Ordered Moonstone Fed IV: KotCS Train or ROLA Plane?

AttyOzzy · Post by **AttyOzzy** » Tue Oct 17, 2017 10:11 pm

Hi All,

With winter coming and work requiring formal wear, I decided a grey/light grey hat would look best with my black and dark grey overcoats. So, I ordered the Fed IV Moonstone. I have read the threads as to the very nice work people have done with their Feds/Adventurers/Campdrafts to get both the Clipper and/or the Train look.

I myself am too lazy/impatient/untalented to order the Adventurer, switch out ribbons, cut brims, etc.

So my question really is just a fun one: If you had a Moonstone Fed IV open crown coming your way, would you bash it like the KotCS train or the Raiders plane? I realize there will not be an exact match given the different sizes and shapes of the hats as seen on screen. But I am an amateur looking to give a nice looking hat some Indy flair.

I suppose I am wondering if the Moonstone would look good with the tight pinch Raiders crease, or perhaps a more relaxed front?

Please educate me on your thoughts if you have a free moment. Ty one and all.

AttyOzzy

Charybdis · Post by **Charybdis** » Tue Oct 17, 2017 11:55 pm

I like the Raiders hats so that's what I would choose. Pick what you like and make it yours.

Castor Dioscuri · Post by **Castor Dioscuri** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 1:48 am

I'm a fan of the train look myself, always thought of it as a riding off into the sunset hat. But there's something about the clipper look that hints at coming adventures...

Jeremiah · Post by **Jeremiah** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 1:56 am

Up to you but me, only one hat style does it for me and it’s the raiders with turn.

Screencapped · Post by **Screencapped** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 4:37 pm

Jeremiah wrote:Up to you but me, only one hat style does it for me and it’s the raiders with turn.

I'll say you like the turn...
About 45 degrees worth it looks like.

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Glenville86 · Post by **Glenville86** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 8:58 pm

I favor the CS bash. Never liked the tight pinch much on the Raiders. The CS bash or any variation will make it look like a normal fedora. Nothing against the Raiders bash as it is the first movie fedora but looks more like a movie hat than the CS. Just depends on what you like as that is what matters.

IndyFan89 · Post by **IndyFan89** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 9:10 pm

Here is my Fed IV. TBH I don’t think these hats make great Raiders hats because they’re too stiff.

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Howard Weinstein · Post by **Howard Weinstein** » Thu Oct 19, 2017 8:39 am

Have you thought of maybe combining the elements that you like the best from each into your own unique blend?
With all the variations on Indy's hats, even within a single movie, I've found it tough to pin down an absolute favorite look.
Unless, of course, you're trying to replicate one specific hat from a specific scene.

Between the 2 gray hats, the main variables (other than color) seem to be pinch, brim width (the CS hat looks to me like it has a broader brim), and whether the back of the brim is turned up or down. You could also try a few variations once you get the hat, and see if one looks better on you. That's part of the fun of getting and tweaking a new hat!

Glenville86 · Post by **Glenville86** » Thu Oct 19, 2017 12:20 pm

That is good advice. I have never made my Feds into a particular movie hat 100%.

Have also ordered some finished Indy hats and changed them up some. I even did a teardrop on a Raiders one.

Castor Dioscuri · Post by **Castor Dioscuri** » Thu Oct 19, 2017 12:25 pm

Howard Weinstein wrote:Have you thought of maybe combining the elements that you like the best from each into your own unique blend?
With all the variations on Indy's hats, even within a single movie, I've found it tough to pin down an absolute favorite look.
Unless, of course, you're trying to replicate one specific hat from a specific scene.

Between the 2 gray hats, the main variables (other than color) seem to be pinch, brim width (the CS hat looks to me like it has a broader brim), and whether the back of the brim is turned up or down. You could also try a few variations once you get the hat, and see if one looks better on you. That's part of the fun of getting and tweaking a new hat!

This.

Jeremiah · Post by **Jeremiah** » Thu Oct 19, 2017 11:53 pm

Screencapped wrote:
Jeremiah wrote:Up to you but me, only one hat style does it for me and it’s the raiders with turn.
I'll say you like the turn...
About 45 degrees worth it looks like.

Sent from my SM-T280 using Tapatalk

Yeah. Thanks for the link. It looks awesome. I can’t go a day wearing it without someone commenting on it. And that pic made me customer of the week. And it’s less than 45 degrees.(you’re not too good at estimations are you?). And the felt? Oh my word. I have handled vintage felt that feeled rougher.

Here take a gander
https://imgur.com/gallery/pruvN

Thanks for the publicity.
Just look at this sexy hat.
https://imgur.com/a/ouQFS

Screencapped · Post by **Screencapped** » Fri Oct 20, 2017 12:05 pm

Jeremiah wrote:
Screencapped wrote:
Jeremiah wrote:Up to you but me, only one hat style does it for me and it’s the raiders with turn.
I'll say you like the turn...
About 45 degrees worth it looks like.

Sent from my SM-T280 using Tapatalk

Yeah. Thanks for the link. It looks awesome. I can’t go a day wearing it without someone commenting on it. And that pic made me customer of the week. And it’s less than 45 degrees.(you’re not too good at estimations are you?). And the felt? Oh my word. I have handled vintage felt that feeled rougher.

Here take a gander
https://imgur.com/gallery/pruvN

Thanks for the publicity.
Just look at this sexy hat.
https://imgur.com/a/ouQFS

That "45 degree" remark was an exaggeration obviously but your hat is turned waaay too much for my tastes. The edge of the bow should line up with the edge of the eyebrow if you're going for screen accuracy which apparently you aren't. But of course if you like it in that position cheers to you

Btw, I'll have to disagree with your claim that I'm not good at estimations. At least I'm better than you are at using a ruler.

alaska_mcghee · Post by **alaska_mcghee** » Mon Oct 23, 2017 11:57 am

Thanks to Clipper I am now convinced the ROLA Plane hat has to be Carbon grey. So by default a moonstone grey Federation has to be a KotCS Train hat. Outside of that the Federation is based off of the KotCS hat anyway so it seems only logical. Besides you can evolve your hat just by manhandling it to properly to develop that tight front pinch over time.

My opinion anyway
Johnny

Clipper · Post by **Clipper** » Mon Oct 23, 2017 5:37 pm

alaska_mcghee wrote:Thanks to Clipper I am now convinced the ROLA Plane hat has to be Carbon grey. So by default a moonstone grey Federation has to be a KotCS Train hat. Outside of that the Federation is based off of the KotCS hat anyway so it seems only logical. Besides you can evolve your hat just by manhandling it to properly to develop that tight front pinch over time.
My opinion anyway
Johnny

Glad I could help Alaska. Ya, the moonstone I think is definitely the right color for the KOTCS train hat, though the hat in the movie has a much taller crown and wider brim which the Akubra does not have. But for the price it's pretty darn close. Also, I would do the train bash. Post some pics when you get it. You might get me wanting one!

AttyOzzy · Post by **AttyOzzy** » Sun Oct 29, 2017 6:55 pm

Thank you all so much. I appreciate everyone's input as always!

Funny story - after all this discussion - I had to send the delivered hat back due to some shipping mishandling damage.

But, let me say that Trudi at Akubra customer service is fantastic. Very quick to respond and accommodate. Very pleasant to work with.

I hope everyone has a good Monday tomorrow!

Jeremiah · Post by **Jeremiah** » Sun Oct 29, 2017 9:01 pm

Yeah I agree I wish I could do something about the bow. I know that’s not SA but honestly if I turn it any less I don’t see the effect I like. So with a reblock I guess I could ask the bow be sewn at a different spot so when turned the bow would be not so near the pinch.

Post by **Indiana Jeff** » Mon Oct 30, 2017 10:53 am

alaska_mcghee wrote:Thanks to Clipper I am now convinced the ROLA Plane hat has to be Carbon grey. So by default a moonstone grey Federation has to be a KotCS Train hat. Outside of that the Federation is based off of the KotCS hat anyway so it seems only logical. Besides you can evolve your hat just by manhandling it to properly to develop that tight front pinch over time.
My opinion anyway
Johnny

The Akubra Fed IV was create long before CS as a collaborate effort between IndyGear and Akubra.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

Post by **Michaelson** » Mon Oct 30, 2017 3:05 pm

Correct! A full 8+ years before CS.

Regard! Michaelson

Post by **Dr. Nebraska S.** » Mon Oct 30, 2017 4:11 pm

Indiana Jeff wrote:
The Akubra Fed IV was create long before CS as a collaborate effort between IndyGear and Akubra.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

Michaelson wrote:Correct! A full 8+ years before CS.

Regard! Michaelson

Indiana Jeff and Michaelson, I assume you mean the Federation was created 8 years before CS, instead of the “Fed IV”? I assume the story the others above are mentioning in relation to the Fed IV coming out around the time of CS is this one:
https://hatsdirect.com/pages/the-federation-iv

Mark, would you say that the older hat blocks that you and Steve Delk assisted Hats Direct in choosing for the Fed IV were more similar to either the CS or the Raiders fedora, or not really favoring any of the specific Indy movie fedoras but just in general similar? Or how would you characterize it? I still think your involvement with this was very cool!

Best wishes,
Dr. Nebraska S.

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Post by **Michaelson** » Mon Oct 30, 2017 4:13 pm

I was specifically referring to the entire Fed line.

Lately a lot of folks think the Fed line was created at the time of CS, which it was not.

The original AKubra blocks were actually very close to what was eventually used for the CS block. The grey travel block was one Steve found himself and was blocking MY hats on for years before deciding to use it for that one grey hat in CS. He called it the 'Michaelson' block, as I was the only one he used it for.

Point was, HatsDirect/Akubra looked for a general 1940's era set of blocks that could be used for not only our hobby, but for the then ongoing Swing dance craze that was going on at the time the Federation line was created. They wanted it to be a 'be all-do all' kind of hat block.

Regards! M

Post by **Indiana Jeff** » Mon Oct 30, 2017 4:19 pm

I will have to defer to Michaelson on this one. The Federation line does well pre-date CS, but I don't know when exactly the Fed IV was introduced.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

Post by **Michaelson** » Mon Oct 30, 2017 4:36 pm

Just scrolling through a search, the first mention I can find of a Federation IV was in July 2008, 2 months after CS came out.

Can anybody spot any older posts/threads mentioning the Fed IV by name?

Regard! Michaelson

Post by **Indiana Jeff** » Mon Oct 30, 2017 4:37 pm

There you go, that's shortly before I joined here so by the time I came around the Fed IV was already available.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

Mulceber · Post by **Mulceber** » Mon Oct 30, 2017 4:52 pm

I seem to recall that being right around the time the Fed 4 came out. It may have predated KCS by a few months, but not by much - at least, if I’m remembering correctly.

the Fed line had been around for as long as I’ve been here. Back when I arrived, the Fed 3 was pretty much the only game in town if you weren’t looking to spend a bundle on hats.

Post by **Michaelson** » Mon Oct 30, 2017 5:21 pm

That and the Fed Deluxe.

I was a BIG fan of the Deluxe when it came out.

Regard! M