My first fedora, need some help!

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

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Thousand Truths
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My first fedora, need some help!

Post by Thousand Truths »

Well today I got my very first Fedora. It's just one of those official Wool ones so it'll keep me busy until I get my AB. I need some help to make it look even cooler! I have never like tried to fix a hat or anything like that so help is appreciated. I wanna get a Raiders look with a tighter pinch and a better overall look of the brim(?). What else do you guys think? So I hear steaming is the way to do it with a pot of water boiling and mold it above the pot? How do I go about molding it any tips or pointers?

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Chewbacca Jones
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Post by Chewbacca Jones »

You can probably make the pinch tighter just by holding it that way a while. But the crowns going to look more tapered.
Thousand Truths
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Post by Thousand Truths »

Chewbacca Jones wrote:You can probably make the pinch tighter just by holding it that way a while. But the crowns going to look more tapered.
What do u mean tapered?
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Hunter Jones
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Post by Hunter Jones »

Compare this image with your hat:

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See how straight the crown is, yours is more angled and thus tapered.

Here it is from the side:

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Thousand Truths
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Post by Thousand Truths »

Alright what about fooling with the brim so I can get it to look more like the pic above in Raiders?
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Post by WarrenJones »

just some cold water should do it, I believe (correct me if I am wrong) that you should not use hot water and def. not steam on a wool hat. I had a hat similar to yours there, and i shaped it up with just water, even dry I shaped it some, but I wouldn't try a raiders maybe ToD thoughmine didnt have nearly enough crown for a raiders pinch
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Post by Holt »

Hey.It looks like I have the exact same hat as what you have.when I got my first very cheap Indy hat from ebay it had the exact same shape as yours.you can also tell by the color of the ribbon.

what I did was I soaked it with cold water.I then shaped it to my taste.wrinched it up and punched out the old block in the hat.work with the turn of the brim,and I used a clothes pinch to keep the pinch on the hat until it dryed.



this is my fathers hat now.I gave it to him cause I am whaiting on a federation.I thought about throwing it away first,but then my father asked me if there was something wrong with me?hehe.....He loves the hat.


it is a pure wool.it also got a kinda used and floppy turn to it.I actually kinda like how it turned out.
what do yall think?
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Post by Thousand Truths »

Yea I started fooling around with it a little bit and it had some little change but I'm gonna try the cold water method and see how it comes out.
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hat

Post by BendingOak »

I would witha very light spray of cold water. I would go with a bash that is closer to a TOD bridge because I think you will have a better chance of getting to look like that than Raiders.
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Re: hat

Post by Thousand Truths »

BendingOak wrote:I would witha very light spray of cold water. I would go with a bash that is closer to a TOD bridge because I think you will have a better chance of getting to look like that than Raiders.
Yea I'm gonna start with a little water and just see what happens! :whip:
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Post by Luke Warmwater »

Soak it in cold water, shape it the way you want it and then wear it until it dries.
I started off with one of the licensed hats. It's a gateway hat; before too long it just won't do it for ya and you'll have to get an Akubra or an AB. My licensed hat now belongs to my eight-year-old stepdaughter.
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Post by Thousand Truths »

Luke Warmwater wrote:Soak it in cold water, shape it the way you want it and then wear it until it dries.
I started off with one of the licensed hats. It's a gateway hat; before too long it just won't do it for ya and you'll have to get an Akubra or an AB. My licensed hat now belongs to my eight-year-old stepdaughter.
Yea I'll eventually get one of those when the wait for my AB starts driving me crazy. ](*,)
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Post by Fink »

That’s definitely a Dorfman Pacific, my first too! It arrived about a week ago. Now I’m waiting my Christys' from London.

Yesterday I worked for a while on it but really didn’t achieved nothing, my Dorfman have an “outback” style brim, looks more like Wyatt Earp’s hat! #-o

Your Dorfman looks much better than mine; perhaps you will have much more luck than me, but I still want to keep working on mine until I achieve the best possible look from it.

Take a look to my Dorfman here: viewtopic.php?t=28497

Guess Tycoonman really knew what he was talking about when he said “My momma always said, "Dorfman Pacific Hats were like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.":lol:
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Post by Thousand Truths »

Alright I started fooling with it about 20 minutes ago and I think it's going great! What do you guys think? I like it ALOT better than what it first looked like. I need to get some kind of clamp and put it on overnight for the pinch so it will stay there much longer than just me squeezing it with my fingers with some cold water. Oh and I also started fooling with the brim so it tilts down more in the front.

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Post by Fink »

Get your replacement ribbon from Todd’s now, you’re closer to have a true cool very close enough Indy fedora! :junior:

http://toddscostumes.com/indy/accessori ... ribbon.htm
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Post by binkmeisterRick »

Careful with the clamp. You don't want to damage your hat with it. :wink:
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Post by Thousand Truths »

binkmeisterRick wrote:Careful with the clamp. You don't want to damage your hat with it. :wink:
Yea I decided not to use it as it held it's shape overnight and I was pleased with it. :)
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Post by binkmeisterRick »

Good man. :wink:
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Whew!! Good decision.

Post by mtechthang »

Thousand Truths wrote:
binkmeisterRick wrote:Careful with the clamp. You don't want to damage your hat with it. :wink:
Yea I decided not to use it as it held it's shape overnight and I was pleased with it. :)
I think you did the right thing, btw. Wool can imprint clamps if you aren't very careful- especially if wet because it fluffs a bit. Make sure they are just "snugged" and not pressing on the felt. That can be tricky but if you keep in mind you are only trying to hold shape that'll help. Also that you spread the pressure (lightly!) and no sharpish edges. The wait will be worth it in the end though. :wink:
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