Club Obi Wan

Yeah, I had bought so many vintage hats prior to making my own line and had stored them back. I ran across them this last weekend. I must own more hats than most.

This one here was a vintage HJ Homburg, that I took off the brim bounding, dimensionally cut the brim and blocked it on my very first Raiders block. I can see how much I have changed the block just by looking at this very stove piped hat. So, this pic here, is my earliest work with my quest of the Raiders blockshape. Actually, after looking at it a bit, in hand, I am amazed that I got as close as I did in those early days. I no longer destroy vintage hats, but that was not always the case!!

IN this cache, I also found a greenish brown HJ Poet, from ebay back from 03 or 04 that I had forgotten that I owned! It has a 1 3/4 inch brown ribbon, and looks to be TLC fedora in blockshape. Which adds credence to the story that D.L. told about her Raiders fedora not being a hat that was for sale when she went to see Swales. This Poet looks nothing like the Raiders fedora. Just another clue that the Raiders fedora was in fact, totally bespoke, and did not use the Poet block, as it was known at that time. But, who knows. I could be wrong. Fedora

Here's the hat that used to be a Homburg until I got ahold of it!!!

That's a nice transformation. It looks great. I'm not a homburg guy so destroying that hat doesn't bother me as it went on to become a fine looking hat. Any chance of seeing that Poet you mentionted?

Dave

Any chance of seeing that Poet you mentionted?

Yes sir, just as soon as I can take the time to do so. I have been doing little but making hats here lately, with no time to stay on top of COW. I found a few minutes today as this is block day, and I just finished covering up 15 blocks for this weeks work. But now, its time to start making bows for those hats. So, when I get a chance Dave. Regards, Fedora

Steve- I wish I knew how you are able to transform hats like that! I think it looks great! I just wish it was in my size!!! Which reminds me... got any 7 3/4" hats in that cache of yours? haha

Oh, no rush, Steve. Just curios is all. I know you are short for time these days...well, these last couple years really. Plus the less time you spend here showing us these vintage beauties, the faster you'll get to my order!

Dave

p.s. If you have any 7 1/2s, I'll gladly take those off your hands.

Hey Steve that is beautiful, just goes to show you what you can find over a weekend. I think your correct though Swales had to make a bespoke hat for Raiders. Great vintage HJ, looks in great shape. Thanks for taking time out of your block day to share.

IndianaChris

Wow - what I find, Sir! Well, it's not that I ever doubted it , but you really are a great artist when it comes to hats.

I, too would be very interested to see the rest of these pics. There's only one thing better than watching beautiful vintage hats - owning them.

I think the next Indy film should be "Indiana Jones and the lost cache of Steve's hats" because your hats are just that! TREASURE!

I think I'm safe in saying this, but if this converted Homberg fits, and I have every reason to believe it will, then I'll post some shots of it on my noggin once it gets here.

wow! I like that converted homberg... I would've never imagined it was a different style of hat if you hadn't said so.

The less desired Homburg is a perfect hat to do the Indy treatment to. First, most come with a stove pipe crown, and most come with enough brim to cut down. And most you see on ebay are vintage ones. Plus, they used to go for great prices too, as not many folks wear them.

I don't destroy vintage hats today, but I might still make an exception with the Homburg. But never again a vintage fedora. Those are sacred.

But the perfect Indy fedora is a vintage hat, that is past suffering the taper issue that green felt tends to do today. I have even found vintage fedoras that were practically the Raiders fedora, as recieved. All that was needed was for a dimensional cut to be done. Fedora

Please send me all of your unscathed vintage Homburgs. I also run a home and shelter for abused vintage hats. My personal (and strong) opinion is that if a vintage hat is in good shape, it should be left as such, especially since they don't make them like they used to. If, on the other hand, the binding (or the rest of the hat) is shot, by all means, then have at it. But leave the healthy ones be, or send them to me!

Fellow COW-folk,

The converted homburg into Raiders hat came today, and it is flippin' AWESOME!!
I plan on doing some pics tomorrow when there is daylight to show it off, but for now, all I can say is a BIG thanks to Steve.

The hat fits like a custom-ordered hat and is built like a tank. That probably has something to say for the felt on those old HJs since even though it is vintage, it looks like a new hat. He was also nice enough to put in a liner with the headpiece graphic. I couldn't have asked for a better hat.

This hat may not be a newly-made, Adventurebilt Hat Company beaver or rabbit hat, but it came form the same hands that makes those hats and it's the closest I'll ever come to owning a hat in any way, shape, or form crafted by Steve. No matter how hard I try, I just can't justify/swing $300-650 for any hat. (No offense meant to you craftsmen, you deserve to get what you can for making these things. I just can't afford it.)

Besides, I think the fact that it started off as one style and is now living on as something completely different adds to its charm. I enjoy giving old things another chance at usefulness.

Thanks again Steve! I'm really glad I took the chance with your offer. This hat has made my week!

Man, that is some fantastic work. You would have never known it was a Homburg in its past life.

Cheers!

Dan

That hat really looks fantastic!

Sorry for the delay, but Snowpocalypse 2010 kind of put a damper on my planned picture taking.

I wore the "new" lid out in the dwindling snow yesterday during the most recent round of driveway dig-out, and it did great at keeping the noggin warm.

Today I got some late-day pics and I'm not happy with them, even with color correction, but I wanted to get something up so you could see how this thing looks.

Like I said, I'm a big fan of this converted hat. It's going to get a lot of wear.

Thanks again Steve!

Steve's converted vintage HJ homburg on my noggin:

Great lid, Mountaineer!

Congratulations! You've got quite a hat there!

Impressive!

DHW

Looks great! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Steve comes across a hat in my size. And that I'm first on the trigger.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

Thanks guys,

Whatever workmanship Steve put into this conversion is really impressive. He said it smelled a bit vintage, and it wasn't bad, it was vintage. However, the fresh air and work I put in shoveling out my driveway the other day got rid of that. Neutral hat smell now.

I'm not 100% sure, but I think it was built with a turn incorporated. My having a more of a long-oval head made it a little uncomfortable like that, so I had to try and "un-turn" it.

I did do a little dry tinkering with the crease work that the hat came with and I couldn't get over the dense fur body of this hat. I can see that this hat will be breaking in very nicely.

Jeff, if you do get the chance to snag one, go for it. I'm willing to bet you'll be very happy you did.

I would never have looked at that hat and figured it to have been a homburg in its former life. Looks great! I'm not much of a homburg person, per say...but I've managed to acquire a couple that have managed to grab a permanent spot in the collection...and none of them are brown. If I saw the right one in brown, I always thought I'd get it. Now, I'm thinking, maybe two in brown...

Bernie

binkmeisterRick wrote:Please send me all of your unscathed vintage Homburgs. I also run a home and shelter for abused vintage hats. My personal (and strong) opinion is that if a vintage hat is in good shape, it should be left as such, especially since they don't make them like they used to. If, on the other hand, the binding (or the rest of the hat) is shot, by all means, then have at it. But leave the healthy ones be, or send them to me!

If there's a black homburg up for grabs in 7 1/8 or 7 1/4, please let me know. I really want one.

Bink, stop hoarding them all.

Mike

Mike, all the Homburgs in my shelter go through an extensive process to assure they are placed in a proper and caring home where they will be appreciated and not abused.

Don't let bink fool you, Mike. He's running a Homberg mill.......



Regards! Michaelson

How many of you guys have enough hats to fill the taller hat rack?

Bink, And just what type of screening process to potential homes need to go through?

lantzn, I'll take one of each to start with...

FJ, the screening process involves a background check and a working credit card or bank account number.

I have all of those.... Maybe we can work on finding one a home.

How many of you guys have enough hats to fill the taller hat rack?

Me!!! I have enough personal hats to fill up both stands! That is why I am culling em down slowly. They will end up on the Cairo Bazzarr. Might as well let someone else get to wear them. I sure don't. Fedora

I've been wearing the bejeezus out of mine!

Thanks again Steve!