Fedora Block

Dangerman009 · Post by **Dangerman009** » Fri Jun 04, 2010 10:56 am

Not as in a block to put the hat over. Recently I've tried to bash my hat in a non Indy style. I don't know if it's because I've tried for so long to achieve the Raiders look or because it's emblazoned on my mind, but as I work it it always goes back to a Raiders look. Any advice on how to overcome this 'fedora block'?

Local Land Surveyor · Fri Jun 04, 2010 11:16 am

Watch TCM (Turner Classic Movies). Watch any "time period" movie dated from 1930's to 1950's. Study the crowns to "re-train" your eye and hand. Bogart, Alan Ladd, Ma and Pa Kettle movies are a few. You'll notice differences in how men styled their hats back then and it will inspire your skill. Try curling the brim in the back. These little things will help draw you away from the Indy hat. That's what I do.

LLS

Indiana G · Post by **Indiana G** » Fri Jun 04, 2010 12:25 pm

These little things will help draw you away from the Indy hat. That's what I do.

slap...............that's for blasphemy!!!

like LLS said, watch alot o movies with fedoras in them. you'll get inspiration in there. also look through the web on fedora offerings: oak has a different bunch of styles, hatsdirect, bats in the bellfry, baron hats (slap!!!.......that's for blasphemy...LOL)

Local Land Surveyor · Fri Jun 04, 2010 12:50 pm

slap...............that's for blasphemy!!!

...to boldly go ............

Sometime you just have to force youself to go in the other direction.

LLS

Dangerman009 · Post by **Dangerman009** » Fri Jun 04, 2010 2:55 pm

Indiana G wrote:slap...............that's for blasphemy!!!

I'm no stranger to classic movies. In fact I just saw The Maltese Falcon again this past week. Two of my favorites are Foreign Correspondent and The Big Sleep. The Lady Vanishes is in the queue also.

I think my favorite movie hat is Gary Cooper's in The Fountainhead.

I have the Raiders hat emblazoned in my mind that each time I try to style it differently, it just becomes a Raiders hat again.

Indiana Bugs · Post by **Indiana Bugs** » Fri Jun 04, 2010 3:00 pm

Hats have memory. If they have been holding one crease for a long time, its gonna be hard to retrain them to hold another crease. Theyre gonna wanna go back to what they know.

Sometimes, the best way to completely retrain a hat is to take it apart and reblock it either 90 or 180 degrees from where its acustomed to being. Of course, then the sweat and liner must be installed in that new direction.

Even then, you may have to play with it for a while to convince it to hold its new shape.

DR Ulloa · Post by **DR Ulloa** » Fri Jun 04, 2010 7:27 pm

Hats do have a memory and a reblock can wipe it clean, but you should always reblock the hat in exactly the same position it was originally blocked. That original block shape that is set in is long term memory, if you will, while creases are short term. If you reblock a hat off center, it won't look right. Maybe John or David can chime in on this?

Dave

Dangerman009 · Post by **Dangerman009** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 10:11 am

If I reblocked it off center, that would throw the brim all out of whack. Would I be able to smooth it out? Yesterday I wet the outside of the crown and put it on the block. After it had dried a little I hit it with an iron. It's dry today and I thought I'd give it another iron treatment.

Local Land Surveyor · Post by **Local Land Surveyor** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 2:47 pm

Dangerman009 wrote:If I reblocked it off center, that would throw the brim all out of whack. Would I be able to smooth it out? Yesterday I wet the outside of the crown and put it on the block. After it had dried a little I hit it with an iron. It's dry today and I thought I'd give it another iron treatment.

What you're doing should "take out" previous bash lines and in a way "re-set" the felt. If the brim doesn't show signs of going "wonky-wavy", you probably centered it on the block just fine. You surely want to make sure the hat is completely dry before removing it from the block. This will help. The Gary Gooper pics are a good guide. His hat is roughed up and is hand-shaped. If your top bash doesn't come out "even" around the top, don't fret it. G.C.'s hat isn't even. Also, the front is a relaxed crease compared to the Raiders Indy hat.

LLS

Dangerman009 · Post by **Dangerman009** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 3:27 pm

LLS, that's just the problem. The top of whatever bash I put in comes out even, or almost even. After ironing it again, the hat doesn't seem to remember the previous crease. In the 30s and 40s, how did men 'shape' their hats? Did they just pick them up over and over in the same way or was there more thought to it.

Kentucky Blues · Post by **Kentucky Blues** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 5:19 pm

I'm pretty sure they just put in (or maybe the hatter or salesman just put in) a shape by hand, and winged it, and they just didn't worry too much about making it look perfect. They put the basic shape they wanted it to have (probably knowing that their head would do to it what it wished) and let it stick.

-Daryl

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 8:43 pm

I'm not exactly clear on everything that's going on with your hat but what does the block look like ?and how tall did you block the crown?

The hat from the movie looks to me to have a taller and much more tapper crown than a Indy hat. Post some pics of the block please?

John

Dangerman009 · Post by **Dangerman009** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 11:19 am

Pictures coming soon.

Dangerman009 · Post by **Dangerman009** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 7:25 pm

Don't laugh, but I made this block around four years ago.

It measure just about 5 1/2 inches tall, 8 inches long and 6 1/2 inches wide. When I block the hat I can stretch it so that the sweat band is about 1/4 inch from the bottom.

I realize that this, most likely, isn't the correct shape of block for Cooper's hat in those pictures. I don't want to copy this style per se, I'd just like to give it a nondescript, unique look.

fenris · Post by **fenris** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 7:50 pm

Wow! It's very much the same as the styrofoam block I made myself... Only mine tapers at the bottom to accommodate the sweatband and actually make the hat muffin top (by accident).

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 8:12 pm

Dangerman009 wrote:Don't laugh, but I made this block around four years ago.

It measure just about 5 1/2 inches tall, 8 inches long and 6 1/2 inches wide. When I block the hat I can stretch it so that the sweat band is about 1/4 inch from the bottom.

I realize that this, most likely, isn't the correct shape of block for Cooper's hat in those pictures. I don't want to copy this style per se, I'd just like to give it a nondescript, unique look.

If you want that type of crease you are not going to get it with this block.

gwyddion · Post by **gwyddion** » Mon Jun 07, 2010 7:58 am

Just out of curiosity John, but what kind of block would yield a hat you can put such a bash in? Is the only difference that such a block needs to be tapered, or does the top need to be different as well?

Regards, Geert

Dangerman009 · Post by **Dangerman009** » Mon Jun 07, 2010 9:40 am

Yes, what Geert said.

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Mon Jun 07, 2010 10:32 am

I don't have a photo of the type of block you need for that hat but it would be a tapered block and wouldn't have a flat type top like younhome made block. I am working on a block ( on of many) that should yeld something like this. When I have it in hand I might post photos of it.

John

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