Penman LC in my bathroom, but I took these tonight, and I like them, so here they are:

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak ... 8366_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs166.snc ... 5237_n.jpg

My next Penman is gonna be a non-Indy, sort of custom hat in Charcoal, probably with a black ribbon. John and I talked for a long time about it the other day. Won't be on my head till May at the earliest, but you know, gotta plan ahead for these things . . .

DHW

Well, I ain't bored, that's for sure!


Actually, I think you own one of my favorite Penman LC's, Daren... and given the level of the work John does, I think that's really sayin' something! That lid looks like it just came from a costume fitting for the movie before filming had even begun!

Your pictures made my waiting for my LC HARDER that just it was...

Looks very sharp on you!

Steerpike

Daren, my charcoal Penman is probably the hat I wear most. Its a tie for two: that charcoal one and my CS AB with the 3 1/8" brim. I used to wear my Penman Raiders most but I think the larger brim on the AB looks best on me. Charcoal just goes with so many different colors. Steve sent John that vintage iron colored ribbon for it too, which makes the hat IMO. I also lucked out that this hat can be worn with jeans and a t-shirt as well as a suit. Its very versatile. I love my charcoal Penman. You will love your charcoal Penman.

Dave

I'm in the minority who think the LC hat is the best of the 4. And your pictures, DHW prove my point. I'm no adventurer but like a fedora with a suit to class tings up. And the scene on the Venice pier with Indy and his hat and suit is my favorite look. Your look there in your pics is a close second.
Gonna start up my "Buy another darn hat, fool!" penny jar towards a brown hat to go with my brown suits (I wear my Penman CS Train hat with them now) and the LC is high on my list of choices.

Marty