Club Obi Wan

OK...before I get the typical "use the search function" reply... I did.. and have not found what I am looking for.. I have just started really looking to purchase a fedora.. and like many that have been in my position at one time I am overwhelmed at the options / variables involved... one thing that I have yet to find a good explanantion for is where when ordering a fedora you have the option of "bound edge"... is this what the rest of you typically opt for ? Is there a great benefit to having this done ? effect appearance or durability etc ?? Sorry if this is a goofy question.. but before shooting off the funds I just want to make sure my decision is as educated as possible THANKS in advance...

For Indy style, obviously there's no binding... but that doesn't mean it doesn't look good! Not sure if there's actually any durability enhancement; if anything, I would think that the ribbon would scuff up much easier than the felt it protects. If protection is it's main purpose, then you may wind up spending more time than you prefer on maintaining that ribbon.

Then, there's the wearers personal style and aesthetic preference. That's all totally subjective, however... I like a binding on some hats, while on others it strikes me a odd-looking.

My $.02

Mfisher, if you are going for a screen accurate fedora, don't go for the bound edge.

"bound edge" is when the edge of the brim is decorated with a little cover.

http://www.adventurebiltdeluxe.com/

look at the hat in the upper right side: see the brim? that is a bound edge.

Brim binding is largely an aesthetic choice, though I've rarely seen a hat with a bound brim where the ribbon is frayed, unless it's incredibly old and abused. For an Indy fedora, you want a raw edge, meaning there is no ribbon or treatment to the brim edge other than it being cut to shape.

Here are general brim options:

Bound brim; the brim ribbon can vary in size:


Bound brim with a pencil roll; the edge is turned up around the brim:


Welted Edge; the brim end is essentially turned up (or down) and sewn around the edge, reinforcing the brim.


A Cavanagh edge is similar to the welted edge, but in a nutshell, the process is different and the felt isn't stitched like the welted edge.

EXCELLENT info... ( of course.. what else should I expect from here ) That confirms my suspicions... but again, just wanted to make sure I knew what I was ordering.... at this point it just comes down to the age old COW question.. which hat to get ? I am torn between the Magnoli HJ ( because it may not even be available any more.. waiting on his response) or the handmade Penman (great price and finer materials)..... hmmmm...

Personally, I hate bound edges. Never liked em'. They dress up a hat, to me, and I don't go for that.

I can't stand welted edges either, but now the Cavanagh edge, yeah, I like it. Yeah, yeah, I know the welt is very similiar to the Cavanagh edge, but I think the skill that goes into the Cavanagh edge(it is felted in) and the cleaness of the look is what I find to be attractive. I own a couple, both vintage of course, since they are no longer made, to my knowledge. It takes a very well trained and skilled person to do the Cavanagh edge, and today, you don't find these sorts in the hat factories. The day of high skill is gone, as you can see when you compare a real Stetson made in Phili, to a modern one made under Hatco.

One thing the bound edge does do is it helps to hold the curl in the brim. It shrinks along with the felt in the flanging process and keeps the curl in. Reinforcement as well as adding a dressy component to the hat. Or what I percieve to be a dressy component. Fedora

I'm not a big fan of bound edges either, but have to agree with Fedora. The Cavanaugh edge is pretty sharp.

I picked up a vintage Dobbs with a Cavanaugh edge about a year ago and didn't know too much at the time about different edge treatments. Its amazing the amount of work that goes into it. My understanding is the edge gets folded back on itself a few times during the felting process creating a thickening of the edge without stitching. Seems to be a very clean way of trimming off a hat.

My understanding is the edge gets folded back on itself a few times during the felting process creating a thickening of the edge without stitching. Seems to be a very clean way of trimming off a hat.

I am no expert on this, but I read that the edge was done before the hat was completely felted. A temporary stitch was put in to hold it folded over, and then it was run through the felting maching until the edge has felted in to itself. Then the temporary stitching was taken out. Can you imagine the skill it would take to then make the hat without cutting the brim down??? Tough stuff there, that require very skilled workers. Fedora

Anyone interested in the history of the Cavanagh Edge might enjoy an article I wrote for the Fedora Lounge.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=28773

By far, it's my favorite edge treatment, but I like raw edges as well. Bound edges are growing on me, but only for a more dressy hat.

Brad

Too funny, Brad. Thats where I got most of my information. You wrote that right around the time I picked up my Dobbs. In fact you answered a lot of my questions about my Dobbs.