My Herbert Johnson

[IndianaJonathan]

Fellow Adventurers,

I just posted the slideshow/storyboard for my Indiana Jones and the Spear of Destiny on Vimeo.

http://www.vimeo.com/16596998

My hat is a Herbert Johnson Poet from 2008. I have done a lot of shaping and weathering to try to replicate the Raiders Hat, although, according to them, it was shaped on the same block as the Last Crusade hat. I have worn it almost every day since April 2008.

Indiana Jonathan

[Fedora]

Enjoyed the story board! Thanks for posting. Fedora

[Strider]

Cool story board, and good looking hat! Though, Indy with a snub nosed pistol looks weird.

[IndianaJonathan]

Federo and Strider,

Thanks Gents! Yes, I would have at least preferred getting my hands on an S&W .38 Special at the very least, even though I have my sights set on an M1917.

The .38 snub was what I had to work with on a very limited budget. C'est la vie!

Indiana Jonathan

[Strider]

Oh, I understand limited budgets! Bravo for forging ahead and making a good movie with what ya got!

[HerbertJohnsonFan]

Where did you get your HJ? I got mine from Todd's Costumes and I heard that the HJ's that they get are not blocked from the original Raider's block and so on and so forth...

[Mulceber]

Yeah, but frankly the Herbert Johnson's from Herbert Johnson aren't blocked on the original Raiders block either, so it doesn't make a whole lot of difference. -M

[HerbertJohnsonFan]

True dat

[albert jones]

really very cool ,fantastic. congratulations

[IndianaJonathan]

My Fellow Adventurers,

HerbertJohnsonFan and Legendary Adventurer:

I got my Herbert Johnson Poet through the mail from Swaine Adeney Brigg, who, as you probably know, owns Herbert Johnson.

I've owned quite a few hats over the years, some of them my Granddad's from the 30s and 40s, and I have to say the felt is a very good quality.

Yeah, wouldn't we all like an HJ from the Raiders block! I do believe that, as they assured me, they shaped this hat on the Last Crusade block. What's more important than that, though, is how each of us shapes the hat we choose. A little steam or a moist spring day can make the felt very receptive. I love my HJ.

Indiana Jonathan

[HerbertJohnsonFan]

Thats awesome IndianaJohnathan,

I got mine from Todd's costumes and I absolutely love it! I originally believed that it was blocked from the Raiders block, but like everyone has said, I have since learned that it is most likely a LC hat. (Hey, no complaints from there!) I have also tried my best to shape it to Raiders standards with decent results.

I'll upload a pic if anyone wants to see it.

[Mitch LaRue]

Count me in as someone who'd like a look!

[HerbertJohnsonFan]

What do you guys think?
Comments, critiques? I'd appreciate any.

[Indiana Bugs]

I like the lines, although Im not sure about the amount of tilt-back on the pinch's vertical rise - maybe a wee bit too much.

BUT . . .

That doesnt make it bad. Like I said, I like the lines. Its just something I noticed.

[Mitch LaRue]

Just like Bugs said, there's certainly nothing wrong with that either...
It sure has a lot of distinctive character, too... I like it when someone has one of these hats and it's truly "their own" for the very reason that it tilts or swoops a little more this way or that...
I like it onya, HJF!

[HerbertJohnsonFan]

Thanks for all the compliments and comments guys! I really love this hat, and it will no doubt accompany me on many adventures

~HJF

[HerbertJohnsonFan]

By the by, how do you post the smilies??? I'm such a noob.

[Mitch LaRue]

When creating a post - or responding to someone's comment with one of your own - you'll click on the "Post Reply" button on the bottem-left side of the page... and, of course, that'll take you to the new page where you can write the words of your choosing in the field provided...
As you do, you can simply pick any spot in the structure of your comment and use your mouse to bring the cursor over to any of the little smiley-emoticon-thingies located on the left side of the comment field and simply click on them...
When you do, it zaps a little punctuation version of the smiley you've chosen here in your text... Then, once you've finished your writing, you click on the "submit" button it will post the text AND smiley as they appear on a posted page.
Here's an example... I'm going to go and click on one of them now Ta-da!
You might also note that at the botton of the grouping of smilies it says "View More Smilies"... clicking on that will open another window with - you guessed it - additional smilies.
Once again simply click on what you want and you're good to go.

Hope this helps.
Mitch
(click)

(Oh, and don't sweat being new to this... Everyone here was at some point, too... whether it was on this forum or somewhere else. If you've got questions, ASK 'em... that's what I'VE been doing and the folks here are a pretty great "support group")

[HerbertJohnsonFan]

Ohhh... ok... I was trying to drag them to the messaging space...
gotcha.

Thank you very much!

[Mitch LaRue]

You're quite welcome.

(I figured I was probably the right guy to answer this question since - and if you ask anyone here they'll likely back me up on this - I've had plenty of experience using the bold font, italics, underlining AND, of course, the smilies)

[IndianaJonathan]

Herbert Johnson Fan,

That is a beautiful hat! I love everything I have ever gotten from Todd's. Their attention to detail is amazing!

Kudos on such a fine one! The shape is excellent. When did you get it from Todd's?

Indiana Jonathan

[HerbertJohnsonFan]

If I'm correct... it was around or before Crystal Skull came out. So I dunno, 2008-ish? For some reason when I went back to their site, I didn't see the HJ available anymore, so I guess they discontinued them? But yeah I love my hat, and yours as well!

Tell me though... I have been contemplating a re-block with this hat, but I'm not sure if that is a wise decision.
Can anyone give me some advice in this area? (Such as, will that hat rip apart if i do)

Thanks,
HJF

[DR Ulloa]

A skilled hatter would probably be able to reblock that hat, but that felt is prone to shrinking since they are dry blocked. Both the HJ and Christy's are made in the same factory using the same materials and I reblocked a Christy's and lost a lot of crown height and brim width in that reblock. The felt is much more stable now, but it doesn't resemble the hat I first purchased in the least.

Dave

[HerbertJohnsonFan]

Ok, that certainly helps my decision quite a bit... In stinks though because even though my hat has a superb shape, the crown is not to Raiders standards

[DR Ulloa]

That's what happens when you introduce water to a hat that has been dry blocked, the crown begins to taper like that. Sometimes humidity is enough to do it. Sometimes, just changing the crease is a great way to change the shape of your crown. Put a nice four point crease in it and it will take away most of the taper. Its all in the crease.

Dave

[HerbertJohnsonFan]

Hey thanks for the advice! Can you link me to a creasing tutorial? I'm kind of a noob.

[DR Ulloa]

http://kennydrew.com/indy/Raiders_fedor ... lounge.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This one has popped up over the years and is the best one, in my opinion. Whiskeyman can crease a hat like no ones business. Also, John Penman has a crease tutorial video which may be more helpful if you are a really visual person, like me. That one should be stickied at the top of the Fedora page.

Dave

[HerbertJohnsonFan]

Hey thanks for the post, Dave!