Club Obi Wan

I was going to post this at the Fedora Lounge, but I couldn't find it. I'm really out of the loop. Anyway, I was looking at this montecristi, and I can't decide if it's a GOOD hat or one that will crack in a few days. I need someone who knows panamas, which I admittedly do not. The price seems too good to be much of a hat. Here's the link:

http://www.vintagesilhouettes.com/mh0741.htm

Thanks for any help.

Maybe Sharptoyes will chirp in. He knows alot about these hats. Fedora

Check out the vendor site by Robert Weber: www.panama.biz

He came to me by reccomendation and appears to be the 'panama-guy', he hangs out at the Fedora Lounge. His site is very informative on grading and making and just all things panama. Great to communicate with as well.

Sorry, that was: www.panamas.biz

Check a few threads down.

schwammy wrote:I was going to post this at the Fedora Lounge, but I couldn't find it. I'm really out of the loop. Anyway, I was looking at this montecristi, and I can't decide if it's a GOOD hat or one that will crack in a few days. I need someone who knows panamas, which I admittedly do not. The price seems too good to be much of a hat. Here's the link:

http://www.vintagesilhouettes.com/mh0741.htm

Thanks for any help.

Well, first of all that is a highland Cuenca, not a Montecrisiti. It is my understanding that hats made in Cuenca are more like your mass produced golf-shop types of Panamas, usually available for under $100. They are produced from a different less flexible variety of toquilla palm, and are usually bleached to a bright white color which may further weaken the straw. They are also stiffened, I think, and are of a much coarser weave.

Montecristis, on the other hand, are made individually by hand rather than mass produced. They are priced based on weave count, quality, and color anywhere from $100 into the $1000s for the finest of hats. They are usually left in their natural color, sort of an off white or beige. The toquilla palm straw used in Montecristi is supposed to be a softer, more flexible and durable variety because of it's coastal origin, rather than Cuenca which is in the highlands. A master weaver may take weeks or a year to craft a single hat, thus the premium price. The weave on some high-end hats can be so tight, it looks like linen cloth!

Now having said all that (and anyone feel free to correct me if I've got my facts wrong, I'm just going by what I've learned from Robert Webber and his website) Art Fawcett is a very skilled hatter, and in my opinion that Cuenca is well worth the asking price. Even though he starts with a Cuenca body, it is still handcrafted on his vintage block and looks great. If I were going to buy a Cuenca (and I might for this Summer!) I would definitely get one of Arts.

On the other hand, if you really want a quality Montecristi a lot of guys over at FL have purchased raw hat bodies from Robert and had them shipped to Art for blocking and finishing. Total cost depending on quality of the body would range from $200 to $300, but you'll end up with a wonderful hat that would cost double that from other sources.

Well this URL seems to work:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/

I did notice that some banners on related sites like Digital Deli and a couple others, including the 'old' bookmark I had are dead links.

Thanks and more thanks. That exactly fills the knowledge hole in my head!

Scwammy, I can almost guaruntee you that if that hat comes from vintage sillhouettes, its a good hat And it looks great too

High Regards, Daryl.

Cuenca hats are still hand woven. They use a double paja (brisa) style that makes a hat that would take a couple of weeks in Montecristi (llano) take a couple of hours. Thusly, the hat is just a few dollars, rather than $$.

They are woven with the same paja from the coast, bleached with wet chemicals to whiten them.

Art's work is what makes the hat valuable.

Kentucky Blues wrote:Scwammy, I can almost guaruntee you that if that hat comes from vintage sillhouettes, its a good hat And it looks great too

High Regards, Daryl.

Art Does a nice job on any hat. He puts his heart into each hat.He is my friend!!

With that said I would not buy a Cuenca from him.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Montecristi is a few dollars more but with a little care it will last several life times.
Get the body you want from Robert Weber have Art block it and you will have One fine Montecristi Panama hat. End of story.