Today we’d like to introduce you to Kody Jacobs.
Kody, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Hey there I am Kody Jacobs,
My Cowboy Hat story started super young, I have always wore Cowboy hats. My family has always been in the western world, ranching and competing in rodeo events.
My love for Hats and the process of them started when I was 12 or 13, my sisters were doing Rodeo Queen contests and needed their Hats shaped very pristine. So my mom had me work on them over the steam from a teapot. From that point I loved the challenge, and started messing around with my own hats, to see what I could do with the straw and felt. Then stumbled on to a palm leaf Hat that I learned you could dunk in a water trough and shape daily!
After high school I got a few jobs in Western Retail, Shaping, cleaning and sales. There was an older Hat salesman that worked with me teaching me techniques and about the retail side of the Hat world, he told me I had a future in this industry. He got me in with a different company to shape at the NFR, which was 200 to 300 Hats in 10 days. After that started working full time creasing and shaping on the road.
While I was there for a bit found an old quarter hand iron called the number on it to see what and how to use it. The Old timer at JW Hats that answered told me to come up to Salt Lake and he would show me, plus order a raw body and he would teach me the building process while I was there, then had my opportunity to build my first Hat!
Had one of my friends at the store go with me and we built out 2 Hats and loved it! (He also had an obsession with Hats like me)
Then we bought the equipment and had a space to start our own Hat Shop. From there I started building and learning the complete process of the Fur Felt Hat world. Looks of trial and error to refine my process of building and high end Hat. During this time I was able to spend a lot of time with a well established Hat Maker in Montana that taught me a lot. He showed me sales and how to fit somebody that has never wore a Hat before.
I left from there to go all in on a Custom Leather Shop and still building Hats on the side. At this time I had a Brain injury and had to be very careful for 3 months, could not even lift a gallon of milk with the risks. following that was lots of therapy Speech, Balance, Physical, Migraine ext. with all of that things would work and make more progress the more I used my hands Building.
Had build a few for world Champs and competitors in rodeo. Then got a call to come build full time and move a Custom Hat shop to Utah. Thats when we started Warbonnet Hats, and where I build Custom Hats by hand in Park City, Ut.
I have been building custom hats for 17 years now, but in love with Hats got a lot longer then that!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No it has not been smooth road, there are lots of ups and downs. Some of the struggles are seasons, fashions, supplies, locations. In the building process the weather and humidity can affect the Hat body, heat, and keeping our equipment in top notch condition. Most of the machine and tools I use are from the early 1900’s, so there is no replacing them.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I love you build Custom Hats, so when someone has an idea or have seen something they really like that is unique.
I really enjoy building that Hat for them with a great fit and feel. I am know for making a hat a great fit and shape that compliments their features so that “You are wearing the Hat, not the Hat wearing you.”
I am very proud of the hats that people wear of mine, and come in to tell me it’s their favorite Hat or the only one they wear now.
Makes me feel like I did something right.
The thing that sets me apart is I know fit is everything. I have a plate in my head and had to build my hats to fit comfortably because I live in them. So I take in account for ever head shape and any pressure the customer is feeling, I adjust that then work on shape for them personally.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
If I was to give any advice it would be Don’t Rush It!
When you start building or even shaping Hats, it is a process. You can ruin a Great Hat in a hurry, when you take short cuts or push the limits to hard, to fast.
Enjoy the small victories daily! When you can see the small wins in each thing you do, you start stacking them up for a Great Day, then a Great Week.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://warbonnethats.com/
- Instagram: @warbonnet_hats
- Facebook: Warbonnet Hats
