Raiders hat by a vintage block

Holt · Post by **Holt** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 4:49 pm

I have been searching for 4 years now without any luck and just recently I finally found one from the early 1900. maby late 1800's

here it is...

just pulled it of the block and gave it a quick bash. I only had a 2 minute tango with it and it brings out a very awesome Raiders look. Very Raven bar / well of souls look and with alittle more heavy tweaking I am sure it brings out the best SOC look ever I think.

Adventure Dog · Post by **Adventure Dog** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 4:53 pm

Not only do you know how to make a hat have the right shape, you know how to photograph it!
The hat looks great, especially for a quick tango with it! I love those first two pictures! They really show off the nice "Seagull" shape of the top of the hat!

iwantamorganreelbad1 · Wed Oct 12, 2011 6:23 pm

Iwantamorganreelbad1 likes this.

Indiana Bugs · Post by **Indiana Bugs** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 6:38 pm

Beauty. I love the shape.

Post by **Dr. Nebraska S.** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 7:05 pm

Eric, your skills with Indy hats never cease to amaze me! Well done!

Best wishes,
NS

Local Land Surveyor · Post by **Local Land Surveyor** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 7:25 pm

Nice, Holt. Very Nice.

Dittos what Nebraska said. You definitely have the eye for the Raiders hat bash style and what angles instantly work as a frame of reference. That appears to be a good block to work a hat on.

LLS

Post by **Dalexs** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 7:35 pm

Very nice.
Out of curiosity, are there any numbers stamped on the block?

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parttime · Post by **parttime** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 7:38 pm

Very nice! Well done

-Dusty

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 7:47 pm

Dalexs wrote:Very nice.
Out of curiosity, are there any numbers stamped on the block?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk.

666.

Oh, wait, those are the numbers on the back of his head.

fifthchamber · Post by **fifthchamber** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 7:47 pm

Great job mate..

That shape looks spot on for what I see in the scenes you mention...Impressive work!

lantzn · Post by **lantzn** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:52 pm

What brand of hat is that? I can't believe how nice it came out!

akasha1963 · Post by **akasha1963** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 11:45 pm

Looks awesome. WIsh I could send you my hat to reblock.

Bdgsi11 · Post by **Bdgsi11** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 12:33 am

Man, that hat is beautiful!

Excellent job, Holt. Your skills with these hats always amaze me every time.

darthbish · Post by **darthbish** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 2:20 am

NICE......
any chance of some pics of the block??

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 2:45 am

That's fantastic!! Well done dude!!..Mine's in the post to you..

Is that your Fed?

Ian

APL · Post by **APL** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 10:14 am

That is cool, can we see the block and some specs? I'm interested to know more. Thanks!

Holt · Post by **Holt** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 3:12 pm

Thanks guys!

I think this block is nearly identical to what the raiders block was. it just looks so right from every angle. I am extremely picky with the blocks and have sent back a few that was not quite right to what I was looking for. like I said, 4 years, it's been a long road to get there but now I finally have it now.

I will post pictures of the block soon. Just came home from shooting a silent film. I'm tired. Anyways, the block is very old and it looks old. cracks everywhere.

pics soon

Holt · Post by **Holt** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 3:22 pm

lantzn wrote:What brand of hat is that? I can't believe how nice it came out!

Just my fed4

kwad · Post by **kwad** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 4:42 pm

Holt,

You really have put that old Akubra through the ringer and it just keeps getting better looking!

-Kevin

Solent MKIII · Post by **Solent MKIII** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 7:44 pm

Whoah!

Excellent reblock!

That sucker just screams Raven bar. Great job on finding the block - I think the wait was well worth it.

darthbish · Post by **darthbish** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 8:58 pm

Holt wrote:Thanks guys!

I think this block is nearly identical to what the raiders block was. it just looks so right from every angle. I am extremely picky with the blocks and have sent back a few that was not quite right to what I was looking for. like I said, 4 years, it's been a long road to get there but now I finally have it now.

I will post pictures of the block soon. Just came home from shooting a silent film. I'm tired. Anyways, the block is very old and it looks old. cracks everywhere.

pics soon

That'd be excellent….
I dunno about anyone else, but I find that there's often a bit of a 'cabal' like attitude to sharing details of blocks here, so a few a pics, and measurements would be GREAT Holt.
I'm sure many of us would appreciate them.
Thanks

Holt · Post by **Holt** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 5:42 am

an update..

I snapped a few more pictures of it. I have tweaked it some more but not much. I haven't had the time and quiet frankly I don't think it's needed. not with this block. I'll maby just see what time does with it..

EDIT

and the siluette of the fedora compared to mine. in this shot you really can the the reverse tapere of Indy's hat. (I flipped my picture to compare with Indy's)

Hollowpond · Post by **Hollowpond** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 6:19 am

Just seeing this now...GREAT job Eric!!!!! Look forward to seeing pics of the block.

Holt · Post by **Holt** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 8:08 am

EDIT.

NEW PICTURES WILL COME.

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 9:18 am

Looks spot on especially on the first 2 shots. That block looks very straight sided. Did you tighten the ribbon for the reverse taper or is that just how it settles after removal from the block?
You've a very good eye dude!

Ian

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Chiliana Jones · Post by **Chiliana Jones** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 9:51 am

awesome Holt!
think about it: maybe it's THE hatblock that HJ used for the original raiders hat you got there. you'll never know

regards

CJ

Holt · Post by **Holt** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 9:52 am

the thought has crossed my mind my friend

Holt · Post by **Holt** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 10:30 am

Who knows. maby this is THE real thing? probbaly not but maby it's little brother?

remember, I did not bash it to look like a specfic scene hat. I just gave it a quick bash and it turned out like this...

EDIT

APL · Post by **APL** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 10:32 am

Holt wrote:Who knows. maby this is THE real thing? probbaly not but maby it's little brother?

remember, I did not bash it to look like a specfic scene hat. I just gave it a quick bash and it turned out like this...

Wow, I can't believe how spot on that is! Nice job!!

Holt · Post by **Holt** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 10:48 am

Front view of the Raiders hat.

pretty awesome and spot on to me.

Mitch LaRue · Post by **Mitch LaRue** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 12:30 pm

Simply outstanding!

Exceptional work, Holt!

Mulceber · Post by **Mulceber** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 12:48 pm

I think the real question here, Holt, is "when are you going to open your own hat shop?" You consistently produce perfect Raiders hats. -M

Holt · Post by **Holt** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 12:59 pm

lol.

Pwrsrce · Post by **Pwrsrce** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 2:31 pm

Ok...I know I'm the new guy...(guilty as charged)...

But that is AMAZING!

The likeness to the screen used hat is pretty uncanny. Very nice!

Jason

IndyFan71 · Post by **IndyFan71** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 3:52 pm

This thread reminded me of a question I'd forgotten to ask in the past when I was trying to look for a block to reform my own tapered lid. Out of both curiousity and ignorance, is there an unwritten rule that folks shouldn't share thier block information or make a mold to share with the community?

It seems a boon to share in this hobby, but I can understand the money side as well. What's the "unwritten" on the subject?

Thanks,

Indyfan71

Mulceber · Post by **Mulceber** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 5:33 pm

I think people typically don't share it, but that's only because most of the people who have these hat blocks are in the hatmaking business, and so it would be giving away a trade secret.

Holt wrote:lol.

You act like I'm joking.

iirc, you're in Europe, aren't you Holt? There'd definitely be a market for you there, as it seems like the only Indy Hats Europeans regularly have access to are Advintage, AB Deluxe and the Fed IV...not to mention HJ

Something to think about. I'm no expert, but I think you could definitely make a business out of it if you wanted. -M

darthbish · Post by **darthbish** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 6:27 pm

Mulceber wrote:I think people typically don't share it, but that's only because most of the people who have these hat blocks are in the hatmaking business, and so it would be giving away a trade secret.-M

All the more reason why it's nice to see some pics from Holt

..(although some bigger ones and measurements would be great too)..

I, and I'm sure a few others, would love to have a go at making their own Block, and lets be realistic here....I doubt anyone of us would be lurking around just waiting for that ideal photo, so we could give up our dayjobs, go to all the effort/time/expense/RISK etc of starting out own business and RULE the hatmaking world.......with one style of hat

I would never expect the guys from Adventurbilt or Penman Hats to show their block....They've put a lot of work into their creations and they're rightly theirs, but a find like this should be shared for everyone to see...IMHO that is.

Forrest For the Trees · Sat Oct 15, 2011 1:06 am

Astonishing results! Where did you find the block, Holt?

Indiana Greg · Post by **Indiana Greg** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 8:26 am

#52 block? did'ja leave the sweat & ribbon in place? GREAT JOB!

Holt · Post by **Holt** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 4:25 pm

the latest..

gave it alittle spin and voila!

Indiana Bugs · Post by **Indiana Bugs** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 4:50 pm

Outstanding!

Bdgsi11 · Post by **Bdgsi11** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 5:56 pm

Looks great! Love the camel humps.

how were you able to form them, if ya don't mind me asking?

Holt · Post by **Holt** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 6:03 pm

no of course not. but the answer is simple,.. it's the block. it gives that extra Raiders magic and if you tweak it right it brings it out. I tried to get the same 'humps' with christies hat or the fed when I first got it and I couldn't bring it out like this...

Bdgsi11 · Post by **Bdgsi11** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 10:46 pm

I absolutely love it! Great job, holt for sourcing such a brilliantly accurate block!

darthbish · Post by **darthbish** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 11:34 pm

Holt wrote:no of course not. but the answer is simple,.. it's the block. it gives that extra Raiders magic and if you tweak it right it brings it out. I tried to get the same 'humps' with christies hat or the fed when I first got it and I couldn't bring it out like this...

That's great

Any pics/details??

Holt · Post by **Holt** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 10:29 am

here is alittle better picture of the gear and the hat.

(picture flipped back to normal)

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 10:48 am

Amazing dude. It looks nothing like a fed to me at all.
How hard did you work this to get it to a completely different shape? Looks like you just used the fed as a raw body. Again, amazing work dude.

Ian
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Holt · Post by **Holt** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 10:57 am

thanks.

it's just what I did. took one of my old feds. soaked it. took of the ribbon and use it only as a raw body to make a new hat out of it. then I turned it, bashed it and tweaked the details.

I'm really thinking of doing this to HJ's little brother. the hornet.

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 11:08 am

You reckon the felt would take it?

Ian

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Holt · Post by **Holt** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 11:11 am

I hope so..

I have an old one laying around in my closet somewhere....