Club Obi Wan

Evening All!

Wanted to share this update...

Literally just got off the phone with Lee and he spoke with his ribbon supplier today. They are going to rush him some samples, he will work his magic and have the final ribbon selection overnighted to Beaver Brand, and the new Keppler hats will be underway again.

Lee is as anxous as any of us to get this rolling and we can now patiently listen for the postman.

Cheers!

Kent

This is great news. I am glad that Lee will finally be able to get these hats going. The few times that we spoke when I was ordering my hat, Lee sounded very frustrated about the situation with his new hats. I know these new Kepplers will be a hit. I may need to purchase one just to give my Keppler a playmate.

Dave

This is good news. I ordered a hat from Lee in April so hopefully the wheels will start turning for Lee we will see the new Keppler's soon.

Cheers,
OWJ88

Any mention of when the hats would actually be completed?

I just got off the phone with Lee, and he said to expect another 4-5 weeks till delivery time for those of us who have orders in.

From all indications the next generation will be well worth the wait.

Randy

Many thanks for that bit of news! Turnaround time is sometimes important if one really needs the hat for a particular event -- especially for those without half a dozen other fedoras sitting around.

You're welcome. And I am one such individual.. I only have a wool DP that I will not wear for anything. When the Keppler arrives it will be on my head every day I go out in public for a while I know.

Just spoke to Lee. What a great guy. Apparently, the ribbon sample was overnighted to LA by mistake. He has contacted the company and they are overnighting it from LA to Lee as I post. With any luck, the company he is working with will have the ribbon to BB by the end of the week or 1st thing next week. It has been 27 years since I first saw that hat in the theater as a 7 year old and I have been waiting that long for my first fedora. Hopefully, just a few more weeks!

mcmanm wrote:Just spoke to Lee. What a great guy. Apparently, the ribbon sample was overnighted to LA by mistake. He has contacted the company and they are overnighting it from LA to Lee as I post. With any luck, the company he is working with will have the ribbon to BB by the end of the week or 1st thing next week. It has been 27 years since I first saw that hat in the theater as a 7 year old and I have been waiting that long for my first fedora. Hopefully, just a few more weeks!

Well, I was a little older than seven but since it took me all these years to order, I guess I can wait. It's getting hot here in Chicago so if it's at least here when i starts to cool down I'll be happy.

But lucky for you, Winter arrives at the start of October! Well, maybe not Winter, but surely Fedora Weather.

CLARIFACTION!!

When I approve the color swatch in the morning, they still have to dye the batch of ribbon, which can take a few days. My sales rep doesen't want to nag to the point of being counter productive. Then the ribbon goes direct to Beaver Brand where the hats are ready except for the ribbon. When I get them (probably 3 to 6 per day) they won't come in order. If I get a 7 1/4, 7 3/8 and a 7 1/2, I'll ship the oldest in order of size. I hope that makes sense. I want these in your hands as much as all of you do. When folks see them first hand, I hope to be real busy.

Thanks for being patient. There's an old saying "There's never enough time to do it right, but there's ALWAYS enough time to do it over"

Lee,

Thanks for the reply. Lets try to keep this post alive with any new developments that happen in the weeks to come.

Regards,

Matt

So are are the ribbons done?

I have not heard anything from Lee. I do know he checks the board regularly. Hopefully, he will have an update on this post soon.

With each new day, there is hope. With luck Lee is starting to block what's coming his way right now. We should know in a week or so, if hats start showing up. I was tempted to call Lee, but just didn't want to be one of the impatient.

Cheers,
OWJ88

To paraphrase Val Kilmer in Tombstone, "By all means, call!". I always like to chat gear when I'm on the road(tomorrow daytime). The ribbon should be dyed tomorrow and will be shipped to BB Monday. As soon as they start arriving, "Let the bashing begin".

Lee Keppler wrote:To paraphrase Val Kilmer in Tombstone, "By all means, call!". I always like to chat gear when I'm on the road(tomorrow daytime). The ribbon should be dyed tomorrow and will be shipped to BB Monday. As soon as they start arriving, "Let the bashing begin".

Lee
Thanks for the update. Looking forward to seeing the new Kepplers.

Thanks.
OWJ88

Ditto to that. :junior:

I just got off the phone with Lee and told me to tell everyone that his new "dark dark brown" ribbon for his standard Indy hats has been shipped to Beaver Brand.

They should get it next week and commence the hat making.

Great! With any luck, maybe I'll get mine in time for the OH/IN/KY Summit being planned for in Sept.

Andy

wearp wrote:Great! With any luck, maybe I'll get mine in time for the OH/IN/KY Summit being planned for in Sept.

Andy

I'm hoping the same.

I cannot wait to see how these hats turn out. I'm literally salivating every time I see
a new pic of one ( excuse me, wiping off the keyboard even as I type ) I'm going to the
Crossroads gun show this Saturday in Costa Mesa and I'm hopin' Lee will have a sample
of his new fedora on display - might be too soon, but I'm keepin' my fingers crossed. :junior:

Change of plans. I'm going to the Phoenix show instead. Sorry!

Received pm from Lee today. Looks like the ribbon was received by BB. Great News!

YES!! Finally!!

What's up? Do you think BB has started sending Lee some hats?

Oh, If you were refering to my comment, I was YESing to the pm you referenced. If I knew something, I'd report it.

Sorry,

Randy

So hopefully it should be a few weeks then

Received an email from Lee last night. Looks like he still does not have the hats in yet.

:junior:

How long do you think till Lee starts getting the hats from BB?

While I have been anxiously waiting for my new Keppler, I haapened on some old threads about Kepplers and waterproofing/stain resistance. Lee recommends a product, but I wondered if he prepared to be the above before they are shipped? Has anyone experienced that as a standard protocol with the Keepler product?

how would a beaverbrand keppler thats had the fullers earth treatment around the sweatband hold up in the rain? im thinking of buying one as iv been offered one by a friend but i dont want to buy it if it gets ruined in a downpour.

Spoke to Lee today. He said that BB sent 1st shipment of hats. Said between a gunshow and Labor Day, he should start sending finished hats on Tuesday!

GREAT!!

I sent a message to Lee and he said that he should start receiving hats next week !!!

Awesome. Do you think he will start to send some this week?

So.......anyone got an update? :junior:

I talked to him and he said he's got a batch and will be getting them out in the order of orders recieved. Sorry, I hadn't remembered to update everyone.

just got off the phone with mr. keppler as i was enquirring to see if he got my CS gun belt. we talked shop for quite a while and then he told me that he's got a shipment of hats that are in. he is off to tucson but will be shipping hats out shortly in the sizes that he gets in and per the order of what was ordered. i believe he will be shipping 3 out tomorrow or early next week.

so for those who ordered these beauties, here's some pics to make your waiting more excruciating.........its the least i can do











it looks like lee's made a winner with these lids....i'm quite envious of those who have ordered these..........so for those who have ordered a 7 1/8.......can i have it?

.....and for those perspective buyers of this offering, this definitely shows lee's attention to detail............



what wet my appetite is the beautiful profile on this hat.....i'd love to snag one of these myself but am directing funds to my own hat project at the moment. congrats to those who are on the order list.

cheers,


g

When I last spoke to him he told me about the ribbon.
Apparently he had a custom run of ribbon made just for these hats.
Looks great.

Can't wait! Hope my 7 3/8 long oval is in the mail soon.

What is the new price on his hats?

They look terrific!

Looks great. He told me mine would be here early next week.

I'm not sure where I am on the waiting list but I'm out of town for the last week in September. If they drop it off at the door when I'm gone, and get home and it's gone ...

I'd better write Lee.

Dear iehovah those hats look AMAZING. I can't wait for mine to arrive.

When I met with Lee in July he had shown me a prototype for this hat. He mentioned he was still working on some kinks for that hat. By kinks, he meant the best screen accuracy he can develop.

What can I say. The man did it. Simply WOW. !!!

Man, those things look GOOD. Great job by Lee on these hats -
hope mine gets here before Halloween. :junior:

Solent MKIII wrote: ...hope mine gets here before Halloween. :junior:

Which brings up a good point. If you're hoping to have a hat FOR Halloween, you better order now. Despite the various degree of wait times from different hatters, once the Halloween rush is in full swing, if you wait until the last minute to get gear for Halloween, you may be hard pressed to get anything in time, if at all.

binkmeisterRick wrote:

Solent MKIII wrote: ...hope mine gets here before Halloween. :junior:

Which brings up a good point. If you're hoping to have a hat FOR Halloween, you better order now. Despite the various degree of wait times from different hatters, once the Halloween rush is in full swing, if you wait until the last minute to get gear for Halloween, you may be hard pressed to get anything in time, if at all.

so, it isnot too lae to order? that is what i wanted to hear. now i need to hear (read) is how to contact mr. keppler...
thanx!!!
charlie