1858 Dress Hat, which supplier?

[Haversack]

Re: 1858 Dress Hat, which supplier?

I have a DB Hardee that I bought at the Relic Show in Dalton,GA and I have a Tim Bender Mosby Hat that I ordered through the mail.I like my DB but comparing it to my friends Bender Hardee,the Bender is nicer.My label is falling out already and I just bought it a week ago!My Bender took approximately the time he said it would to reach me and it is of the highest quality.I would agree that Billy has very nice hats,but I would only deal with him in person.Just my 2 cents.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: 1858 Dress Hat, which supplier?

Hallo!

Round Heads and Long Ovals...

I would recommend "testing" one's head first. Using some sheet cardboard, or some cardboard from a box, or even some thicker "poster board:"

Cut out a piece, and then cut out a "hole" by trial and error fitting so that you can wear the piece of cardboard like your hat.

Hats, NUG, are made round, and then must be worn (no pun intended) or formed to the shape of the wearer's true head shape in spite, or depsite, the circumference.

More folks actually have "egg heads" than would like to admit to it. :)

However, as with an reproduction clothing, there is always the question or choice of dealing with clothing "as issued" or as with say shoes and boots having the more modern ability to have custom-work done to better suit or match our actual "errant morphologies."

I have five or six Clearwater hats I use for civilian, as well as 1870's/1880's wear.

Curt

[Benedict]

Re: 1858 Dress Hat, which supplier?

The ribbon is tack stitched to the felt by nylon which does not add to its authenticity

You're kidding, right?? Can't believe this. Aside from the fact that the bow on my hat is not tied at all. ...

[fire_zouave]

Re: 1858 Dress Hat, which supplier?

Does Dirty Billy use rabbit fur felt like many of the originals? I was always under the impression that the only two people who sold Army hats made of fur felt were Hank Kluin and Tim Bender.

[Brian Baird]

Re: 1858 Dress Hat, which supplier?

Preston,
With all the rain during the Atlanta campaign, maybe the hats just dried that way.
Brian Baird

[csabugler]

Re: 1858 Dress Hat, which supplier?

I have an old DB kepi that is first rate and 2 new Benders, one Hardee and one Bell Crown. Both are fine quality. I over measured the Crown and it came it too large so I just put a thin strip of cloth behind the band. I got nervous and ordered the Hardee a bit too small.
The point of this is that as I am steaming the H to fit I find that when tight the front and rear draw down a couple degrees and the sides draw up. A distinct cowboy flare, which I do not want. I've e-mailed Tim , and he says that was a very common situation. The hat blanks are based on a more round head, and if you have a more oval shape cranium like me then the natural physics will draw the brim just like mine is doing.
If you order a hat from Tim Bender, when he asks if you have a more round or oval shaped head, I suggest you determine that with him before you order.
No complaints about any of the hats,just sharing info. He is only as good as the data you provide.

[J.H.Berger]

Re: 1858 Dress Hat, which supplier?

Well I cannot speak for Mr Bender yet, but my experience with Dirty Billy was sobering.
I have ordered 10 issue hats from them for my group. Of the 10 hats 4 were of the wrong size! I received another hat in my size pretty quickly ( before I could issue the others only to find out that 3 more were of the wrong size)but alas this hat was not size 56 cm but 57cm and they had simply put a black piece of cardboard behind the sweat band! Which I recognized after a little time though.Then one hat had a tear in the corner of the crown which was glued tight and was not visible at first but after some wear became apparent.
Perhaps they simply thought: " well Germany is far away, they will not return them anyway", which we did not of course due to the ghigh shjipping cost.
The ribbon is tack stitched to the felt by nylon which does not add to its authenticity.

So, I will not mail order hats fromDB again! They do have nice hats but you simply have to hold them in your hand and examine them closely.

Some of us will order a hat from ender soon. So lets find out, his reputation is good!

[Kace]

Re: 1858 Dress Hat, which supplier?

Not to beat a dead horse but Mr. Bender is the one and only for a Hardee or any civilian slouch hat in my opinion. On top of well researched hats he provides some of the best customer service around which counts a lot in my book.

Kace

[WpnsMan]

Re: 1858 Dress Hat, which supplier?

Has anyone dealt with Clearwater Hats recently?

I have tried to email them and the address listed on their website was "undeliverable". I have also tried to call their "new" phone number numerous times and get the "unavailable at this time" message from their provider. This in addition to the older dates listed on their website are NOT confidence inspiring. Basically I would like to get a warm fuzzy feeling from anyone who has purchased from them recently before I send them my hard earned greenbacks via mailorder. I would also be interested in hearing about their current wait times.

[prestontoprail]

Re: 1858 Dress Hat, which supplier?

Although I'd keep in mind that the first few set of photos are from an artillery unit during the Atlanta campaign. Although I see the "dip" in the front and back of dress hats in random photos, it seems more predominant with the artillery units in those specific shots. I assume it is because they are sitting in the same place all day and that "place" is right in the blistering Georgia sunlight. I might have done the same.

[prestontoprail]

Re: 1858 Dress Hat, which supplier?

Well with all of this talk of keeping dress hats all nice, pretty and new....I thought I'd throw in some good ole photos to show us how these things turned out in the service.









As you can see here, and in other photo specimens, telescoping the crown in actually gives the hat a whole new definition while simulating a common civilian style look.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: 1858 Dress Hat, which supplier?

Hallo!

"I recently had the chance to compare my Dirty Billy dress hat to one made by Tim Bender. Interestingly, the shellac on the interior was obviously visible on the one made by Mr. Bender, while there was none visible in my DB one. Does anybody have any idea why?"

Nope...

I have two DB, an "1858" and an "1861." And, one Bender.

There is no evidence of excess shellac or for that matter any shellac (used for stiffening the felt) anywhere on any of the three.

I did find that the DB "1858" had a thick 1/2 inch cardboard-like disk under the oil cloth crown label that had to be removed when I tried to telescope the crown.

Curt

[Benedict]

Re: 1858 Dress Hat, which supplier?

I recently had the chance to compare my Dirty Billy dress hat to one made by Tim Bender. Interestingly, the shellac on the interior was obviously visible on the one made by Mr. Bender, while there was none visible in my DB one. Does anybody have any idea why?

[mslaird]

Re: 1858 Dress Hat, which supplier?

I appreciate the info Mr. Forquer, his hats do look extremely nice. I put in a requisition request out to the family (Christmas list) If no one decides to take pity on me this holiday season, I will have to buy one. Thanks again.

On the subject of hats, I just ordered a tall beehive from Clearwater and I was wondering if anyone had one, what they think about it, and if they have any pictures of them wearing it so I can see what it looks like other than the pictures Clearwater has.

[Forquer]

Re: 1858 Dress Hat, which supplier?

Matthew -

If by "appointments" you're referring to the Jefferson Eagle, infantry bugle, ostrich feather, and hat cord, then the answer is no. Tim's come with the brim stitching and ribbon.