About the Herbert Johnson Poet

[ninman]

I'm curious about the Herbert Johnson Poet from this website.

http://www.swaineadeneybrigg.com/store/ ... t/poet-hat" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Now, the hat on the website looks quite good, nice colour, nice crease etc. I'm wondering if that's what it actually looks like if you ordered one when it arrives.

The other thing that I'm curious about is that the creases they've put into that hat look quite different from the creases on the original Raiders hat. What I'm noticing is that it has a kind of diamond crease, the back of the hat appears to be way higher than the front, and the side dents go a lot further back.

I actually think it looks quite good personally, and was considering copying it on my Fed 4 that I ordered. I'm just wondering what people think of it, and if anyone can tell me what the real hat looks like if I was to order one (which I wasn't planning to btw, but I'd really like to know the difference between the hat on the website and a real one).

Thanks guys.

[backstagejack]

I'm curious about the Herbert Johnson Poet from this website.

http://www.swaineadeneybrigg.com/store/ ... t/poet-hat" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Now, the hat on the website looks quite good, nice colour, nice crease etc. I'm wondering if that's what it actually looks like if you ordered one when it arrives.

The other thing that I'm curious about is that the creases they've put into that hat look quite different from the creases on the original Raiders hat. What I'm noticing is that it has a kind of diamond crease, the back of the hat appears to be way higher than the front, and the side dents go a lot further back.

I actually think it looks quite good personally, and was considering copying it on my Fed 4 that I ordered. I'm just wondering what people think of it, and if anyone can tell me what the real hat looks like if I was to order one (which I wasn't planning to btw, but I'd really like to know the difference between the hat on the website and a real one).

Thanks guys.

I don't have one but everything I've heard about the current offer that is available is poor quality especially for the price. To begin with it's a factory made hat now and for that price, factory made? No thank you.


A search through the forum brings up comments like this....

http://indygear.com/cow/viewtopic.php?f ... hilit=Poet

Generally (although I have heard they have improved of late) the opinions are negative.

They have not been made with the Brazilian felt used in the original movie since the original movie.

The current version (or at least until recently, the "current version") has used very poor quality felt that was prone to tapering just from being looked at sideways.

I have 2. One (which has never been wet because I live in the San Joaquin Valley in California) tapered and shrunk within a year to about 2/3 its original height.

http://indygear.com/cow/viewtopic.php?f ... hilit=Poet

In a year or so you will have to spend more money to replace the HJ.

Also, since the company is used to catering to Royalty, etc.... that any questions and orders from people just wanting an Indiana Jones hat are treated fairly bad. Maybe they've changed their attitudes recently.

I've also heard that it might come creased right, it might come in any manner of ways.

I definitely get the fact that it's from the original maker..... but it's not going to be anything near the Raiders hat and might, just might look like the LC Pier hat....

For that price and the iffy customer service and quality, I'd shop with some of our better vendors, Penman, Garrison, etc which will produce great quality and a custom hand made hat.

I've also heard that you can buy a Christy's fedora which is possibly the exact same felt that HJ uses with maybe (??) the same block but with a much cheaper price tag.

I'm sure others on this forum have more opinions and actually own one.....

[whipwarrior]

AdVintage is a licensed distributor of HJ Poets which are custom styled to be more screen accurate than the standard offering from Swaine Adeney. You might consider them if you're in the market for a HJ.

[ninman]

Yeah, but the bash they put in it looks quite cool in the pictures. I'm just wondering how that bash looks in reality if I was to do it on my own hat.

[Chewbacca Jones]

It's really just a very basic center dent. The dent is in the wider side, but I find this a common styling on hand creased factory hats that are supposed to suggest Indy. Some look better than others.
I'm sure the Fed will take that style well, or a diamond crease. I just think you will have to be very deliberate about it. The soft felt if an HJ dents that way more naturally, I think.

[ninman]

Really? But it's got some odd features. Like the back is higher than the front, and the side dents go back really far, almost to the rear of the hat. Also the centre dent looks quite "round", in the sense that's it kind of flared out to the sides.

[Chewbacca Jones]

Well, the angle isn't great, and I can only see the second pic on my tiny smartphone, so I could be wrong. The long side dents are often characteristic of a diamond crease, but not the high back, so who knows? Having owned an HJ once, I would guess that if they made the back lower the crown would have tapered dramatically. Plus, it isn't that unusual of a style. It's just a choice.

I have found that sometimes a crown just caves in, if you will, when you crease it. If you want narrower or smaller creases, then, you usually have to do more sculpting. But if you just knock it in there, they can be unpredictable. When I crease a hat, I like to see what the felt wants to do and work with it, see if I like it before I force it to do something else. I have one hat that has a sort of soft diamond on only one side! For some reason, it just likes being that way.

I would say, though, if you think you see a diamond, and that's what you want, go for it. Diamond creases are awesome.

[backstagejack]

Personally it almost has a slight YIJC bash from the later episodes Peacocks eye and the like.


But yes, Chewie is right.... you can put that bash in the Akubra easily and if you don't like it, it can always go back to whatever you like.


Right now, my Akubra has a diamond crease after years of just a normal center dent. I just steamed it over boiling water and went to work.

[Glenville86]

I bought one of the Advintage Christy's fedora as from what I have read it is the same basic hat as the HJ. Felt must be stiffened some from Advintage as it is not floppy at all.

[jones the whip]

This hat was bought from Swaine Adeney Brigg in London quite a long time ago. I visited the store when it was in St James Street, not sure if it's still there.





This 3rd pic is pretty much how it looked on it's original bash from S.A.B.
Cheers,
JTW.

[backstagejack]

He's mostly interested in the bash of the promo pic and how it will look on another hat not the HJ apparently.

I find the bash to be oddly similar to the YIJC one when the hat started getting really abused...

[adiemilio]

When I was in search of a HJ I also loved the picture from the Swaine Adeney, but I was not going to pay $363 dlls plus 104 dlls shipping for a factory hat that you can't even have it re-blocked someday, I went for the adVintage one, it's the same and only cost around $220 shipped, If I recall correct.y the reason this one is cheaper is because Thomas from AdVintage deals with HJ directly, now about that crease you can send Thomas the picture and he should be able to do it, or even yourself it's not that hard.

But it's all up to you, I decided to sell my HJ and get me a real hat that would look great and purchased an Adventurebilt, I don't regret it not even a bit, I know we all want that Screen Accuracy, I was also very skeptic from all the negative feedback about HJ but until you have both in your hands you will know what you are dealing with, my AB I can have it wet and I know it would be just fine, but the HJ a little rain drops and the hat will say "Adios Señor", the AB will also come with the original Raiders ribbon, also the bow on the Swaine Adeney I can notice it's stitched from the middle piece. You can also go with a Penman, hat quality is great as AB, it's little bit cheaper and will also include a nice hat box.


check my post on the HJ,

http://indygear.com/cow/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=65187" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[RayROnline]

Did I just miss it, or did no one mention that Steel & Jones does a killer HJ replica?
And, while not inexpensive, it is reasonable in price and extremely well made by hand.

[Indy Magnoli]

Personally it almost has a slight YIJC bash from the later episodes Peacocks eye and the like.

Exactly what I thought when I saw the photos on their site!

[Jeremiah]

I agree.