Just got my Akubra Federation! PICS ADDED!

Mountaineer Lasher · Post by **Mountaineer Lasher** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 4:14 am

Just picked up my package from the mail room today! I took it back to my desk immediately and opened it so I could begin to shape it. Of course, everyone that walked by had something to say about it, mostly Indy comments. haha. I'll be posting pics as soon as photobucket gets back up and running from whatever maintenance it's doing. And just a forewarning: Mods, I'll need them to be resized.

Indycop · Post by **Indycop** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 8:15 am

Pics!! Does the resize option not work for you? Its on the top left when you make the pic large.

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:46 am

ML, we don't have the ability to resize your images for you, but it sounds like Indycop has photobucket experience. I know with my flickr account, you have the choice up uploading different sized images.

Indiana G · Post by **Indiana G** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:22 am

on photobucket, there will be a clicker above the picture stating "resize" which opens up to some options on how big you want it. i usually click "message board" and that will make it acceptable to post.

hope that helps.

cheers,

G

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 12:08 pm

And with that bit o' knowledge... ;0

cooncatbob · Post by **cooncatbob** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 8:04 pm

There's also a very nice image resizer available at the window XP site index power toys. Once installed all you have to do is right click the image you want to resize and the resize option will be there in the box.
Bob

Indycop · Post by **Indycop** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 9:50 pm

No pics yet?!

Mountaineer Lasher · Post by **Mountaineer Lasher** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:31 pm

Ok, ok, as promised! Yeesh... haha

Edited: it should be noted that this is also my very first bashing attempt. I fiddled with it all night after taking these pics, though, and I'm about getting it to where I like it.

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:41 pm

For your first bashing attempt, that's pretty darn good! I especially like the side profiles.

Indycop · Post by **Indycop** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:37 pm

ACU's and a bullwhip nice combo! Hat looks great!

Kentucky Blues · Post by **Kentucky Blues** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:13 am

I love that Brim, and the bash looks pretty good too. But the Brim strikes me as most awesome, at least from the side. Is that the standard snap brim that the hats come with, or did you do any other modifications than flipping the front down?

-Daryl

Arkansas Russell · Post by **Arkansas Russell** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 1:23 am

I love your bash, I think you did a great job!
These Federations are such great hats.

Strider · Post by **Strider** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 1:39 am

The brim looks a little flat and needs some shape to it, but the crown is awesome.

Mountaineer Lasher · Post by **Mountaineer Lasher** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 5:58 am

Thanks for the compliments guys! I was very nervous about bashing it since it was my first, but it turned out better than I thought it would.

Kentucky Blues wrote:I love that Brim, and the bash looks pretty good too. But the Brim strikes me as most awesome, at least from the side. Is that the standard snap brim that the hats come with, or did you do any other modifications than flipping the front down?

-Daryl

It's the standard snap brim. It didn't want to take at first, but I just kept working it and bending it ever so slightly.

Strider wrote:The brim looks a little flat and needs some shape to it, but the crown is awesome.

Yeah, I'm not 100% happy with it yet, but I figure once I wear it out in the rain tonight it might be a little more malleable.

Canyon · Post by **Canyon** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 8:15 am

ML, congratulations on your new fedora!

Nice bash, too. I swear that Akubra's are getting better as they go on.

Kilgour Trout · Post by **Kilgour Trout** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 8:41 am

Hey ML

: I wish I'd have done so well my first time.
I just think that with a bit of work curling up the sides it'll all come
together. The Brim shape seems to be creating an "Ever-so-slight"
taper in the crown.

I'd use a bit of steam, curl the sides and it should be bang on.
Just a final note, don't "Fear the Felt!

". Akubra's are far more
forgiving to adjustments than you might imagine. They're tough working hats. Farn54 has fallen in water, had sap drip over him and even been hit by lighting...He's doesn't look so good

but his Akubra sure came through!

Living way up north in Red Lake as we did, Farn was the crash test dumby for the Akubra! Sold me.

Again Everything else looks great.
Haven't met before, so just to say "Well done and welcome aboard".

Cheers
Kilgour Trout

dr. tyree · Post by **dr. tyree** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:09 am

Nice! I love my Fed; it takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'!
Enjoy that lid, it's a winner.

prairiejones · Post by **prairiejones** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:53 am

I have to agree. Excellent job on the bash. The hat looks great.

Bullitt · Post by **Bullitt** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 11:00 am

What size is your hat? Cause it would seem that yours also has the bell shape. Just got mine a few days ago. It's a 57 but doesn't have the bell shape.

Mountaineer Lasher · Post by **Mountaineer Lasher** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 11:12 am

Bullitt wrote:What size is your hat? Cause it would seem that yours also has the bell shape. Just got mine a few days ago. It's a 57 but doesn't have the bell shape.

Mine's a 57, but I've got a "long oval" head and they said they put it on a stretcher overnight for me before shipping it, so maybe that has something to do with it.

I'm trying to get the sides to curl right now. It's been raining all night here, and I've been wearing it out with no umbrella, so it's really taking starting to take the shape I want. Still has a bit of taper, though.

Bullitt · Post by **Bullitt** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:04 pm

Mine is a regular oval, so maybe that's why it has the taper. I wasn't real happy with my brim as well. It looked too TOD, but I folded the sides upwards and the front and back downwards. Then, I laid the hat on it's side and sat on it. It's much more SoC now, though I'm not going for the complete SA.

cooncatbob · Post by **cooncatbob** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 5:37 pm

Don't be afraid to fire up the kettle and put some steam to it. Make shaping the brim much easier.
Bob.

Lao Feng · Post by **Lao Feng** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 7:55 pm

So what IS the best way to take some of the "snap" out of the snap brim...especially in the rear.

BTW --are you somewhere in Korea? I was at Ponmunjom in 1981..Camp Kitty Hawk (now Camp Boniface)...nasty place, eh what? Better have more than that whip if you're up in the "Z". Cheers-- Lao Feng

Indiana G · Post by **Indiana G** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:25 pm

So what IS the best way to take some of the "snap" out of the snap brim...especially in the rear.

mr. kettle.........

Mountaineer Lasher · Post by **Mountaineer Lasher** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 6:50 am

Lao Feng wrote:BTW --are you somewhere in Korea? I was at Ponmunjom in 1981..Camp Kitty Hawk (now Camp Boniface)...nasty place, eh what? Better have more than that whip if you're up in the "Z". Cheers-- Lao Feng

I'm at Camp Hovey (adjacent to Camp Casey) right up close to the Z.

Bullitt · Post by **Bullitt** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 7:07 am

cooncatbob wrote:Don't be afraid to fire up the kettle and put some steam to it. Make shaping the brim much easier.
Bob.

I know the steaming softens the felt up, but does it also get rigid again after a while?

eazybox · Post by **eazybox** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 7:20 am

Steam has always worked well for me on the brims. But unless you're going for a SOC look, you want to be careful that you don't oversteam and make the outer edges of the front & back too uneven. That can make your hat look more like Jed Clampett 's than Indy's. If that does happen, wetting the brim and letting it dry while resting on a flat surface can help straighten out the edges again-- but make sure it dries well before you resteam it.

Jack

eazybox · Post by **eazybox** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 7:22 am

I know the steaming softens the felt up, but does it also get rigid again after a while?[/quote]

It should, if it has enough stiffener in it. I'd be pretty careful though, if you have never tried steaming before-- and practice on older, cheaper hats if possible.

Jack

Bullitt · Post by **Bullitt** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 8:52 am

I'm still a bit reluctant to use the steam method. I like the floppy look myself and I already abused my Fed Dlx somewhat, by sitting on it and throwing it down the stairs. So, I'm not looking to stiffen it up once more.
But I have to say that really folding the brim does the job for me AND keeps it soft.

Lao Feng · Post by **Lao Feng** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 9:06 am

Many thanks for the suggestions. (And I remember Camp Hovey very well. Best of Luck!)

Just got my Akubra Federation! PICS ADDED!

Just got my Akubra Federation! PICS ADDED!

Just a tweek