thanks for the kind words gents. this is my experimental hat and i just wanted to establish the general shape of it before i really go to town on it.
i'll snag some pics of the centre bash tonite that are more clear (taking pictures in a mirros is tough work

).
its funny how bashing the hat makes the overall shape change. when i started out with the centre pinch the hat looked quite tapered. as you introduce the side dents and manipulate how far they go back, you can actually straighten the crown up. this was my first crack at bashing an indy hat....i believe i played around with a cowboy hat many moons ago with some steam and without the wealth of knowledge that was available from you guys and girls. for that, i thank you all.
akubras are darn good hats....not as buttery or luxurious as the AB, but well made like the HJ without the poor felt. not bad price, fast delivery, great customer service at hatsdirect, easy to bash...i'm quite happy with it.
i'm also working on another hat project as well....will post details soon...