the perfect hat ...a work in progress

ravencrow · Post by **ravencrow** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 6:10 pm

hi I'm new and from Calgary AB Canada.
I have full gear ... and now i'm just modifying it ... odds and ends... one of them being the hat.
i have gone through two hats so far trying to get them made and i have one more i'm going to do because i'm not satisfied with the crown. i've been working closely with Smithbuilt hats here in town who have been good about about the whole (anal about everything). i got the measurements from the indy gear sight and used those to build it and the only thing i didn't really like was the taper of the crown, I'm going to work on that next and hopefully have a perfect hat ... the price is right ..just under 200 Canadian.

i have to admit it was it was quite the wow feeling about how tall it really is. :

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DR Ulloa · Post by **DR Ulloa** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 6:17 pm

Post some photos of your work. I'm sure we'd all love to see.

...oh, and welcome.

Dave

Indiana G · Post by **Indiana G** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 6:29 pm

hey neighbour......i'm in cowtown too and have worked with brian over at smithbilt a couple of years ago....very nice guy. bryce is a little grumpy as he didn't like me coming around the shop buying materials to make my own hats.

my impression of smithbilt is that they should stick to building cowboy hats. the hat they call "the raider" on their site was built from the specs i provided them. they still refuse to do a dimensionally cut brim though....and probably don't know how to do it. their ribbon work is not bad but can be improved.

the best block that they had to use still was a far cry from a raiders block but made for a nice TOD or LC hat, imo.

i went down the route that you are already going down now so i hope you take my advise with a grain of salt........there are better hats out there for the money you're going to pay in all honesty. i payed close to $300 for one of their hats and my fed 4 is a waaaaaaaay better hat for half the price....and you can get it sooner.

i'd love to go there and have them build me a hat to my EXACT specs........but i have a feeling that the customer is not always right once they see my specs. thats why i build my own now. got a doozie of an idol grab just waiting on ribbon at the moment.

cheers and welcome to cow!

Indiana G · Post by **Indiana G** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 6:48 pm

......sorry.....forgot to add.....they don't have anything close to the right ribbon colour. your best bet is to go with black from them.

pm me if you like. i can elaborate on my whole experience. but let me put it to you this way:

i believe my hat was about $275 to $300 CAD
the rabbit hat body they used comes from the same supplier i buy from for $30....lets say $50 after the customs clowns get a hold of them. they used a low grade sweatband (ask brian for some of the nice roan sweats he uses for the beaver hats...those are nice!)....the sweats are about $5 USD each....say $10 USD for the good ones. 1 yard of ribbon is practically free if not $1 to $2. the custom liners are say $10 at the most as you can get blanks for $5.......that's still over a 200% mark-up for a factory made hat.....which i would gladly pay....if the hat they gave me looked like a raiders hat ;-) .........i'd rather buy a AB henry if that is the case.

i don't mean to belittle your project in any way so please do not see it as that. i've bought many....many hats....and i wish someone told me this stuff when i did my smithbilt project a couple of years back.

now if you're just getting them to build you this hat as a fun project for yourself, then i can respect that. projects are fun....thats mostly what i do ;-)

Jonny Whip Crack · Post by **Jonny Whip Crack** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 7:54 pm

Howdy Partner. From one Calgarian to another, good to have you aboard.
Jonny

ravencrow · Post by **ravencrow** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 8:34 pm

ya i was unsure about the ribbon i have one hat with black and one with brown, but i dust the hat all to ####, so that works .. i went a few years ago to these guys and there was this big guy all grumpy and what not, but they sent him to Ontario. the guys there now are really cool with me ..
I have been talking about getting to gether with indy fans out here, got a few on face book i'm with i'm not sure what we might do but if those in calgary are cool with getting together let me know ..
and i haven't figured out the whole picture thing ..i hate computers
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ravencrow · Post by **ravencrow** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 8:43 pm

http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq19 ... CI0049.jpg
http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq19 ... 0_0595.jpg
http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq19 ... 0_0583.jpg
http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq19 ... C00006.jpg
http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq19 ... C00005.jpg
http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq19 ... an0013.jpg

here's a few photos the taller hat is the one more close to speck but too narrow on the crown. the shorter one was made before i had the specks

Indiana G · Post by **Indiana G** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 9:11 pm

cool pics! so you were the zombie that snakewhip sable met

.....and i see you already met piers. crazylegsmurphy and johnny whip crack are also cowtown members......and there are some others lurking around as well.

.......i sense an evening o' trouble -a- brewing

those hats look very nice on you.

cheers,

G

ravencrow · Post by **ravencrow** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 10:13 pm

thanks .. i wouldn't mind the trouble maybe a group to do stuff..

Jonny Whip Crack · Post by **Jonny Whip Crack** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 10:48 pm

Hey Ravencrow. I did meet you at ComicCon. I was another Indy, but not dirtied up like you....I was clean, pre-adventure Indy with a light beard!
Perhaps a Calgary Indy Summit (beer) is in order

ravencrow · Post by **ravencrow** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 11:36 pm

sounds good, wings on wed at the yardhouse in kensington

Mitch LaRue · Post by **Mitch LaRue** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 10:48 am

Hey guys...
First of all, NICE set of duds you've put together ravencrow!
(And great advice back up the board a ways, Indy G... and I can't tell you how stoked I am to see this Idol Grab of yours!)
But I gotta say fellas... all this talk of you guys hangin' out in Calgary has me feelin' kinda lonesome.

Is it possible I'm the ONLY C.O.W. Member (AND "Canuckian") on the East Coast?

Hey, just so I know - and since I DO have family in Calgary, Edmonton & Lethbridge - for the next time I blow through Calgary, how good are you guys with "short-notice" hospitality?
(As in: how likely is it that if I tell you I'm coming to cowtown say, 2 or 3 days ahead of time that a couple of you could get together for a handshake, a drink and some good conversation?)

Just something to keep in mind.
Lemme know what you think and I'll see if I can ever put something like that together.
All the Best,
Mitch

Indiana G · Post by **Indiana G** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 11:08 am

Mitch LaRue wrote:Hey guys...
First of all, NICE set of duds you've put together ravencrow!
(And great advice back up the board a ways, Indy G... and I can't tell you how stoked I am to see this Idol Grab of yours!)
But I gotta say fellas... all this talk of you guys hangin' out in Calgary has me feelin' kinda lonesome.

Is it possible I'm the ONLY C.O.W. Member (AND "Canuckian") on the East Coast?

Hey, just so I know - and since I DO have family in Calgary, Edmonton & Lethbridge - for the next time I blow through Calgary, how good are you guys with "short-notice" hospitality?
(As in: how likely is it that if I tell you I'm coming to cowtown say, 2 or 3 days ahead of time that a couple of you could get together for a handshake, a drink and some good conversation?)

Just something to keep in mind.
Lemme know what you think and I'll see if I can ever put something like that together.
All the Best,
Mitch

i'd definitely be in for meeting up with you mitch

just let us know when and hopefully we can assemble something over here at a local watering hole ;-)

Gater · Post by **Gater** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 2:03 pm

If nothing else, I'd like the story of when/how you met Ed the Sock!!

Mitch - dunno 'bout the Maritimes, but there's a few of us in Ottawa.

Mitch LaRue · Post by **Mitch LaRue** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 3:30 pm

Oh NO!
ED!
I mean, I love the guy - or, sock - but let me guess: Was he doing a sort of "Triumph The Insult Comic Dog roasting SciFi/Fantasy Convention Attendees over the coals" kinda' thing?

(I'm guessing so...)
Mitch

IntempestaNox · Post by **IntempestaNox** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 3:43 pm

Nice gear ravencrow, and kudos on the ToD look (ouch!). I'm not educated on the specs of the lid yet, but yours look good. Welcome to the board!

ravencrow · Post by **ravencrow** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 6:19 pm

thanks alot ... and yes let me know when your coming from the coast ans we can get together... facebook is reid fisher hook up and we are good to go .. and for those in calgary if you guys are free one of these wed nights wing night are fun at yardhouse

Mitch LaRue · Post by **Mitch LaRue** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 8:32 pm

Now, that right there is some nice hospitality being extended my way.

Muchly appreciated, guys... I WILL hold you to that promise... and if we ever can make it work, the wings and the first round (whether your poison's JD or Canada Dry) are on me.
All the Best,
Mitch

ravencrow · Post by **ravencrow** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 9:28 pm

got a question though the hats hight ...5 1/2 finished or un finished cause sometimes the hat looks too tall

gwyddion · Post by **gwyddion** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 9:46 pm

5 1/2 open crown, so without the creases.

Regards, Geert

ravencrow · Post by **ravencrow** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 9:49 pm

so before all the shaping it's 5 1/2 ? which should bring it down to 5 give or take a few?

gwyddion · Post by **gwyddion** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 9:54 pm

IIRC the front of the center crease should be at 4 3/4" and the back at 4". I hope this helps.

EDIT: yes, 5 1/2 before shaping

Regards, Geert

ravencrow · Post by **ravencrow** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 10:23 pm

thanks you rock ... new hat soon first $$$ needs

Piers · Post by **Piers** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 6:19 pm

hey, I just saw this.. good to have you aboard Reid

ravencrow · Post by **ravencrow** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 9:03 pm

thanks ... good to be able to gab about this stuff