Field report on the AB from the new film

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

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Marc
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Post by Marc »

Alright, folks. No reason to start flaming members publicly here. If you have a problem, take it offline. Play nice and let's not let things get out of hand.
Fine with me, if both Richard's and my post are deleted from this thread. Otherwise I'd like to either have Richard's statement backed up or an apology.

I've been on COW for seven years now and never been insulted like that before. So - knowing me for quite a couple of years Bink - I think you can understand why I become upset from being called an egotist.

Regards,

Marc
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binkmeisterRick
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Post by binkmeisterRick »

If it's okay by you, I'll let Richard respond in a civil manner to his comment and then clean up the mess after things have been rectified. But civil is the key here. I understand why you are upset, but I don't want to see things get ugly.
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Post by Redbeard »

Marc is proud of what he does and he has every reason to be. He is the biggest perfectionist I've ever met. I know him for quite some time now and we are good friends and I can assure everbody who want to know it that he is everything else then a egotist.
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that_dog
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Post by that_dog »

LOL at Marc being an egotist. You're basing this on what... your gloss of a few bulletin board posts? Sure, that's the best way to get to know someone. :roll: In my email exchanges with Marc, he has consistently been humble (to the point of being self-effacing) and patient in dealing with some nitpicky (and, frankly, occasionally silly) requests on my part vis-a-vis my AB Deluxe order.

So kudos to both Steve and Marc for all that they've done for this hobby and their fellow fans.

"I've got a lot of fond memories of that_dog."
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Post by Fedora »

After reading previous posts:
1. Marc, egotist
2: Steve, humble Gentleman who has found himself in a place probably unimagined by him a few years ago, who doesn't care if sweatbands are made of kangaroo and doesn't count the number of scenes saying mine or his
:shock: Gosh, where did this idea come from? Thanks for the compliments for me, but you have Marc figured ALL WRONG. Marc is not that way at all. Just ask anyone who really knows him. I know him, and he is one of my best friends.

I think I am mentioned more only because I started the AB Hat Co. But Marc and I were already spending hours on the phone way back then nitpicking blockshapes, etc. When I started finally making my own line of hats, I asked my best friend to join me, as he was as obsessed as I was with this hat. It took him awhile to finally get started, but once he did, he produced a great hat, and a hat I am personally proud of.

I think your idea of Marc is off base, and trust me, Marc is not the way you painted him. Far from it.

Marc did not want to take any of my sales away, so he did what Hatsdirect did,(with their Federation) he offered a Deluxe model of the AB. At the time, I was willing to give him half of my sales, but he opted for the Deluxe version. He wanted a little more exotic hat, with the roohide sweats, etc, but the basic hat was the same, only upgraded.

Our partnership has always been one of friendship, with a shared obsession. A perfect match.

When we both had to send hats to the Indy 4 production, we knew that only one would be picked, but being friends, and doing this hatmaking deal for reasons other than profit, we mutually agreed very quickly that regardless of which hat was picked, we would include the other in making the film hats. And that is what we did. This is what you do when friendship is more important than business. And that is what you do when people are more important than money. We started out together sharing, and we ended up sharing. And that is what a good life is all about. It's all about people folks, and nothing else, regardless of what you have been told. And it is always more fun, if you can take another along for the ride. That is exactly what we did. Fedora
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raider 57
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Post by raider 57 »

That's great Steve,If our world leaders only cooperated in such a manner, well...........I'll get off the soapbox now.
Last edited by raider 57 on Fri Oct 19, 2007 10:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Canada Jones »

What is VERY obvious to me is that both Steve and Marc are passionate about their craft and do not make the hats for fame or glory. And from the sounds of what I read, little or no money either.

Thanks to you both for your commitment to this endeavor and I am so pleased that the reward came in the form of the Indy 4 hat contract. Thanks also for letting us in on some of the feedback you have gotten on the hats from the movie people. Look forward to seeing the hat put through its paces in the new film.
best regards
Canada
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Post by Canyon »

Firstly I would just like to say, Steve and Marc, many congratulations to both of you on this oustanding achievement. :clap:

I would also like to say that I had the pleasure of meeting Marc earlier this year at a UK summit held at Peter Botwright's house.

Marc, is in the same category as Steve, a great guy and a gentleman.

The only thing I will say about Marc is that make sure he doesn't accidently hit you on the head with an end of a whip. That hurts. :twisted:
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Post by ANZAC_1915 »

So I hope the DVD would have a special on not only the gear for the KotCS, but for the prior movies as well. And then a scene or two about gear heads. They could interview _ about the jacket. etc.

The end.

:)
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Post by Curator Rick »

I'd like to throw my CONGRATS in here to the both of you also!! :clap: :clap: I've now had the pleasure of working with both of you and must say that if the corporate world behaved more like you two I think our economy would be in better shape :lol:
Marc, again I'd like to thank you publicly for donating the AB as a give away last year to the 2006 Finger Lakes Summit :notworthy:
Steve, a big thank you for your help and sacrifice also on my up coming project :notworthy:
You two are fantastic and I might also add very humble!! :wink:

Proud to call ya guys friends!

Curator Rick
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Post by Flash Gordon »

This is absolute, undeniable proof that Adventurebuilt makes the best Indy fedoras in the world, because they are the choice of Indy himself! :!:
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Post by sebas »

Steve and/or Marc,

Quick question that is slightly off the topic:

Aeris-Canon had this to say in an un-related recent discussion thread about fedora crown tapers:

"ROTL and LC are pretty much the same crown height. The shorter brim on the LC adds to that shorter hat appearance but in reality, both crowns are about the same. If they were to cinch that front pinch tighter, they'd have a Raiders crown. (No, really.) "

Question 1: Do you agree with this? (I thought the LC crown was slightly shorter)
Question 2: If true, then it's essentially a pretty good description of the Crystal Skull fedora, right?: (i.e. Raider's crown, narrower brim) Having said this, we know that the KCS fedora is in no way a duplicate of LC lid...

Can you shed some light on the subject?

Regards,
Sebas
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Post by Fedora »

ROTL and LC are pretty much the same crown height. The shorter brim on the LC adds to that shorter hat appearance but in reality, both crowns are about the same. If they were to cinch that front pinch tighter, they'd have a Raiders crown. (No, really.) "

Question 1: Do you agree with this? (I thought the LC crown was slightly shorter)
Question 2: If true, then it's essentially a pretty good description of the Crystal Skull fedora, right?: (i.e. Raider's crown, narrower brim) Having said this, we know that the KCS fedora is in no way a duplicate of LC lid...

Can you shed some light on the subject?

Yes, I agree. The height of those hats is basically the same. But, I don't agree that if you pinched the LC crown into the Raiders style, you would have the same looking hat. Those block shapes are not identical, in fact, they are different blocks. Now, I think that at least on some of TLC hats, a couple may have been a bit shorter, as I think of the PR photo of Ford and Connery. That hat looks shorter, but it may have shrunk too, which would explain why it looked shorter. The height of the HJs used for the films was 5 1/2 inches open crown. Not 5 3/4 per the current HJs. Some Stetsons were mixed in with TOD and TLC so.........this adds confusion.

The Crystal Skull fedora used the crown specs of the Raiders fedora, but with a 2 3/4 by 2 1/2 brim. But, some of the Raider hats had that brim width as well. And some were 2 7/8 by 2 5/8. At least one of TLC hats had a 2 5/8 by 2 3/8 brim. Probably more than one.

And in the new film, you will also see two brim widths and crown heights. Wait, you will see 3 crown heights. The gray hats I made for them had a 5 3/4 open crown height. I think it will look taller than any hat Indy ever wore, but we shall have to wait and see. I used TLC blockshape to make the gray hats as they wanted it different. That is, it did not have to match the brown hats. But per their request, I creased the gray just like the brown. It will appear to have more taper. Fedora
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Johnny Fedora
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Post by Johnny Fedora »

When you say it will appear to have more taper, how much are we talking? A hardly noticeable amount or a Temple o' Doom amount? Just courious. :wink:

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Post by Fedora »

When you say it will appear to have more taper, how much are we talking? A hardly noticeable amount or a Temple o' Doom amount? Just courious.
I used TLC block. It has TLC creases. Hint, hint. :D Fedora
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Marc
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Post by Marc »

Image
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Post by Michaelson »

Is this the new SA AB sock, Marc? :-k :lol:

Regards! Michaelson
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Post by Fedora »

Put a sock in it?? :lol: But, I can't talk if I do that..........

The real important part is the blockshape used Marc, and that is under lock and key!! And how we did the Swales cut. But as you know, there is a trick to this hat, a trick that is on no other hat in the world, except the original Raiders block that HJ used to have. And those film hats were made using that pecularity.......... man, it helps when you work with a costumer who has access to the warehouse.

The specs are public knowledge, the block ain't. :wink: Oh, band blocks are being made for you too. You mentioned you did not need them. NOW you do. :wink: You can't '"trick' without them, remember? The Raiders fedora and the CS fedora share a common element, that no other hatter does. Now, socks are unnecessary, as I don't give away the IMPORTANT stuff. Especially when it took me years to discover it. With help from someone else. :wink: :D Fedora
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Post by Snakewhip_Sable »

This is quite a success story! It couldn't have happened to nicer folks, that's for sure. Sincerest congrats, and thanks for the updates!
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