Why did your fedora go wrong...?

ob1al · Post by **ob1al** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 5:37 pm

Hi, come on in, welcome...

Please lie down here on my brand new metaphysical couch and relax...now, tell me about your mother..

So, you've had this obsession with the Indiana Jones hat for some time...what's that, almost 20 years you say? Why, that's quite a while my friend...!

So...tell me about your experience...

I'll wager you've had a hat or two in your time...?

Tell me about the hats you've had and the hats you wish you had.

Good points, bad points - This is the place to lay it all 'bare'.

Hat aficionados, post away!

ij1936 · Post by **ij1936** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 6:24 pm

I've had a total of 5 Herbert Johnsons over the past 15 years. I gave 2 to Goodwill, I'm wearing one (well, not RIGHT now!), and the other two are in the "hat pen" waiting to get the "call" in the game. I just purchased a Raiders hat in grey from Miller Hats. They were my second choice after HJ, but since HJ doesn't offer either the Indiana Jones or Poet hats in grey, they lost a sale. There is a difference between the two and I prefer the HJs to the MH. For me there is no other hat than the HJ!

IndyFrench · Post by **IndyFrench** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 6:32 pm

WHERE do I begin?!

First there was the 1989 Official Last Crusade fedora. A true TANK of a hat, but inaccurate as all get out to ANY film. I was only 11, so this was no big deal. Soon, I outgrew it.

Then came the Disney Dorfman with the bound edge in 1994. It eventually tapered, shrank, turned green, and died. A sad sad hat, but one that lasted me two good years all the same.

Next came the Insider Dorfman in 1998 - wool felt and an all 'round terrible hat. This one shrank and tapered within 11 months. The truly forgettable hat.

2000 - The Stetson Indy. At that time, the best hat I had ever owned...Until it tapered FAST. Brim was too narrow as well. Retired that one a year later.

2001 - The Peters Bros. PI. By far, the WORST Indy hat I have ever owned. A true sculpture of a hat with a crown too high and a size too small, the hat always fit like a vice. Then one day it shrank beyond hope, it turned GREEN, and the ribbon turned PURPLE. I gave that one away - I couldn't take money for it.

2002 - Rundquist presents me with his Akubra Federation out of sheer pity. A truly GREAT hat. Never tapered terribly, never shrank. Always held it's bash. A real BENCHMARK hat. It went though the heat of Death Valley, the sleet and snow of the southeast, torrential rain, and a host of other trials without failing.

2005 - Fedora delivers to my door the Adventurebilt. Alas, it was too big, but it was turned around in days and fit perfectly. A REAL Indy hat in every respect! Soft, with the exact bash and brim, and it screams ADVENTURE. The quest had ended 16 years after it began!

Mike

Scandinavia Jones · Post by **Scandinavia Jones** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 7:02 pm

I realised early that Indy's fedora wasn't just the average men's hat, but I couldn't really pinpoint the difference (pre-Internet era - all available information was received through pictures in books & magazines). My first "Indy" hat was a strange hybrid betwixt an Aussie bush hat and a regular fedora. I spotted it in a hat shop in Stockholm, asked the lady to change the leather band to a brown fabric ribbon and was a happy camper. Later on, whe I visited the U.S., I was on the prowl for a "serious" Indiana Jones hat. I found a wool felt hat from "N.Y. Hat Co.", model name "Indybrown". It was a dark brown hat (my first was more of a dark fawn, or whatever I should call it) with a teardrop crown. I brought it back to Sweden and rebashed it to what I today would refer to as LC-style. That hat was later on left on a closet shelf and forgotten - I found it years later and was dismayed by the shrunk, withered woolly thing... it didn't even resemble a hat any more.

The years went by, Internet came along... I now learned about something called "Herbert Johnson", the veritable holy Grail of Indy hats. After yet another year or two, I discovered a neat-o site called Indygear.com, and learned more.... then, I found the COW forum, and here we are.

Hats. Great things to wear, preferably on one's head. Right now, I only own one lid, an Akubra Regular Fed, beaten and abused - and reblocked - by me. At one point, I owned a fine Herbert Johnson, a veritable gem from the hands of Richard Swales himself... that hat has moved on now, to serve a higher purpose.

One of these days, I'll probably buy me an Adventurebilt. I'd also like to have a 1936 Explorer... and an HJ with the pentagon or blue crest...

Mulceber · Post by **Mulceber** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 8:57 pm

I've (unfortunately) only been able to experience 2 hats in my day: The Dorfman Pacific [shudders] and the PB Custom. The Dorfman Pacific I don't think I even have to explain. Tapers really quick, crown is too short. Don't like it one bit.

Then there's the PB Custom. I have to disagree with French on the Custom, I like the height of the crown, and I haven't experienced it turning green or anything like that. VERY tough felt, but hey, it was made in Texas, whadda ya expect? It stands up to the weather very well, I haven't even had to use water repellent on it. All in all, a very good hat.

The hat I really want to get though is the Adventurebilt, reading the reviews makes me want to go out and buy one right now, but unfortunately I haven't the money, so I'll just have to wait.
:junior: -IJ

DBLIII · Post by **DBLIII** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 9:30 pm

After over 25 years of cowboy hats and then just this past year getting interested in Indy hats and fedoras in general, through reading about hats here and at the fedora lounge, I just skipped over all the problems and errors.
This week, I got an Adventurebilt from Fedora. I think it's perfect.
Thanks to all of you for my pre-Indy hat education.
And, my first post here, so thanks for allowing me to be a part of such a great group of people.

Glurrk · Post by **Glurrk** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 10:26 pm

DBLIII wrote: And, my first post here, so thanks for allowing me to be a part of such a great group of people.

Welcome to the club, DBLIII!

DBLIII · Post by **DBLIII** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 11:31 pm

Glurrk: Thank you!
I will throw out some comments on fur felt, so at least I can say something about things going wrong, though not with Indy hats (after looking at my Adventurebilt again and being happy)!
My worst problem with a hat was a very fancy black Stetson I bought in about 1980. Had lots of XXX things inside on the band and a high price. So, the very first rainstorm I happened to be in, I get soaked. My girlfriend at the time - now my wife - picks me up and I get in her little blue Mustang. However, very quickly, my seat and the carpet and me are black. Really black. I can't believe what I must have stepped in or got covered with? No, just the black die running out of the hat.
She was not impressed.

Indiana Jess · Post by **Indiana Jess** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 11:37 pm

Scandinavia Jones wrote:

Sometimes a hat is just a hat

DBLIII · Post by **DBLIII** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 11:53 pm

Yes sir, sometimes a hat is just a hat. But, my "die" in my earlier post needed to be "dye." I have been in machine shops way too long.

ob1al · Post by **ob1al** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 7:33 am

Yup, lets do that!

You've got a PM mate.

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 10:40 am

Welcome aboard, DBLIII!

For me, hats go back as far as I can remember.. In my childhood I always loved wearing hats and remember wearing an old fedora as a kid that had belonged to my grandfather. As I got older, and found an interest in vintage clothing, I began to collect hats and vintage fedoras. It wasn't until I came here and rekindled my love for Indy films that I got into the Indy hat specifically.

I got an Akubra Federation first, which I still have and use as a garden hat. It's held up pretty well for all the rainstorms and abuse I've put it through. It's tapered a bit, but not beyond ware.

Not so long after, I found a nice Beaver Blend Twenty in a thrift shop. It had a huge brim and high crown, and a light brown felt. I reshaped it, cut the brim, and later sent it to Fedora for a real reblcok and shaping. Nice hat, thick felt, and looked pretty good. That hat has since gone to another who is still enjoying it, to my knowledge.

Then came the Adventurebilt. I canot even compare my Akubra to an Indy hat next to the AB. The AB is the best Indy hat I've ownedand one of the best hats I've owned, period. It ranks up with my best vintage fedoras.

bink

Oklahoma Jones · Post by **Oklahoma Jones** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 11:18 am

Let's see. I had a brown J.C. Penney's Marathon given to me by my brother-in-law in 1984( got stolen at a party when I was out from too much grog). Then, thanks to Shepler's Western wear, I owned and destroyed 5 Resistol Westerner cowboy hats trying to get just the right dimensional cut on the brim(but they had the perfect stovepipe crowns)!! I won a free felt indy through a radio promotion in 1984, wore it until I had the crazy idea to bleach it into a lighter color...........yeah, right. Then one more Resistol in 1985,worn through 1989 when it was torn up by my best friend's cat. THEN purchased a Stetson Temple in sable, followed by 2 of the 'nougat' colored Stetsons. Bought a Chocolate colored Bailey in 1994(made a great ToD fedora), and wore that one until it was stolen from out of my car in 1999. Owned a Miller, 4 PBs, 2 PBBMs, more Akubras than I can count, and now finally an AB........nuff said.

Hemingway Jones · Post by **Hemingway Jones** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 11:55 am

I started out with a Stetson hat that I liked very much, but it just wasn't right: the brim was too small and the crown too low. I end up selling it to Indy Blues who looks better in it than I ever did.

Then, on Ren's recommendation of course, I bought an Akubra Fed Regular, which I like very much. I think it's shape is rather nice, though its color is way off: too greenish gray for an Indy hat. Its color is very dingy actually and the block is off; there's something too round about it.

I really liked Indiana Fist's Indiana Miller because it is this cool reddish brown, but I never bought one.

Then, Fedora began offering the Adventurebilt and I felt like I had achieved the Holy Grail of hats. The block, bash, brim, and color were all spot on. The felt is buttery smooth, like seal skin. And, as much as I liked it at first, once it was crushed a few times and really broke in, this perfect Streets of Cairo hat emerged. The only thing better than an Adventurebilt Hat is more of them!

So, I feel very satisfied that I have found the perfect Indy Hat.

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 12:42 pm

I have a DP. Oh, how I love my little DP. I tweak it. It tweaks. I bash it. I bashes. I get the bashes right, so it tapers. Rats. I get the taper corrected, so the bashes go funny. It is a fun little game we play, but I love my little DP, and could never, ever part with it...and...er...

...denial ain't just a river in Egypt, is it?

Bufflehead Jones · Post by **Bufflehead Jones** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 12:51 pm

Indiana Jerry wrote:...denial ain't just a river in Egypt, is it?

LOL.

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 1:06 pm

It's an old joke, but I think Indy would have liked it.

Snakewhip_Sable · Post by **Snakewhip_Sable** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 1:32 pm

oklahoma_jones wrote:... got stolen at a party ...torn up by my best friend's cat. ...was stolen from out of my car

You need to get "The Club for Hats" to lock that Adventurebilt to your noggin.

A hat made from a sable!? Maybe I should be saving my shaving stubble for felt...

Andiana · Post by **Andiana** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 4:46 am

Well, my first ever fed was when my parents ordered one from a Lucasfilm catalog (it was the same exact hat they sell at DL now, the felt ones).

I then moved up to actually getting one from Disneyland when I was 5 (1995) and then wearing that one until I recieved my glorious substitute.
The Disney fed(s) aren't really that bad. The crown is a tear-drop shape and the pinch is too wide. The drown is also a little shorter than a more accurate one. But for the price of about $30, it really is a good investment for a younger Indy fan,

When I joined here in 2002, I found out about 'Herbert Johnsons,' and 'Akubras.' I knew I had to get one of these things, but the prices were too steep for my parents.
After 'goggling' at the stories of gear and etc, finally in 2004, I got my first actual fedora. I recieved it from a fellow COW member, who wishes to be un-named, and he sent it to me for my birthday. It is an Akubra Federation Deluxe. He also sent along with this wonderful hat, a (what Ithink is) Akubra Bogart-style hat. Both great, and I wear the Bogart to school every-other day.

Then, as some might...er...know here, at the QM III event, I won one of Fedora's 'Adventurebuilts,' which may be the most high-qaulity Indy type fed out there today. Ahh, I'm so lucky...heh

There really isn't anything to complain about my feds, an dI love them dearly, and named my Akubra Deluxe 'Lucky,' because I was lucky to get such a fine hat from such a nice member.
Well, that's my story, time for bed!

Panama Tom Jr. · Post by **Panama Tom Jr.** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 6:31 pm

Growing up I collected hats from all over the world. My father traveled overseas quite a bit and always brought me back a hat from whatever country he had returned from. My interest in hats pretty much died off in my teen years, but I always loved the Indy fedora.
Fast forward to 2001 - I picked up a Dorfman Pacific at Disney MGM in Orlando. I was rather proud of the hat until late 2003 when I discovered Indygear and found, much to my horror, that my hat was a low end piece of, well, you know. My first goal in gear collecting was a jacket, so the hat was put on a back burner...
Long story short, this year I finally saved up enough for a decent hat and purchased an Adventurebilt modeled after the "Well of the Souls" scene, and although it's been said ad naueseum, it was one of the best gear investments I've made...

Scandinavia Jones · Post by **Scandinavia Jones** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 6:49 pm

Snakewhip_Sable wrote:A hat made from a sable!? Maybe I should be saving my shaving stubble for felt...

I'd say you'd better stay on sharp lookout for that canoe with two trappers singing "Alouette"... sure, they're primarily after Armani pelts, but perhaps some Mississippi hatmaker would pay them well for authentic Sable...

Kris · Post by **Kris** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 7:33 pm

Ever since I browsed this forum, the urge for gear came up more and more, I bought myself a cheap fed, found an army outfit that resembles the Indy gear very much, got jacket, ... and stuff .. So I'm not into it a long time, but I grew to fall in love with this community (and ofcourse grow a crush on canyon, like everyone has

)

Gobler · Post by **Gobler** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 9:15 pm

My first Indy lid, and I say that because I wore a teardrop Bogy style in High School, was the 1984 TOD Stetson (which was in HS as well). I wore it up through the QM II where I was ashamed of the lid in comparison to the other fine lids I was seeing. The crown height is about four inches and its floppy as heck. Well after much Q&A with the fine folks here I bought a PB Custom in Sep 2003 bashed by Joe Jr. himself. I love this lid; I wear it every day except when the temp is over 100. I think it's starting to taper but I have put it through some fairly extreme conditions. Pouring rain, high heat, humidity and bitter cold. I need a re-block but I love it. I am eyeballing the AB but need a Jacket first

...we'll see

Cheers,
Jeff

Strider · Post by **Strider** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 12:04 am

The only Indy feds I have owned in my life are:

The Disneyland Dorfman-Pacific hat

The Peters Bros. Custom Indy

The Lee Keppler Indy

Fedora's Adventurebilt

That said, they DP hat didn't look very good when I first got it (I got the WOOL one, not knowing any better, and I'm glad I didn't, because I would've been MAD if I got the felt version and paid more for essentially the same thing), and it tapered up super fast when it got rained on. That hat ended up going to some kid I met in a card shop who really wanted it, so I gave it to him.

My Peters Bros. Indy I didn't have much problem with, save for the felt was not exactly the right color (but that was negligible to me, really) and the ribbon turned slightly purple on me. It was also a bit tight. I sold that hat on Ebay for 100 buxx, which is what I bought it for, on ebay. So I made out okay there.

My Keppler I was seriously disappointed in. I had that hat less than two months before it tapered beyond wear, and was just not suitable to call an Indy hat anymore. I sold that on ebay for 90 bucks. Man I was ticked about that.

Then I got one of Steve's Adventurebilts, and I have to say that it's held up really good since I've had it. I like the felt color, ribbon color and general feel and flexibility of the hat, and hey imagine this, it hasn't tapered yet! Nice, nice.

Kris wrote: (and ofcourse grow a crush on canyon, like everyone has )

You know what? I don't. She's great and all, but crush? Naw. I got a crush on someone else, not from here. No offense Canyon, you're a great gal.

Regards,

Luisiana Jones · Post by **Luisiana Jones** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 11:25 am

What went wrong with my fedora??
Well with my disney fedora I was young and naive, but as far as my future AB is the banks fault!!! I HATE my Bank!!

...Hope to have my hat soon

rick5150 · Post by **rick5150** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 12:19 pm

Why do so many refer to their fedoras as investments?

Isn't an investment supposed to offer some future financial benefit? A hat can be one of the best purchases you have made, but an investment? Rarely.

Luisiana Jones · Post by **Luisiana Jones** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 1:11 pm

If thats for my answer Mr.Rick I said so because I dunno why but im having probs with my bank to pay via pay pal to Mr.Delk to get my hat, to wear it not to be an investment

Panama Tom Jr. · Post by **Panama Tom Jr.** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 6:10 pm

According to Webster's dictionary, a secondary definition of investment is " property purchased, " and being that my AB is part of my personal property, it doesn't seem to be an entirely incorrect use of the word - though I agree "purchase" is probably a clearer choice of words...

Luisiana Jones · Post by **Luisiana Jones** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 2:32 am

lol, thats some grammar use there MR.Panama