How to get the taper out of my Henry?

lovemyfedora · Post by **lovemyfedora** » Mon Feb 27, 2012 8:08 am

So, this has been bothering me for quite some time. I finally decided to address the issue that has been nagging me.

While I LOVE my Henry, it has a slight taper (more so on the left side of the crown) that I would really like to get rid of. It is a slight taper, but I would really love a more stove pipe look. So to all you experts out there, is there a good way to get rid of the taper and achieve that stove pipe look with a Henry?

Would I need to reblock it? And if so, where should I turn? Is it worth the trouble?

Thanks for your advice guys.

jlee562 · Post by **jlee562** » Mon Feb 27, 2012 1:35 pm

Wouldn't really bother me, but to each his own. Yes, re-block is the way to go. If John Penman is accepting re-blocks, he of course has a nice set of Indy blocks.

lovemyfedora · Post by **lovemyfedora** » Mon Feb 27, 2012 1:37 pm

Fabulous! I actually got my Henry from John. I was fortunate enough to get to come down to his shop and meet him in person. I will reach out to him and see if his is up for it. Thanks!

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Mon Feb 27, 2012 4:22 pm

Can you post a side view. I'm thinking that the top of your side creases are to high.

lovemyfedora · Post by **lovemyfedora** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 11:57 am

So, I used the tea kettle in my hotel room here in Prague and did a little steaming. As advised I made the center bash a bit deeper and tried to flatten the sides of the crown to give the appearance of less taper. I think it looks good, but it has that just steamed stiff feel. This is the first time I steamed my henry and I hated to do it. Do you all think reblocking would give it this shape without the need for steam?

I still love my henry and should probably just love it the way it is... Still like many of you, I have a disease. I want a Raiders hat.

John, is that a service you are still up for providing? If so, would love to PM on the details. Thanks all!

jnicktem · Post by **jnicktem** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:35 pm

Looks to me like if you bring down the front pinch by just a bit it should take care of some of the problem you are having.

For instance, this is a side view of my Penman Raiders:

lovemyfedora · Post by **lovemyfedora** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:39 pm

Hmmmmm... Interesting. I notice the angle of your pinch line is much steeper than mine. Is that what you are referring to?

jnicktem · Post by **jnicktem** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:53 pm

I recommend popping the bash out, and then reforming it, this time starting from the top dent. Make sure you bring the front pinch just a tad lower than it currently is. Try to get the the crown height closer to what you see on my hat. Then put in the front pinch and side bashes. I think you have just too much height and that is your problem.

Sammy · Post by **Sammy** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:56 pm

The arc of your crown from front to back looks too high. The center has a high peak (looking at side view). If I'm correct, I think the back should only be SLIGHTLY lower than the front center crease.

I also notice jnicktem's bow-side dent is at a sharper 45 degree angle and peaks right around the center knot of his bow. Yours seems to have less of an angle and peaks just before the center knot.

whiskyman · Post by **whiskyman** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:14 pm

I think what John meant was lowering the side dent corners, this might help the hat widen out again at the top. Here's what I mean.

lovemyfedora · Post by **lovemyfedora** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:32 pm

All great advice guys. Thanks! So I did the best I could here in my hotel room and got it to the point where I need to stop. I think I am on the right track, but still something just isnt working. I may go the reblock route when I get back to the States. This hat hasnt exactly been babied so maybe it would be a good idea anyway.

Here is where I am at. I was able to the arc a bit lower and the side dent corners back just a bit farther.

But, now the front view just looks funky.

jnicktem · Post by **jnicktem** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:39 pm

I think it looks a lot better! Although on the side view I did notice near the top center where the side dent meets the top of the crown; there is still a little bit of an arc forming in the felt. If you could smooth that out a bit it should help.

lovemyfedora · Post by **lovemyfedora** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:49 pm

Okay, I got that out. But my only concern is that my top bash is becoming rounder and rounder. I guess I always thought it was supposed to be more of a thin wedge. Which would explain why my crown was so tall and tapered. My center bash wasnt deep enough or wide enough.

jnicktem · Post by **jnicktem** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:53 pm

Do you have a pic showing the top dent?

lovemyfedora · Post by **lovemyfedora** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 2:00 pm

Yup. here you go.

It is pretty wide and round. Only way I could get the stove pipe shape you guys have been helping me find.

Sammy · Post by **Sammy** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 2:49 pm

APL · Post by **APL** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 3:11 pm

I believe the center-dent has become too wide and deep. While it does help the sides stay straiter, you can also get a similar affect with even less of a dent. Start back at the beginning with the center dent, then work backwards (less dent) and see how that goes. JMO, I went through the same thing with taper in my Fed IV and it was mostly because my front pinches weren't deep enough but my center dent on top was too deep. Hopefully that helps and doesn't make things worse.

Just remember, do what makes you happy, not what you think will look the most like it's from raiders.

whiskyman · Post by **whiskyman** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 3:52 pm

Can't you leave the side dents as they are and push up the center dent into more valley like shape?
Incidently, this has got me rebashing my own Henry into a more deliberate Raiders shape. Pics soon.

Post by **Michaelson** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 4:40 pm

Hold still...we'll get the taper out for you......

lovemyfedora · Post by **lovemyfedora** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 4:44 pm

LOL! That might just work! Steady... Steady... Steaddddddddddyyyyyy... lol

Post by **Michaelson** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 4:53 pm

We're here to help.....

stones · Post by **stones** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 6:52 pm

I had a problem with a Fed that had tapered abit. I took the liner out and steamed the hat and put a hat stretcher in and tensioned it. A bit more steam and a bit more tension. The result has been great. Got rid of the taper and it has a good boxy profile.

cheers

stones

Indiana Bugs · Post by **Indiana Bugs** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 5:52 pm

That hat has a teardrop top, not a center dent. A teardrop will push the sides out and make them straighter up, but Indy's hat has a center dent.

Definitely start over by wetting or steaming the hat and pushing it out. Then after it dries, push in a shallow center dent, and follow what has been posted above. If the hat has shrunk past the point of what you like, you'll probably need a reblock. And if you're the industrious type, buy a block and do it yourself. I reblock my own hats and find it a very enjoyable experience for a number of reasons: I like doing things myself because it gives me great satisfaction, and blocking and rebuilding hats is sort of a lost art, in that very few men today wear fedoras to begin with, so there are less people in the industry than half a century or more ago that know how it is done.

How to get the taper out of my Henry?

How to get the taper out of my Henry?

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