Ok i bought this hat awhile back. This pic was taken awhile after i had it so there is a lot of taper. But it wasn't strait sided when i got it either.
It looks as if this hatter has the potential to make a good strait sided Raiders fed. What do i need to ask for or tell the hatter to have him give me the right block? Does many hatters have a Raiders style block?
Basiclly if one of you guy's walked into that store and wanted a Raiders fed what kind of specs would you give the hatter for it to come out right?
The web address is lamodewoodhatblocks.com. Your hatmaker probably doesn't have one, and you may need to buy it for him, or perhaps he will if he thinks it would bring him extra business.
It's a very old, seldom used hat style, which is why the Raiders looki is so difficult to find today-- except here.
i would say, give me a size 22 1/2" (or size 57), straight sided sable/brown open crown hat in 100% rabbit fur felt, that is 5 1/2" unfinished height with a 1 1/2" nigerian brown grosgrain ribbon and a 'flying v' gentlemen's bow on the left hand side. the brim to be dimensionally cut to suit my face, typically 2 7/8 front and back and 2 5/8 on either side.
now the thing is if you take these specs to 3 different hatters, you get 3 very different hats.....the key is in what the hatter uses as their straight sided block.
i did this with a local hattery in my town. they did a pretty decent job but the hat shrunk pretty quickly and the price they charged me ....might as well bought another AB....and i did!
....might as well bought another AB....and i did! 
* * * I really want a Lamode block, too. Maybe I should call him.