Hey guys. I am so well aware of the backlog, but all of these orders will be completed and each each will get their hats. And I know the long wait is very frustrating. It is to me as well, having to have so many hurry up and wait.
I am still on late 07 orders!! As Michaelson said, I sold way too many hats once the word got out and many took advantage of my old price. Once I get through these the lead times will drop expoentially, due to not many being sold after I went up in price to 350.00, and then to the final price of 400.
But rest assured, I ain't going anywhere until all orders are completed and you guys have your Indy 4 hat in hand. Most orders were for this new film hat.
Due to the number of orders that I had taken in late 07, I hired an apprentice, to help out and if I had been able to keep him, I would be on Spring of 08 orders today. But many know of what happened to that apprentice, so I have been a one man operation, and that includes the other stuff that goes with running a business. There is much more to this than just making hats....
A few weeks ago, I was gonna stop coming here, as it takes time, but once I heard about JPD, and those problems, I knew right away, I COULD NOT do that!! I have to remain visible, just to keep folks from thinking I had went to Mexico with their money!!!
My only problem is the number of orders I still have before me, but that isn't a problem to me personally. Only to those who have waited patiently. And, to those people, you guys are stellar folks, and I hold each of you in high regards.
So, don't ever get nervous about me fulfilling my responsiblility to you, but it is quite ok to be frustrated. I would be as well, if I were in your shoes.
I see my business right now as that of a custom knife maker, who has even longer lead times than me. I am on a 5 year list to get one particular knife, and I paid up front when I ordered. But, no one will ever have to wait that long.
Once I get this huge bulk of orders done, I will be back to normal lead times on handmade hats. So, please hang in there. I think the long wait is worth owning a hat that was made by the guy(s) that made the last fedora Indy was to sport in a film.
I have indeed had some health problems starting a few months ago, but that is under control, but even with the tests that I had to have done, I only missed 4 days of hatmaking.
Also, starting week after next, I will again have the phone line to my hat shop back in service, so I will take calls from you guys if you need to talk to me. I will have to limit them to the morning though as I can easily spend hours talking to just one customer.
Anyone who has talked to me knows that I don't know when to shut up, not only here, but in phone conversations also.
I answer emails each day, but the number of emails that I get makes it very difficult to answer in a timely manner. I try to grab what looks to me very important, like address changes, size changes, and those who ordered in late 07. When I clicked on Outlook this morning, I have 400 plus new ones, and a weekly average is around 2000 emails. Now, many are enquiries on existing orders, and some are folks asking to buy hats. The enqiuries concerning buying a hat, seldom get answered, as the guys here who want to buy a hat know how to do it. Just go to my site and order. And these folks also know my lead times are pretty bad. I am just too busy in most cases to take orders from people who just find me on the web.(and many want non Indy hats, that I have no time for) This is NOT how I want to do business, but I find myself in this position today, and will have to suffer this until I eventually get back on top of this. Indy 4 was a blessing, but also a curse. I also know that one day things will be back to normal for me, and boy do I look forward to that day!!
I want to thank again my very patient customers, but I do believe the wait time will be worth it in the end, if you are an Indy fan like myself. For me, I would have waited almost forever to get a real Swales Raiders custom fedora. He was smart enough not to ever offer that hat though.
I now know why.
I wanted to offer the Indy 4 fedora back in late 07 at the great price so even those who would not pay, or could not pay the big bucks beaver hats generally cost could own one. I just never knew I would sell so many. Over 500 in 3 months. Plus, I already had gotten behind with existing orders when I had to shut down my regular production, to do the Indy 4 gig. But, I am working hard to get caught up just as soon as humanly possible. Even when I sleep, I dream of hats!!!!
Fedora
... In that way you could be my neigbhor and teach me the art of hat making 
Hahaha.