Last Crusade hat ponderings...

[theman]

So I have a ROLA hat coming my way and I have this Christy's sitting here that I am pondering what to do with.
Now that a proper ROLA is coming for completing a ROLA project I would like to have a Last Crusade hat to complete an LC project coming up.
The Christy's I have has a tall crown, about 6 inches worth...I just did a Sable Adventurer order in my size at Hornet and that is what came. I am thinking I need a lot less height for the LC. So I could send this to someone proper to redo it to an LC or I can just sell this one and figure how to get another Christy's with much shorter crown from Hornet or whoever, then bash and shape into an LC. Doing the LC on a budget route so trying to figure the most bang for buck way to see this through. I do count my time into consideration, which since I have little hatter experience messing with altering the hat I have too much may not be a feasible option.

Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[fenris]

You could do what I did (which was by accident) and shorten the crown by reblocking it.

[theman]

I don't have a block and don't have the time to make a block... there an easy/proper way to do the same without a block?

[Fedora]

You need the hat to be shorter? Heck, just steam the top of the crown, and it will shrink. Do it in stages though, a little bit of steam at a time so you don't end up with a 4 inch tall hat. Now, the steaming of the top of the crown might also cause some taper, but the LC hat was, or at least some actually had taper in them already. Think Stetson Temple blockshape. 5 inches tall open crowned hat, that was used in TLC.

I know I could take that hat if it were mine and get a shorter crown really easy. I would just hit the very top with some steam, let it dry and repeat until I lost the height. This felt you are talking about shrinks real easily, as anyone who has worked one will attest to. Just don't steam it farther down the crown, is the key, concentrate on the very top. Fedora

[Chewbacca Jones]

Fedora is right (naturally), but the Christy's already has a slight taper built in. Keep that in mind.

If you're looking to avoid doing any work to it yourself (regardless of reasons), I think a sell-off is in order. Replace it with:
A. Another Christy's through Hornet Hats, and ask for the crown and brim sizes you want.
B. A Federation, shipped directly to a hatter of your choice for alterations if you want any (to save on shipping).
C. Perhaps up your budget a little for a rabbit Penman, (or AB - sorry, Fedora. I forget if you still do them).

Frankly, if your 6" tall Christy's is a 60 or 61, I might consider buying it myself if I can sell a few things I'm working on.

[theman]

Thanks for the suggestions Fedora, much appreciated! And I certainly don't mind trying out some steam method to the top.

I am not trying to avoid doing work to the hat, I am all for trying out some experimentation with the tools I have at hand. I already have enough jacket projects going that there is no way for me to dive into something as time consuming as developing a hat block is all, as I said I count my own man hours into the cost of anything, so if it looked to be too involving I would go a different route with an experienced hatter. I already have a garage of equipment devoted to doing jacket distressing with a little automotive influence as well. Used to be all about the car work from a previous shop I used to run... now it's jackets.

From my understanding the LC went back to an HJ based hat kinda similar to ROLA but with some obvious differences, so the Christy's seemed like a good place to start, just without so much height.

Chewy - Nah a 60-61 with that height wouldn't look nearly as tall since the proportions would be closer to correct, I am working with a much smaller head, about 57... so it definitely needs some shortening to look correct.

[Texan Scott]

That's been an issue with the Christy's is the height. A good reblock, lowering the crown and getting a better SA ribbon might be an option, if John or Steve is so inclined? The Fed IV has a 5 1/4" unbashed crown if you are looking for a low cost alternative.

[DR Ulloa]

I thought the Federation had a 5 1/2'' crown height? Still, compared to 6" on that Christy's, thats a mile!

Dave

[Chewbacca Jones]

Chewy - Nah a 60-61 with that height wouldn't look nearly as tall since the proportions would be closer to correct, I am working with a much smaller head, about 57... so it definitely needs some shortening to look correct.

Wow! That's out there. I have a Christy's with a much lower crown. I would not have expected a 57 to be taller!

Last I checked, the Fed has a 5 1/2" crown.

[Texan Scott]

...missed it by...THAT MUCH!

[theman]

I had a fed4 before... I like the Christy's felt much better. The proportions on the Fed height were better however.

[Kt Templar]

Interestingly, Hornets now include the hats dimensions in the description.

[Chewbacca Jones]

I guess they got tired of being asked.

I'm not sure about crown height, but I know Hornets will take brim width modification requests.

[Texan Scott]

I found out that they will shorten the crown, so going forward, if anyone wants a more SA Cristy's hat, you might want to order it with a shorter crown, ribbon tacked down to the brim break and 2 3/4" front to back brim dimensions.