jnicktem wrote:A.J. Cairo wrote:I didn't realize steve's turn around is that quick! Maybe its time for me to follow your example!
Only with new orders. If you ordered a hat from Steve before the price bump you have a longer wait. If you ordered a hat from Steve after the price bump Steve will work on your hat on his day off to get it out to you faster.
Yes, but only as long as this doesn't get out of hand. I have posted on my site, to check for availiability on the expedited delivery time. So far, with so few hats bought at those high prices, I occassionally work on my day off to just make that hat, but would rather have my day off, if you know what I mean. But not knowing for sure when Bernie would be placing an order, I had to up the price so the production company would be charged my much higher price. That is, I set my site up for Indy 5, as Bernie knows I charge my site price for any orders, including their order. Some vendors push up the price for films, but I have an understanding with Bernie that they will only pay my site price at the time of ordering. Hence the change in pricing, which also kills demand basically. And I needed to kill demand. So far, it works, and if it ever looks to get out of hand, I will just not offer any hats for sales until post Indy 5. So, checking with me first is essential, otherwise I would just have to refund your money the same day I get it from paypal, if my days off happen to be already booked up. But so far, the price keeps that in line, to where I still get some days off. And the extra money, the higher price for now is only for expedited orders, for those willing to pay the bucks for a fast hat. I should have went up to those prices right after Indy 4 was in the can, but stupidity disallowed for it, and I was still trying to give all the fans a huge bargain, which inevitably bit both you and me in the buttocks. But my intent was pure, just not very intelligent.
After Indy 5, if it even happens, I am gonna just offer say a couple hundred hats for one time sale, so the lead times will be short, and I won't get in over my head again. Then, I retire, but will still do reblocks on my own hats until I pass on, or get too unhealthy to do them. And I plan on traveling around, and will drag a new hat shop behind me, so I can meet and reblock my customers hats in my travels.
I have also had some serious health issues this last year, which hasn't helped, heart problems, blindness in my left eye, colon cancer, which is in remission now, and as of last week diabetes. The diabetes will finally force me to lose weight, thank goodness, due to the diet, although I took off quite a bit with the cancer treatment, but put it back on pretty fast since I drink 8 to 10 sugared cokes each day. So now, its diet drinks, although I can only stomach mountain dew diet soft drinks.
These health problems actually did hurt lead times on the backorders, in where I sold my film hats rather cheaply compared to say Nathaniel who made the digging for the truth hat for Josh. But, I work hard each day now that my strength is back in filling the backorders. For a couple months I could only struggle to make one hat per day, and was worn out after just one! But back to full steam again. The diabetes, which went untreated, as I did not know I had it, but did notice I was getting nerve damage in my feet, which prompted me to have it checked. I think I caught it early enough though. My younger brother has had it for years, as it runs in my family, type 2. My mom has it, too.
The health issues was why I had to stop doing Indy Mag's HJs as well. Although I still have quite a few HJs here, not yet sold. But once those are gone, no more ABMAGHJs will be generated from my shop. Getting old ain't what it is cracked up to be folks. At least for me it isn't. One day you just wake up to discover you are suffering from age related problems. And it shocks you. But considering the other alternitive, I will gladly live with the aches and pains that come from a too active life early on. Just glad to still be hanging around!
And please folks, no phone calls to where my mom answers. I am not gonna burden her with my health concerns, as I never fill her in on my health. She would worry herself to death since she is pushing 80. We have kept most of it from her, although not all. But, she still doesn't know the full extent of what I have gone through, or what I have. Only my two girls know of my health problems. And anyways, I have a very doting mom, who would literally worry me to death, and who would follow me around to make sure I made all of the dr. appointments. I don't want or need that! She thinks I am still 8 years old, I think, by the way she dotes over me and her other grown kids. And any additional worry on her part might not be good for her, and I am sure you understand.
But today, I feel great, back at this full force and once again enjoying the hatmaking. And I have been assured that my future looks good, once I take off bout 20 more pounds. So, I ain't planning on checking out anytime soon. But boy I sure miss my southern biscuits and my Italian foods! Always loved those carbs, and my sugar. I will now have to eat like a carnivore rabbit. Greens and meat only. And I won't lie, it is a difficult way to eat for a carb lover. But, I have no choice at this point.
And once again I want to thank my backorder customers for being so nice to me, and patient. I will never forget a single one of you guys. Most of you have made a stressful situation at least bearable for me. And at the end of the road, when you do finally get your CS fedora, at least you will own a clone of the original CS fedora, something that probably was never available in so far as Indy hats go, unless you got one from Swales right after a particular film was released, and then there is no gurantee it would be from the same factory that made the film hat, due to HJ changing suppliers so often in this era. Marc and I may be the only guys who could make you a real deal Indy film hat as was used in a film. I just hope that makes the wait less painful.
I have hesitated about relating my health problems here, but once I felt I was gonna survive, I felt it was the right thing to do, since customers are involved too. But even if I would have died, all monies would have been refunded from my estate, as that is specified in my will, so no one would have lost a penny. Just would have never got the hat is all. Regards to all. Fedora
The croupie, bass and bluegill await! 
, but I'll say it again...
; he could offer old school custom made hats by personally meeting with the customer, doing the head measurements himself and discussing block height/size and brim dimensions to suit the individual's face shape, etc. AND if he takes his act on the road, customers could schedule times to meet with him without necessarily having to go to MS.
...maybe... 
