I wonder how much (ballpark) mink can be used, but I imagine that's a trade secret.
I am sure it probably is, and I know what it is. Let's just say it is pretty low. Above 5 per cent and lower than 20 per cent. Somewhere in that range. But, it is enough, according to Marc, that you can tell something very fine was added to an already fine beaver fur hat. So, it must not take much to really feel it in the hat. When he first got those first bodies in, he was salivating over the phone as he was trying to describe the feel of this body.
Now, does adding mink make for a better hat? I doubt it. It is just the rarity that intriques me, personally. And the fact that Ricardo made numerous runs in determining the max amount of mink that the body could take without pushing. So, it's not like this hat has super human qualities, as pure beaver would be better. It's just a rare felt, that's all.
That's kind of the situation I find myself with regarding the camel AB, Steve.
Ah, I understand that fully my friend. That hat definetly made me reserve a body from this same run for myself. It was one of the better runs that I see from them. The only other run that stands out is when the Pres. of the company worked his weekend off when I first started making hats, to personally make me 5 dozen brown bodies. Old Greg is a true expert and artist in feltmaking. I needed them, before Xmas, and they were off, the employees that is. Greg offered to do it for me, as I was just getting started, and he spoiled me in the process.
Perhaps they were short handed the day he ran those camel bodies, and made those himself. Felt making still involves an art form, not easily learned very quickly. Regular guys would not notice these differences, which is a good thing, but once you made a few thousand hats, you do notice the differences in felt runs. At least I bought several of these camel bodies at the time, but only because a guy had wanted to buy them, and then never heard from him again. He also had me order a navy blue body that I will NEVER sell.
The one and only navy blue body I ever got in. So John or another hatter, if you guys ever need a navy blue body, I got one I will sell you at cost.
Being over a year old, these camel bodies and blue one are already aged a bit. And age with felt is like age and wine. It just gets better with age.
And as with yours Michaelson, when I make my camel hat, it will probably take me 4 or 5 months to get it made, after it goes on the block. Since Iused your own personal block that I have on file for you(the gray Indy 4 block, but in your size) I could just let it sit for months on the block as I have a replica to use for any other 7 3/8 hat I would need to make using that style of block. So, my hat will be made on your own personal block. Plus its a vintage block too. Some may not know this, but Michaelson's block was used by him way before Indy 4 came to be. So, I used his own block for Ford's gray travel hat. Michaelson was wearing Indy's hat before Indy wore it for us in Indy 4.
And this block makes a great hat too. One of my fav looks in fact. I never really noticed how much I liked it until I saw it on screen, on Indy's head. Just needed to be 5 1/2 instead of the 5 3/4 that the film hat was. That extra 1/4 inch in height is not needed with this blockshape.
So once I can get mine made, we will be the Bobsy Twins!!
And, when you tire of that pure rayon ribbon, in that color, we can go with a more subtle color. Then, it will look like you got a new hat!! I copied a vintage hat, colorwise with the ribbon I used on yours, but when comparing it to what I made for Fedoralover, I think you might prefer the color I put on his camel hat. So, there is always that option for you. I actually was a bit hesitant about using that vintage rayon color, as I know you are a subdued guy like myself, but I figured, well, this is definetely a vintage color scheme, and Michaelson is a very vintage guy......
Fedora
HOORAY!! 
