Club Obi Wan

It's a little out of my price range, but this guy's selling a custom fedora, any style you want, made from 80X Beaver Fur. $450

Moderator edit:
viewtopic.php?t=9524

I don't understand the term "80x beaver fur". As I understand it the 'X' ratings of hats are mostly marketing terms nowadays even though they might have once meant something in the past.

What is an "80x beaver fur" hat?

Tony

Some of the hats are nice, but for $450, I'll just have Steve make me something different from an Indy hat and it will be pure beaver and have the "AB treatment."

Dave

agreed Doctor..If i'm spending 400...it'll be going to Steve.

I think you'd do well to steer clear of that one. Go to Steve, Marc, Art Fawcett, Optimo, Jimmy Pierce, Mike Moore, etc. Note that none of them advertise on ebay with misleading Borsalino auctions.

Also note name of seller (who is quite well known and for the wrong reasons!!)...the words "sterling beaver" jump out at me and I only know of one hatter who uses that turn of phrase and I belive I for one shall stay clear. Either that or just burn my money...or invest it in something better...an AB!!! ...seriously though from past reviews stay well away.



Cheers

Fedora is obviously the authority on this, but the "X" used to have something to do with the quality or finish of the felt, I believe, like a grade. X, and XX, and XXX and all that.

I've learned from reading Fedora's posts that nowdays the X doesn't really mean anything at all, just a designation some hatters use to make it look like their fur felts are better than others.

As for this one, I'd buy an Akubra rabbit fur anyday before I spent the money on something called 80X beaver felt. What, did it take 80 beavers to make the hat? That's a bunch of beavers!

His 80X means 80% beaver, 20% rabbit, so it's actually not pure beaver, it's a beaver blend. I asked via ebay.

Next thing we find out he's advertising he made hats for the new movie.

I dont think that an X count actually denotes too much about Beaver content with modern hats, certainly not percentage...Serratelli for example do felt runs up to 2000X count, how could it be 2000% Beaver content thats impossible. Im not saying they are not a 80/20 Beaver blend but the X count has very little to do with this. I Believe its used more as a marketing tool these days more than anything...For example I'll buy an 80X rather than 20X because its a better hat...and you can bet the hat with more X's has more 0's at the end!! ...


Hat's for the new movie? ...God knows if you asked him he would tell the tale of how he taught Steve how to soe in a sweatband or pounce a hat. This hatters been about for a loooong time (or used to be) on other forums. Do a little research and his name will come up, dig far enough and you will know whether to buy a lid from him or not.

Cheers

He said that the 80X was his own invented X-Rating.

Also, allow me to directly copy/paste what he said to me when I asked him what the beaver - to - rabbit ration was in one of his 80X hats.

Annoying Hatter wrote:Now what you likely do not understand that another hat could be 80% or 100% beaver and still be complete @#$% felt and @#$% hat and workmanship. Much more to learn.

Modest, isn't he?

I'd rather get a Borsalino than one of his.

I didn't realize Steve was still doing other styles. Nor did I realize this seller had a bad reputation. I'm still new to the whole fedora scene. I just thought it was cool that he was doing any style you wanted custom for $450. I also thought the 80x referred to the quality of the finish on the felt. As in 100% beaver but at a 80x quality. Anyway sorry to post @#$% on here. I guess everybody should disregard it.

Are you kidding me? I just got censored. All I said was c-r-a-p.
Don't want anybody thinking I'm going around cussing on the boards.

The automatic word censor picked it up. You also don't want to go around the censor either. That's a no-no around this site.

Regard! Michaelson

I know now that that word is censored. I just didn't want anybody thinking I'd said something worse.

Also as to the mod edit at the top. Posting this ebay link couldn't create a run on the auction and drive up the price, because it's a fixed price $450 even.

I don’t have a clue of what exactly these nominations mean, but a local dealer sells woo felt for hats on the following quality X-Rating:

Merino (economic) 5x
Super Merino 7x
Interlan 10X
Majestic 16x
Silverlan 20x

carolinamike: i'm glad you posted this, because I always thought the hatter was a bit of unfair player. I wonder what Borsalino would do if they knew how he advertises them in his ebay auctions....They'd probably sew him, right? I mean isn't he a licenced re-seller?

a bit of unfair player

were all tryin to keep this a secret

carolinamike wrote:Also as to the mod edit at the top. Posting this ebay link couldn't create a run on the auction and drive up the price, because it's a fixed price $450 even.

Ok, well let's try this one instead:

viewtopic.php?t=13312

Yes, he was banned from here LONG ago.

Regards! Michaelson

wasn't really sure were we all stood on this as I wanted to keep on the right side of the law ...i.e.Michaelson


Cheers

Aviator, you had it right. The phrase "sterling beaver" immediately tipped me off, as well.

Stear clear!

Michaelson wrote:

carolinamike wrote:Also as to the mod edit at the top. Posting this ebay link couldn't create a run on the auction and drive up the price, because it's a fixed price $450 even.

Ok, well let's try this one instead:

viewtopic.php?t=13312

Yes, he was banned from here LONG ago.

Regards! Michaelson

Oh OK, Is there a list of banned members somewhere, so I can check in the future? I'm not trying to be a smart aleck these are just things new members don't know.

Yeah, who coulda known? I sure didn't. Musta' been before my time. So, sorry about that.

And Haha.

Strider wrote:"sterling beaver"

Walk away, slowly with no sudden movements.

Once in a while this topic comes up and someone has to say something...

First, I fully stand behind the Mods and the Admin on this issue and I think they played this out professionally. They have him a few chances, he blew every one. He even went on another Indy forum and posted lies about the Admin and mods of THIS site, about other vendors that are in good standing on this site (once saying he made the fedora's that our favorate vendor sells) and eventually lied about how The Fedora Chronicles and I was helping him get the deal to make the fedoras on IndyIV!

If you knew me, you would know how impossible that would be. Even after all of this, he offered me or one of the Fed Chron'ers a free fedora and wanted to pay to advertise on my site. I put up banners for vendors on my site for free because I want them to stay in buisness and I want you guys to know who's ligit and who's not. This guy will NEVER have a banner on my site because of what he said here, on that other Indy Site, and others.

Want strange phone calls in the middle of the night with tales of woe and about how you OWE him another sale because of some make believe crisis, give this guy your phone number. He might make a good lid, but he's not worth the trouble.

carolinamike wrote: Oh OK, Is there a list of banned members somewhere, so I can check in the future? I'm not trying to be a smart aleck these are just things new members don't know.

Totally understand you question, carolina, and it's a good one. I've taken it to the 'powers that be' to address.

Regard! Michaelson

Renderking Fisk:

wow, that's quite a story. Some people just don't understand that you get good reputation by working hard for it and getting recognized, rather than planting seeds of evil (and shameless lie-filled self promotion).

I think I'll stay clear of his hats. (Though the phrase "Sterling Beaver" alarmed me to do so first...)

Michaelson:

I don't think there can be a solution to the problem, I mean what you're needing is a list of people nobody's supposed to talk about, but people will never make the link between. Besides, you'd have to name the people that you don't want to talk about, which kind of defeats the point...I mean so many people still ask what to do with their Dorfmans, and I haven't seen anything in the FAQ about setting them on fire (:-({|= ), so we best better just fight the problem as it arises.

What I don't get is, we can't talk about this guy just because he was a member here? So if, say (although it would never happened), Fedora or Marc got banned, we'd have to never mention them again?

To answer your last question, the answer is yes.

It's definitely a 'Catch 22', as is being discussed by the adm's.

That said, there are so few individuals we've had to do the 'ultimate' to, the list is pretty small....but the rule is there for a good reason. These individuals created such a polarized situation when they were here, just the mention of their names causes anger and debate, so that's why it just became a WHOLE lot easier just to make them non-entities and life moves on. It's been a lot calmer doing that.

So, in talking about it, it might just be better to continue taking it on a case by case basis. In this case, this guy was banned, and we don't talk about him or his business.

Ok, that said, time to lock the door on this one and move along. If this needs further 'airing out', let's pick it up in the feedback section.

Regards! Michaelson