In Raiders, Sweat Band or No Sweat Band

In-depth discussion of the Fedora of Indiana Jones and all other hats appearing in the Indiana Jones movies

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IndianaWill
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In Raiders, Sweat Band or No Sweat Band

Post by IndianaWill »

I was really looking at Indy's Fedora, in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
I don't know, but I believe that there was no sweat band.
The tightness over his forehead and the slop, the form fitting of his head, shows me there that there may be no sweat band. It had to be very tight, so that it would not come off, so easily.

What do you think?

IndianaWill 8)
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Pyroxene
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Post by Pyroxene »

I used to think that but not after I learned about the turn.

In order to get some of the characteristics that you see in the Raider's hat, you have to have a sweatband in there.
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The Aviator
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Post by The Aviator »

After a while would no sweatband not irritate the skin because of sweating espesially in the warmer of the countries the movie was shot in.
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J_Weaver
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Post by J_Weaver »

Sure the Raiders hat has a sweat band. The hat has simply been turned and heavily distressed.

:)
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Post by Hemingway Jones »

I agree. I also think it may be possible that they folded the sweat in half to get it tighter. I am of the opinion that they tried just about everything to get that hat to stay on Harrison's head. I think this might be the ultimate cause for the uniqueness of the Raiders hat.
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Post by Hemingway Jones »

Pagey wrote:The folded sweat is one of the other theories that 3K$ came up with that I find plausible. Some photos really seem to indicate it and also it's such a likely thing to do to tighten Ford's hat and stop it falling off. Although..why did they not remember the trick in LC?
I think they filmed TOD and LC differently. I am convinced that Raiders was shot cheap and dirty like an old serial and that TOD and LC were done more like the grand blockbusters that Steven was doing at the time and has been doing since (by and large). :wink: Also, I think that's why it was so much more important that Indy's hat stayed on: longer wider shots, less quick editing, more linear continuity. Of course, that's my opinion and I could be wrong.
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The Aviator
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Post by The Aviator »

.

I think it is true that Speilberg and Lucas lost sight of the origional indy intention and tried to over compensate for it in TLC with a buddy comedy instead of an action adventure. Partially because of the blows dealt by critics on TOD.

But heres me ranting on about movies when fedoras are the topic of debate....... :)

would it to be right to say a sweatband was not used in LC because ford stappeled it to his head.......would it stay on if a sweatband was on the hat?
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Post by 3thoubucks »

Watch the "Asps.... Very dangerous..... You go first." scene. As Ford turns his head to look at Sallah, You can see the edge of the sweatband.
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Post by J_Weaver »

gerry655 wrote: would it to be right to say a sweatband was not used in LC because ford stappeled it to his head.......would it stay on if a sweatband was on the hat?
I think the whole staple thing was just a joke. :wink:
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Post by Pyroxene »

gerry655 wrote:would it to be right to say a sweatband was not used in LC because ford stappeled it to his head.......would it stay on if a sweatband was on the hat?
+1

The stapler was a just a little comedy on Harrison's part.
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Post by Jens »

I was thinking about this "sweatband / no sweatband"-question.
Some years ago I used to wear my Mayser (my first "Indy"-hat :roll: ) when working on a dig. This hat didn't had a sweatband and after some work in the sun there were some "salt-staines" on the outside of the ribbon.

It looked like on that pic of Indy:
Image

With my Akubra (with sweatband) I never had those "salt-staines".
:-k :-s
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Post by Marc »

Then you don't sweat enough bro' :wink: I've had it on both my PB and the brown Optimo and Ken hat it on his Keppler as well.

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Post by Jens »

Mmmh. Okay - then I will have the ultimate Fedora-sweat-Test on this year's dig! :D
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VP
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Post by VP »

Try wearing it in a sauna.
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Post by Jens »

Well ... that would look ... kind of strange, wouldn't it?

"I feel naked without my Fedora." - "Ahem - you ARE naked without your Fedora!" :shock: :wink:
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Post by agent5 »

I was told by two separate hat makers that the hat would not function properly without the sweatband. The hat would slip all over. Sounds very logical to me. It's there for a reason.
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Post by Jens »

Yes, as my old Mayser (see above) used to look after some months

(well, it had a sweatband, but that wasn't made of leather)
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The Aviator
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Post by The Aviator »

The sweatband gives the hat a foundation for its shape. Without it, it becomes a bit formless and the opening stretches at will.


although the akubra federation does use a wire in the sweatband, would this help in keeping the shape and general form of the hat....?

I removed mine as it was leaving marks on my forehead :x
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Post by Marc »

The wire helps to keep the form and general shape of the brim break area and it's essential to have a bailed sweatband (which means that it is a bit wider at the bottom and than tapers upwards, which again makes the hat stay better on the head).

Regards,

Marc
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