Some days, you just can't win....

[Mountaineer]

I'll admit, when I got the vintage HJ ex-homburg from Steve, I was a little thrown that it had a turn built in.

I knew Steve did that "standard" on his new-made Raider's styled hats and never gave it a thought that this early shot at the "look" would have it.

Anyway I just went with it; I'm not one to complain over such a deal as I got on this hat.

Sure I tinkered with the crease a little. I tried to center it up slightly, because having a long-oval head, the turn resulted in uneven pressure on the noggin which was a little uncomfortable.

Eventually I just said I'm leaving it as is and besides, that uncomfortable fit was soon cured by a couple trips out to dig out the driveway from the recent Snowpocalypse.

Basically, the hat fits great now. Just go sweat in your hat to shape it to your head. Worked for my egg-head.

[rick5150]

Well, I'm one of those old time customers that Steve has that does NOT go the 'turn route', so we're out here.

I guess I'm the other one?

I like balance and symmetry. With my misshapen head, my non-turned hats get put on crooked anyways - making them look like turned hats. So in reality, I should be ordering a turned hat that I can put on crooked to get a symmetrical look.

The turn makes the hat unique (for Indy), but "unique" cannot exist if everyone's hats are the same. You all have made yourself mainstream - and only the select few are wearing the hats straight, which is the new unique.

[binkmeisterRick]

So that makes us few the "straight crowd," right?

[Long John Tinfoil]

Before I'd ever heard of the turn (or COW for that matter) I had found that over time my (non-Indy) hats migrated off-center on their own. It used to annoy me and I'd try to get them back to where they were "supposed" to be. Maybe it's a function of my head shape or the way I put them on...

If and when I order a hat in the upper price ranges, I'll probably want it straight and just let it grow into it's turn.

LJ

[Texan Scott]

...so, what time is it, anyway?

I have about 10:30.

[Michaelson]

You do?

Considering you posted that at 12:11, if you have 10:30, it's time for you to go get a new watch!



Regards! Michaelson

[IndianaChris711]

That is a good reminder to get my time right here for COW. I forgot to change the setting in my account here to turn DST on, I guess I have been posting an hour early for a while now. It's fixed now I hope.

IndianaChris

[Texan Scott]

...I never thought a fedora could be substituted for a sun dial?

Let the front crease mark the way.

[Satipo]

I realise that many here see the turn as integral to a Raiders hat, and I for one would definitely want to try this feature (unless it looked completely rubbish on me, which it might). But I also see it as going that little bit extra towards true SAness which might be too much for some people's tastes and would be best as an optional detail just to play it safe. Kind of like the bullet holes in the man with no name's hat.

[Indiana Jeff]

Before I'd ever heard of the turn (or COW for that matter) I had found that over time my (non-Indy) hats migrated off-center on their own. It used to annoy me and I'd try to get them back to where they were "supposed" to be. Maybe it's a function of my head shape or the way I put them on...LJ

I have the same issue with, particularly, ballcaps. My head shape causes them to move somewhat to left of center while wearing them. The problem I have with a turned fedora is my head pushes the fedora in an anti-turn direction. When the hat is new I can really feel the hat pushing up against the left side of my forehead when I put the hat on. As the sweat breaks in I don't feel it any more, but if I wear my fedora for more than an hour or so and check a mirror the crease has moved a bit left of center.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

[Michaelson]

...I never thought a fedora could be substituted for a sun dial?

Let the front crease mark the way.

Be sure you're facing north at the moment, though.

Regards! Michaelson

[Flyderf]

Would that be true north, or magnetic north? Varies greatly with longitude.

[DanielJones]

Would that be true north, or magnetic north? Varies greatly with longitude.

I guess that depends on which coordinate system you are using & what your convergence angle is.

Cheers!

Dan

[sam]

I discovered the "Indy Gear" web site in 03. In 04, I ordered an HJ. (Funny, at the time, I thought, "If this ends up not holding up in the real world, I might end up ordering one of those Adventurebilt hats I've seen pictures of in beaver fur felt. Those should last well." Now, my HJ has done well, but I have a CS Adventurebilt on order!) I don't know for sure if Mr. Swales was still making them at the time, but I knew from the directions on the old Indy Gear site to ask for Mr. Swales, to be specific about the kind of bow I wanted, etc. However, I had not heard of the turn at that time. I called and requested my hat be made by Mr. Swales and that it be made like the one in Raiders, and gave them the ribbon dimensions. When it came in, I absolutely loved it, but was dissappointed in the liner (black, not white like what we see in LC), and noticed that the sweat band seemed to be stitched in "wrong." I noticed that the brim wasn't quite "right" but figured I would work on it eventually. Oh, and I should say that it definitely has a hand cut dimensional brim. Then, one day, I noticed that the brim was actually warping like Indy's had in Raiders! I was quite excited and thankful about this! At some point, in the lead up to CS, I was on COW and learned about the turn! Mystery solved! This had all been done on purpose! I will say, for anyone that's curious, the crown did not come "Raiders." It had more of a LC ot TOD pinch. I wasn't too worried as I figured the pinch would tighten up over time, and it has some what. Anyway, thought you guys might get a kick out of that story!

[generalFROSTY]

I've seen photographic examples, and even John's bashing video that illustrates the concept of the 'Turn', however I think it would be a good idea - especially for the interest of new fans and buyers alike - to have a full demonstration video on the Turn. It doesn't need to be terribly long - just a few minutes, showing all applicable screen shots from the movie compared next to a hat currently available for sale, all with some voice over to help guide the viewer.
I'm a little slow myself - I have ADD and a learning disability and sometimes I can't quite grasp information unless it is presented to me in a combination of visual and audible methods. I belive that some people, though may not suffer from the same disabilites as me, may need a little more stimulatory demonstration on the concept of the Turn.

[BwanaJohn]

Being new to this club, I never heard of The Turn either (as I'm sure a lot of members didn't who sat in the theatre in 1981), that's why I find a lot of these postings informative. As long as my hat doesn't arrive "SA" from the scene of Indy swimming to the plane, I'll be happy!

[EvilDean]

I've seen photographic examples, and even John's bashing video that illustrates the concept of the 'Turn', however I think it would be a good idea - especially for the interest of new fans and buyers alike - to have a full demonstration video on the Turn. It doesn't need to be terribly long - just a few minutes, showing all applicable screen shots from the movie compared next to a hat currently available for sale, all with some voice over to help guide the viewer.
I'm a little slow myself - I have ADD and a learning disability and sometimes I can't quite grasp information unless it is presented to me in a combination of visual and audible methods. I belive that some people, though may not suffer from the same disabilites as me, may need a little more stimulatory demonstration on the concept of the Turn.

imagine mr. Ford himself doing said voice over

[Johnny Fedora]

That would be amazing! He'd never do it but it would be amazing!

Johnny

[BendingOak]

I've seen photographic examples, and even John's bashing video that illustrates the concept of the 'Turn', however I think it would be a good idea - especially for the interest of new fans and buyers alike - to have a full demonstration video on the Turn. It doesn't need to be terribly long - just a few minutes, showing all applicable screen shots from the movie compared next to a hat currently available for sale, all with some voice over to help guide the viewer.
I'm a little slow myself - I have ADD and a learning disability and sometimes I can't quite grasp information unless it is presented to me in a combination of visual and audible methods. I belive that some people, though may not suffer from the same disabilites as me, may need a little more stimulatory demonstration on the concept of the Turn.

Do you not see how I turn the hat and the effect it has on the brim in this video?

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=653214281196

[Garzo]

When I ordered an AB Deluxe from Marc some years ago, it was one of the first things he asked -- Do I want the turn?

I had no idea what he was talking about and was glad he took the time to explain. I ordered it without the turn. While obviously inspired by the films, I wanted the hat how it should be as opposed to a screen-accurate look that may or may not look good on me. I think I also preferred the symmetry of an original bash as opposed to the crazy curve of the turn. To each his own and if most people prefer the turn, that's great, but I think it's good for customers to have the choice.

[Fedora]

To each his own and if most people prefer the turn, that's great, but I think it's good for customers to have the choice

I am for choice, would be insane not to be. But, everyone MUST understand, that without the turn, any Raiders fedora you get, is not accurate. The look of the crown, as well as the brim is affected greatly by the turn. Without the turn, you just have a fedora, with a tight front crease. When you turn a hat, the crown's transition of the sides to the top, changes. The different radius that is on the back of the hat, is pulled around to the sides of the hat, somewhat, the other side of that hat is pulled around to become the part of the back of the hat, and this totally changes the look of the crown. It distorts the original blockshape. No distortion, no real deal Raiders look. As long as the customer understands that, and does not expect his unturned hat to look like the film hat, everything is good to go.


When someone orders a Raiders hat from me, it gets the turn, as that IS the Raiders hat. I am working on one now, that had a "no turn" request. So, I did not turn it. And it looks just like a regular fedora now, but with a tight front crease. As you can see hats just like it, in old films. A no turned Raiders fedora still looks great, but sure doesn't look like a Raider fedora, just a fedora. IMO. Fedora

[Garzo]

I definitely understand where you're coming from and you deliver what you advertise -- an accurate Raider's fedora.

But like many folks here mentioned, I think there are lots of people out there (most non-COW members and therefore not as obsessed with detail like us Indy nuts) who have no idea about the turn nor even the differences between a Raiders, ToD, LC or even Crystal Skull bash. And for them a Raiders hat is just a general term for any Indiana Jones hat.

Having said that, back when I ordered my AB Deluxe from Marc, I did not care for the turn after Marc explained to me what it was, but I did very much dig the stovepipe look of the Raiders hat over the more mundane looking hats of the sequels (this was way back when Crystal Skull was nothing more than a sparkle in George Lucas' eye).

In any case, I suppose buyers should be more aware of what it is they are buying and especially with the Internet it is much easier to inform oneself these days, but a lot of times they just won't know and thus depend on the good seller for detailed information.
The first time I ever bought a Wested, I found the simple explanation Peter had on his website detailing the differences between the Raiders jacket versus the ToD and LC styles to be really helpful.