Fedora is not far from the perfection.
I used the picture of Indyflyer and I worked with Photoshop to obtain a second picture. I'd like to show you what for me is the best Indy hat :
It's almost nothing ...just the body a little bit larger on the top and it's perfect (for me).
Regards
Anjali
The hat on the left looks just like the AB I got, with a slight taper, and I played with photoshop as well to get the "desired" look. After playing with the actual hat (using the "string" method outline here), I couldn't be happier with my AB.
I think Flyer's hat looks awesome exactly the way it is. I wouldn't change a thing.
I must say I find it amusing the lengths that people will go to make their hats look like one frame of film from Raiders that flew passed in an 1/8 of a second. I don't get it.
Hemingway Jones wrote:I think Flyer's hat looks awesome exactly the way it is. I wouldn't change a thing.
I must say I find it amusing the lengths that people will go to make their hats look like one frame of film from Raiders that flew passed in an 1/8 of a second. I don't get it.
There are 24 frames in a second. ..but that's actually 1/24th of a second.
The fedora's are a lot closer to perfection now then they were when I first started back in 1982.
The only taper I see in Flyer's hat is an optical illusion. Wearing the hat tilted back will make it appear slightly tapered.
I don't believe that it' an optical illusion. When I compare with the avatars showing the hat of Harrison Ford and the pictures of the owners of a AB, I note the same problem : the top is more often a little bit to "taper" at the top.
It's my point of view. If we can correct this point it should be perfect for me.
The taper in new hat from me is either a creased taper, or illusion. Or both. I can assure you, these hats are as straight sided as they come. Here is the block shape. http://public.fotki.com/Fedora/hats/bea ... luxe2.html Fedora
Thank You Fedora,
Your picture is very interesting. I think (always my idea),it is not (perhaps ) because the body to form the hat is not enough "round" ? When you form your hat the sides subside and give the shape "taper"at the top... probably a body form for a" bowler hat" will be better ? :
Regards
This is a question for Fedora. I understand that when a hat comes off a block with straight sides, some parts of the hat to recess inward when adding the bash and pinch. It all makes sense, but I was wondering why hat makers in general don't use a block with with the bash and pinch cut into it. This would retain the straight sides and not impede on the shape, wouldn't it? I've always wondered about that.
Fedora writes on the Adventurebilt web site that the secret is in the block that the hat is made from. I can now see what you mean, Fedora. That open crown looks perfect. Thanks for sharing that picture. Oh, to have those corners to work with. Someday I will. Fedora, you're a genious. What is Deluxe2?
The higher dome is what the Federation is. Here is another shot of the same block. We(me and Marc) tried more dome, several different configurations. We ended up with a hat that looked like a Federation. I remembered Mike's old HJ,and then with some study of the frames in the Well of Souls when Indy's hat pops up, close to full open crown. Oh, here is the shot of the same block as the first one, from a differnent angle perhaps. http://public.fotki.com/Fedora/hats/raiders_gray.html
With that said, if you like the more domed crown, I can do that too. When you do these by hand, one at a time, anything(almost) is possible.
I want less dome than the Federation. I think that that is the one problem with the Federation. Let me ask you this, is that open crown, in your earlier post(beaver_and_deluxe2) the crown you use to create such hats as the one on your home page? If so, after having bashed three Federations in the last month, I can see now how you accomplish such an accurate bash with an Adventurebilt. You have lost the dome and kept the height.
Prairie, that is his standard Raiers block. I ordered my AB open crown so I could bash it myself. I was quite surprised hat how flat it was on top compared to my dad's Federation. There is no doubt in my mind that Steve has the right block shape. The dome of the Federation just isn't quite right.
I have no doubt that it is the right shape and am glad to hear that that is the standard block. I'm also glad to hear that you did that bash yourself. I think that I would do well with an AB. Still love my Feds. You know.
Oh yea! I know Steve is the master, but I love bashing the hat myself. My AB is rabbit felt, I think I could do better with the beaver because it is softer and more pliable. I don't know about you, but I didn't really have any scene in mind when I bashed my hat. I just gave it a generic Raiders bash and the turn of course
The Fed is a great hat. In fact when my dad was looking for a new hat last fall I showed him the Fed. He got a gray one and let me bash it. It now has a Raven bar crown and a LC brim.
I can't turn the Fed very much. I have about 1/4" turn on it. Does the AB turn better? I'm sure I'll go beaver and probably the thinner one. Steve is the master blocker in my book. I believe I can be the master basher of my hats. I just need the proper product to start from. That's where Steve comes in.
Thank you Fedora for your informations.
I checked my Old HJ (middle eighties), the dom is higher...like a bowler hat.
If you can change the dome and made a hat with "reverse taper"...it's perfect !
Thank you and sorry to disturb you with my questions.
Regards
Anjali
I think it's because the crown is more of a dome. The front bashes are funky. It causes the front bashes to be too different from one another. If you get a chance, take a pic of the top of your hat looking straight down. I'd like to see the center dent on it's diagonal. Actually if any one whose hat is turned significantly could post pics, that would be great.
If I had a digital camera I would. When looking down from the top its the brim shape that really jumps out at you. The difference in the crown isn't that noticeable until you look closely at it. The turn gives the left side of the crown a bit more material than the right side. When bashing the hat I found it kinda tricky to get the top dent straight.
I see what you mean about the dome of the Fed crown. It seems like it would look lop sided.
Thank you and sorry to disturb you with my questions.
Oh, no. I love talking this stuff. Ask anyone.
So, I will shoot this your way. Here is a hat blocked on a block with more dome. Notice, the dome starts to recede inward around 1 1/2 inches up from the ribbon. There is more dome to this hat. Look. http://public.fotki.com/Fedora/hats/pdrm0062.html
So, I crease this hat in the Indy style and look what happens to the top of the crown. You get too much inward taper. This corresponds to the original open crown block shape. Look here. http://public.fotki.com/Fedora/hats/dome_creased.html
I went through this in arriving at my final shape. And what you see, is why I discounted the domey dome. If you experiment with block shapers, you find out quickly that the shape of the top of the block is very important in arriving at the look. The larger dome you like will not yield what you might think it would. The current HJ block shape is almost identical to the one posted above. It is a common fedora block shape, with plenty of front and back taper in the open crowned state. And while the sides are straight, the larger dome requires the takeoff point to be lower on the sides of the hat. You will always end up with the top rounding in too much. My experience anyways. regards, Fedora
I wish I had the skills to do that!! It would be so much easier as sometimes words(at least from my mouth) are incredibly lacking. But like I said earlier. If anyone wants more dome, no problem. To me, if you could add a bit more dome without the ugly transition point raising its head, that would help in your observation. Only thing is, when you do add it, just on the top, you end up with a strange looking block, and not one that can be seen in vintage blocks. Or any block for that matter. But, I understand completely where you are coming from. If someone comes up with another block shape that yields a more accurate hat, I will have new ones made. It is that important to me. Nothing is set in stone with me. And, as I said, I love talking this stuff. My intention is to improve the breed, and I will always be "all ears" when it comes to stuff like this. regards, Fedora
I am officially insane. I let you get to me. You are like the Hannibal Lector of the turn. I decided, this morning, to try turning my Federation. I took the Raiders bash that I have worked so hard on for a week, and recieved numerous accolades about, and unbashed it. I turned it close to an inch, re-positioned the Front pinch, and started over on the bashes. So far so good. The crown looks just as good if not better, and the brim looks 100x better. It is the turn that creates those waves. My brim isn't nearly as drastically shaped as before, but because of the turn, it doesn't have to be. It's upstairs drying in front of an A/C vent right now. I'll have pics soon.
Late jumpin' in here fellas, been traveling and offline the last few days. As for the original pic of my AB and the perception to some of slight taper, as Fedora responded, there is no taper to what I would consider so. Considerations to my particular hat could be the top crease which has the top of the pinch dropped slightly compared to the standard, and that the crown height was made to my request of 5.5 inches, a touch shorter than standard. Nor is there a reverse taper if that is your aim and comparison. If that shot may appear to display taper, it is most certainly an illusion due to the photo angle or that the hat is indeed slightly back on my head. There is nothing for me personally to adjust or even consider toying with. I will re-post my original thread's pictures on the 'Post you AB pics here' thread with some direct sunlight shots, perhaps they will reveal more. Two of the linked pics on my original thread are worth comparing for now, the one from the back shows the crown sides well, as well as the hat sitting by itself. Thanks once again for the comments and compliments. Is it really 'ok' to talk this much about a hat.....?? My wife often wonders.
Thanks! The hat is beaver, and my first with pure felt. The crown height of 5.5 is after the bash, I don't remember the height open crowned. If I recall, the 'standard' hat is bashed to 5.75 and Fedora has even made them as tall as 6 inches. It is based on your personal preference and proportion, which is one of the many greats about a custom AB. Some other angles and the original thread is:ABPicsFinally
I can assure you, these hats are as straight sided as they come. Here is the block shape. http://public.fotki.com/Fedora/hats/bea ... luxe2.html Fedora
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When looking down from the top its the brim shape that really jumps out at you. The difference in the crown isn't that noticeable until you look closely at it. The turn gives the left side of the crown a bit more material than the right side. When bashing the hat I found it kinda tricky to get the top dent straight. 
To me, if you could add a bit more dome without the ugly transition point raising its head, that would help in your observation. Only thing is, when you do add it, just on the top, you end up with a strange looking block, and not one that can be seen in vintage blocks. Or any block for that matter. But, I understand completely where you are coming from. If someone comes up with another block shape that yields a more accurate hat, I will have new ones made. It is that important to me. Nothing is set in stone with me. And, as I said, I love talking this stuff. My intention is to improve the breed, and I will always be "all ears" when it comes to stuff like this. regards, Fedora
