Getting my first REAL Indy Fedora

IndianaSolo · Post by **IndianaSolo** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:49 am

Hey everyone,

This is my first post and I'm very excited to be a part of this group. I've always wanted a fedora but it took me this long to realize that an indy style would be best suited for me. My first was a BCF wool cowboy fedora. While it is a decent hat, it isn't what I was looking for.
I wanted an indy hat so I did an ebay search. I was fooled into believing that an OFFICIAL Indy hat was the real thing. I knew what It was supposed to look like but I didn't know where to look. I didn't know about this forum until I already had the wool DP hat. Not a bad hat, but It was TOOO stiff and didn't have the style I wanted. I rebashed it too look ALMOST SA but there was WAY too much taper. I don't know how to upload pictures but I was able to modify the wool DP. It looked better but still wasn't what I wanted.
I found this forum and was excited to hear that Steve Delk actually goes on this forum

So I am now planning to get my first real Indy style fedora.
What I'm looking for is SA, but not to a specific scene. I want a hat that will last me a LONG time (at least 5 years) and stay in good shape. And is resistent to weather. (Thats not asking for much right?

)

After reviewing the site I found 2 options:
An AB or a Federation

From what I hear AB is hands down, the best pick, BUT it would take 6-7 months at least and even though it's relatively inexensive, it's still a lot.
The Federation is cheaper and will get here faster but uses rabbit.

I am so confused I dunno what to do with myself. I know I need to order from steve ASAP. I don't mind that I doesn't arrive in time for the movie, I just don't know how I can wait half a year. I can afford the AB and the Federation but I don't know which one to choose!!

Thanks for the time in reading this and I am very happy to finally be in this group.

GoldenHistorian · Post by **GoldenHistorian** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:08 pm

this is tricky.
i havent got either hats but from what i have heard the AB is the best hat you can get.
in tearms of durability theyre pretty much the same federations can stand alot from what i hear.
i cant really help because it is your choice.

IndianaSolo · Post by **IndianaSolo** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:09 pm

Figured out how to post pix.
Here is my wool Dorman Pacific.

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imagine671 · Post by **imagine671** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:09 pm

Welcome, IndianaSolo! I am extremely new to this forum as well, but have been viewing it for some time now. It's an excellent resource and the people on it are extremely friendly and helpful. Enjoy!

Regarding your hat decisions, I was JUST in the same boat, and here's what I did. It's not so much a recommendation as it is a description of the path I took, because you can't go wrong with either the Federation (value, speed of delivery) or the Adventurebilt (high quality, attention to detail).

HERBERT JOHNSON - MAGNOLI CLOTHIERS:
Like you, I was not too keen on waiting six to nine months for the AB, so I ordered a reblocked Herbert Johnson from Indy Magnoli (www.magnoliclothiers.com/catalog). The beauty of this hat is that it is the original brand of the first three Indy movies and is 'retrofitted' (that's my verb, but I find it appropriate) by Steve Delk (meaning it's given the proper ribbon, it's re-blocked, the felt is repounced, the liner is hand-sown in, etc). Essentially, you get the HJ brand with Steve's highly skilled hand involved in its improvement. The other thing to remember is the wait time on these hats is significantly shorter than for the AB (still in the 'months' range, but probably a third or less wait time).

REGULAR FEDERATION:
I really want to take care of that hat (the HJ), so I decided to order a Regular Federation from HatsDirect for more everyday use. I received an e-mail saying that the new hats are being designed and that I could opt to wait for the new models to come out in APPROXIMATELY four to six weeks. That's what I chose to do as the new Feds are apparently much more screen accurate than they were previously. There's a new block involved, a new brim-size and ribbon. From a recent post, I read that they will be taking pre-orders for those hats in the next couple of weeks. The great thing about this new Fed is that you should have it before the movie comes out.

So, I am extremely excited about receiving these two hats and from everything I hear, they are both great purchases. That said, I still want to eventually order an Adventurebilt. My advice to you would be this (if it's feasible for you). Definitely THINK about the Magnoli HJ, but if you really want an AB, order that ASAP (you could even do the payment installments option) AND order a Regular Federation. The Fed can tide you over while you wait the nine months or so for the AB. Those are my two cents. Hope you find that helpful. Take care, IndianaSolo. Hope to see you around here in the near future!

GoldenHistorian · Post by **GoldenHistorian** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:11 pm

hey thats not that bad!
if you are ok with the taper you could make it a temple of doom hat because the TOD hat had your amount of taper but you need to loose the lovely front pinch.

imagine671 · Post by **imagine671** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:11 pm

Excellent bashing job on the wool DP. It almost looks like the fur felt version. Is it?? You made that hat look the best it could possibly look, I think. You should go to Disneyland and rebash all the ones they have in the Indy shop. Maybe more people would buy them then (na...). :-P

GoldenHistorian · Post by **GoldenHistorian** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:13 pm

that is good advice imagine671!
if you cant pick which hat get both!
i wish i could do that.

imagine671 · Post by **imagine671** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:16 pm

Ha! I wish I could afford it too, Giben. Oh the wonders (dangers) of credit cards...sigh. As long as I keep my job, things will be fine...(*crosses fingers*). =)

IndianaChris711 · Post by **IndianaChris711** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:22 pm

This is my opinion, if you can afford to buy both, I would go ahead and order yourself an AB and Federation. The AB is a beaver hat and I think is going to be the hat of choice for most people around here. If you go to a thread AB wait times and a guy who had been waiting 1 year and three months finally got his hat, and his whole attitude changed after he got it saying it was worth the wait. I am glad he got his hat cause I was kind of tired of hearing his complaints.

No offense though, I am glad he got his hat, but you do need to be patient if you order an AB, you can also get the discount since your a COW member and that is in effect till May 22nd, you can find that info in the vendors section, I think it is in the thread where Fedora is talking about his price change.

If your wanting something right away go with the Federation, you may want to check out the thread Ron's new Federation IV down a few and see if this new Federation is available for order yet. Honestly the choice is yours and by the way welcome to the COW IndianaSolo and I hope you find the answers your looking for on this forum and that you come for the people. Good luck on your hat order.

IndianaChris

IndianaSolo · Post by **IndianaSolo** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:24 pm

Nope that is 100% Wool. The one that Feels like cardboard. I figured if I can bash this I can deal with an open crown federation.

Mulceber · Post by **Mulceber** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:34 pm

Another possibility is to order both a federation and an Adventurebilt - that way you'll have the federation within a week or so (and in time for the movie) and you can still get the best hat in the business (AB). :junior: -M

Tron7960 · Post by **Tron7960** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 6:34 pm

Welcome Indianasolo! I'm also a "new guy" here. It's a great place, isn't it?

I started off by ordering a Magnoli HJ, (before I realized that this might take nearly as long as an AB due to Steve Delk's involvement). Then I ordered a Federation from Hats Direct to ensure I had an Indy hat for May. I chose the Federation based on the endorsement given by S. Delk, Michaelson and many others here. It arrived in 10 days and bashing it was great fun!

Recently I had the opportunity to purchase a "previously enjoyed" AB through the Cairo Bazaar. I look forward to the arrival of both the HJ and the AB but I'm really glad I went with the Federation. It seems to get better all the time.

Just thought I'd relay my Fedora hunting experience as a fellow COW new guy.

Tron

Indiana Max · Post by **Indiana Max** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:59 am

Welcome on board IndianaSolo

Your DP doesn´t look bad, it appears to me as a quite good TOD version, but if you want a nearly Raiders SA Indy Fedora, and now this is the important point, which will be shipped approximately within ten days, then you should take the Fed. Deluxe from Hats Direct ! It is affordable, a hat in really good quality and it will go through horrible adventures with you without being absolutely destroyed (I´m speaking from my own experience), it will last for a long time

If you want "the" Indy Fedora, you won´t get around the AB :!:

IndianaSolo · Post by **IndianaSolo** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 5:27 pm

Would it be a smart move to wait for the new Federation, Get whatever Federation that Ron has in stock, or get a current Fed-Dlx? Im not sure how long I can wait to order the fed's, Ron says it'll take 4-6 weeks before the new ones come out.

jkdbuck76 · Post by **jkdbuck76** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 8:10 pm

Tron,

Are you talking about a regular federation?

Tron7960 · Post by **Tron7960** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 8:13 pm

Yes, a regular Federation.

Tron