With all the talk lately of building your own hat I have began to think about the consept again...I had a flirtation with the idea a couple of years ago and actually managed to re-block my old akubra with a home made block.
I was thinking about the whole dimensional issues with the crown and was wondering if i was getting a block made what would I ask for in order to achieve a Raiders shape. Would inverted taper be built into the block design? or would the sides simply just be parrallel to each other....as well as that what about the dome shape?....if it was too level and not curved enough would this not induce taper once a bash was put into the felt? I was looking to do quite a bit of research on this for a future purchase because its something i want to get right.
As well as that what would I need to actually make a hat?lol
You don't put reverse taper into the block, the front should be with no taper, and the profile should have maybe a bit of taper.
The dome shape is also an essential part. Too much dome is not generally the best thing to have unless you like deep center dents. Having a "flatter" dome is better for non tapered hats because less deep center dents help keep the sides from wanting to pull inwards.
Thanks Brody that clears things up a bit in my head lol...Wait a moment If I just ask for Steves Raiders Block shape from LaMode I would just get it?....Do you not need permission for something like that because of its association with AB?...Ive always been under the impression hatters hold their cards close to their chest?
Yeah I was checking out bending Oaks fedora it looks really good, ill have to give him a PM. I'm interested in getting into it as a hobby but it seems quite pricey as far as equipment goes, the block however is something im willing to put some investment into as it will pay for itself in the long term.
I just finished up my own block, and here's what I found. Mine is completely non-tapered; the only place it deviates from straight up and down is where I started carving the dome. After re-blocking an old Resistol western, I found that it looked fantastic open-crowned. My dome, as others have advised, was a little bit flat on top and side-taper was barely noticeable, if at all. The front and back, though, that was wear I had problems. The slightest bit of center dent created the makings of a prominent reverse taper in both the front and back. It seems to me that the most logical way to cure this is to taper my block, but only on the front and back. This will be a LONG process of discovery, as I don't want to overdo it and have to start over from scratch. That block was a pain in the ### to make! So, little bits at a time taken off with my sander should eventually give me the right look. I suggest trying that...
