Club Obi Wan

Man, that AB WORKS with that suit, my friend!! High regards! Michaelson

Going by the look of the sweat, it looks to me a bit large. When you get tired of it, I will fix that-no charge. regards, Fedora

Hi Steve. Yeah It is a bit large. Thanks for you offer. I will try and wear it for a while and then send it to you or Marc

Best regards
Jan

Indiana_Tom wrote:Hey Strider, any pictures of your hat (how it looks NOW)?

Now, I do. Mind you, I have sat on this hat a couple of times, and scrunched it up once or twice. This is how it looks, as of yesterday.

Sorry if the pics are a little blurry, but they were taken with my co - worker's camera phone, which has no flash, so while you may not be able to see my face all that well, you can definetly see the hat. So, without further ado:

Clicky
Clicky

Hope that helps. Sorry for the usual general bad quality of the pics I post.

Regards,

Looks like a raven bar hat a nice one... but we need more pics to judge the "sit-on-it" work

erri_wan wrote:Looks like a raven bar hat a nice one... but we need more pics to judge the "sit-on-it" work

I styled the brim after the Raven bar scenes, so I'm glad it has that look to it. I'm telling you, I've sat on that hat at least twice, and those pics were taken yesterday. That's literally how my hat looks after I've sat on it and distressed it a bit.

Regards,

looks good and it does have that raven bar look.

Some one mentioned a tutorial on getting the snappy front brim, where could I find that?

I could post some pics on how I get my brim the way I have it, but it'd only be good for the Adventurebilt, any other hat you do it to, you do it at your own risk. Is that what you're talking about?

Regards,

"Raiders swoop" yeah, that was you... Does it involve sitting on it? Is that why it's only good on an AB?

The "Raiders Swoop" (I am officially laying claim to the first person to "coin" that title ) doesn't involve sitting on the hat. It just involves some trickery of the hands and fingers while you're shaping the brim. I didn't even have to use steam or anything like that to get the shape in it, just had to fiddle with it long enough, and it held.

I'll get some pics of what I am talking about up soon, and post them.

Regards,

I use hands and fingers aswell without steam with very nice results

Look at the brim here

and then here before i modified it with my hands

Not too bad eh?

If you watch the "Making of Raiders" on VHS you can see Ford fiddling with the brim and pinch while waiting during the Raven scene. He bends the front down while pushing the rear left up, then pushes the front down again and pushes the right front up followed by a front pinch.

There is also a scene on that and/or the DVD extras with him fooling with it simiarly on location in Hawaii next to the biplane.

Alabama Jones wrote:If you watch the "Making of Raiders" on VHS you can see Ford fiddling with the brim and pinch while waiting during the Raven scene. He bends the front down while pushing the rear left up, then pushes the front down again and pushes the right front up followed by a front pinch.

There is also a scene on that and/or the DVD extras with him fooling with it simiarly on location in Hawaii next to the biplane.

I have to watch the bonus disk again! When i bought it i wasnt a indygear geek yet LOL so i didn't notice it

Fedora, I've got to know by now: Which hat is the best for sitting on, beaver or rabbit? I'm NOT kidding. I think we are a lot of COW-members whos next Fedora is gonna be the AB especcially because of its Raiders/streets of Cairo-look. The difference in price is considerable and we dont want to actually ruin our hats so what material is best for distressing?

Ace, great pictures

Cheers
Indy-K

Not to take the place of Fedora's advice:

If you get the rabbit or beaver Adventurebilt, you can sit on it and not ruin it.
The key to the "Streets of Cairo" look is distressing, as Fedora has said before. I have the 100% beaver felt AB, and have sat on it several times. The pics I posted of it in this thread just a few posts ago were how the hat looked just the other day.

Regards,

Fedora, I've got to know by now: Which hat is the best for sitting on, beaver or rabbit? I'm NOT kidding. I think we are a lot of COW-members whos next Fedora is gonna be the AB especcially because of its Raiders/streets of Cairo-look. The difference in price is considerable and we dont want to actually ruin our hats so what material is best for distressing?

Gosh, I honestly do not know. It probably does not make any difference. I would imagine though, that the beaver would take the most distressing and keep on truckin'. I say that only because it is common knowledge that beaver felt is the best for durability, due to the denseness of the felt. In hats, the tighter the felt, the higher quality it is, not in just looks, but more importantly(to me at least), the durability factor. A hat does not really look good and Raideresque, until it is older, and well broken in. I would venture to say, that these pure beaver hats will be around a long, long time, when the rabbit hats have been donated to Goodwill, for the tax deductions. In hats, like most everything else, you get what you pay for. I am talking new felt here, and not the really good felts of yesteryear. Fedora

What's the rabbit durability approximately?

What's the rabbit durability approximately?

Hard to say. I guess it depends upon the felt, as all felts are not created equal. But, suffice to say, under normal wear and tear, that rabbit should last you or anyone else for quite a few years. Don't get me wrong. Rabbit wears well, and there is nothing wrong with it at all. So many hats are made of rabbit. Very popular felt. With that said, if I were gonna buy a rabbit hat, it would be the Akubra. Yeah, it is nice to sell my rabbit hats, but I am an honest guy. If I were gonna buy a rabbit hat, I would look no fur-ther( ) than the Akubra. Regular or Deluxe Federation. Why? Well, that is easy. The best rabbit fur comes from Australia. The reason is that there are loads of wild rabbits downunder. And wild rabbit, or hare(even better), is the best kind to make durable hats. Akubra uses native fur. I have a hat book by Mrs. Henderson, and one of the old hatters she interviewed brought up this very point. regards, Fedora

Fedora wrote: if I were gonna buy a rabbit hat, it would be the Akubra.

Thanks for Your fast reply. Well, that pretty much decides what my AB is gonna be since I allready have the Akubra Fed. DL.
I guess the differences also has a lot to do with Your bash and styling and from that point of view I look forward to the day I crder my AB. ( I still have a whip-issue to crack...)

Cheers
Indy-K

Mr Fedora saying he would buy an Akubra mmh now that's very honest!

If it's just a matter of felt, would cost you too much to import felts from Australia? Would the cost of your hats increase a lot?

Hemingway told me his Akubra changed colour after time, fading. This thing didnt happen to his AB... that's why i was convinced to buy your hat

If i can ask more to Fedora... which is best amid Akubra Rabbit and AB beaver?

If i can ask more to Fedora... which is best amid Akubra Rabbit and AB beaver?

The beaver hat my friend. Another animal, in more ways than one. With that said, I offer rabbit hats because not everyone wants to spend over 200 bucks on a hat. And, I think my block shape is superior to the Akubra. But, their rabbit is probably better felt than my rabbit. And my rabbit is much better than Stetson rabbit, and most other rabbit hats that are available nowadays. Still, I think the Australian rabbit is the best. Fedora

Steve, is there any way you can get rabbit hat bodies from Down Under?

Now how many hatters do you know who would recommend another hat over their own? I don't think I've heard many hatters honestly talk about their felt and how it stacks up to other felts. That said, the Akubra rabbit may be better felt, but Steve's still got the best block going!

bink

I can't say enough good things about the Adventurebilt Hat in the Beaver that I have. As a caution on the Akubra rabbit, at least the regular, mine did turn greenish, and I am not the only one. I haven't heard of that happening to an Adventurebilt rabbit.

Color in an Indy hat is a very important thing. An Akubra might be more robust, but it's green! I had it in classifieds and decided against selling it, because I thought it was unfair to pawn off a green hat.

I'm pretty happy with my Akubra, but I can tell from all of the pictures that the AB block is superior. You guys get a lot more Raiders out of those ABs. I don't know if it's because Steve bashed them or not. I feel like I got a lot out of that Akubra, I just wonder if I would get more out of an AB. With the Akubra, just when I get the front bashes the way I like them, I lose the camel humps. If I try too hard to get humps, it tapers a bit. Have you AB owners found your hat to be more "basher" friendly in these respects?

As a caution on the Akubra rabbit, at least the regular, mine did turn greenish, and I am not the only one. I haven't heard of that happening to an Adventurebilt rabbit

Yeah, I have heard of this too. I was talking only of the felt, and not the dye. I am told by my hat supplier, my hats are dyed using top of the line dye, and I doubt if you will ever the a shift of colors from my hats. I do know that when I wet my beaver hats down prior to blocking, I get a barely perceptable color bleed. Most hats, will bleed the color like crazy in my soaking bath. Not so with this felt that I am using. That is one of the reasons that I got sold on it, along with the high quality of the felt itself. Fedora

Fedora wrote:I do know that when I wet my beaver hats down prior to blocking, I get a barely perceptable color bleed. Most hats, will bleed the color like crazy in my soaking bath. Not so with this felt that I am using. That is one of the reasons that I got sold on it, along with the high quality of the felt itself. Fedora

Does that hold true with your rabbit as well or just beaver?

Does that hold true with your rabbit as well or just beaver?

Yes. The most bleeding comes from the black hats. Why? I don't have a clue, but even the black hats are not as bad as most. Fedora

Indiana Jones' hat was made of rabbit right?

Here are the newest shots of my AB, taken today:







And here is my homage to the Bantu Wind photo:


Regards,

Is there really that big a difference between the Fed Deluxe and the Fed Reg?

Zach R. wrote:Is there really that big a difference between the Fed Deluxe and the Fed Reg?

Someone else may be able to explain the differences in the felt, technique or whatever. My story is that I ordered the reg. at first but it was too small. My impression of the hat was also that it was too stiff to my taste - even bearing in mind that it was not broken in. So when I returned it for a larger size I paid the difference and ordered the De Luxe in stead. The DL I received was to me a more comfortable hat to begin with and it has a very good feel to it.
Nothing beats my Borsalino from way back though when it comes to the softness but the shape is all wrong.

So I'm still looking forward to order my AB, but since I'm only going for the Cairo-look and not for the use of it I keep getting confused about the beaver/rabbit-issue. Maybe I should simply order the rabbit and beat the s... out of it - and then sit on it off course...

Cheers
Indy-K

Well now I'm part of the AB club. I received a new 100% beaver AB as a gift (you know who you are) yesterday and it's simply the best hat I have seen. THe bash and brim are perfect (Raven bar) and it fits like a glove. Ok maybe not a glove - that would be rather uncomfortable, but you know what I mean. Steve, the quality of this hat is remarkable. Thank you sir

Congrats on the AB Jess. I envy you!!

Nice, Jess! Where are the pictures of you in the new lid?

The hat fitting like a glove thing brings back unwanted Howie Mandel memories...

I'll post 'em as soon as I can (when finances and technology collide). It was rather overwhelming to find out that someone was making sure that I had one of these. I'm finding it difficult to stay focused on work with this hat sitting the bookcase.

You mean JESS has one now? Jeez.. what's this world coming to? And I thought this was a cool hat club to belong to until NOW.... :evil:

You know, Jess, you gotta show pics of it now. It's the RULES!

bink

You're telling a scoundrel to follow rules? You should know better than that.

Hey Jess: Geez Louseez! I sent you a beaver and didn't even get a thank you! Mind you he was still alive and rather irritable after such a long plane ride!! I really should have provided a little beaver toilet, that might have helped...and maybe "Food" would have been a good idea Man..people just ain't thankful for nothin anymore eh!

Hey Steve...If I send you a beaver will you make me another hat? : 8-[

Hey...Are we ever going to see what Jess really looks like? You hear lots about his lunatic charm but we never get to see it??? So..come on Jess, go to the bathroom with your digital and give us a look at the AB and the pet beaver I sent you. (He's..He's...still alive isn't he )

Kilgour Trout

It was a beaver you sent me Kilgour? I hate to tell you, but without that w.c. for the long trip, the little guy exploded before he got here.
I'd show you pictures of me in my new AB, but it would violate my participation in the Federal Witless Protection program.

Kilgour, you want to see an actual pic of Jess? Trust me, you don't. You remember Raiders, don't you?

"Marion! Don't look! Keep your eyes shut!!!!"

bink

Fortune and glory shots:


THIS is why it's called an Adventurebilt!


Oh, yeah!

I gotta say, the Adventurebilt holds up very, very nicely after having been through a miniature waterfall, and being bumped, cradled, crumpled and scraped tumbling down a concrete waterslide - one of those DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME deals, moreso for your hat's than your own health. The fedora, though slightly muddy in spots, is dry and shows no signs of tapering. It was pretty crumpled and battered, but every dent and crease popped back where it's supposed to go. Don't try the Sable method of natural distressing, but rest assured, it can take it.


It cuts a fine silhouette too!

and as a bonus, here's my lovely and talented photographer, Agent Nox:

Do I even want to know why you were down there?:P

We had to get a rubbing from a shield, what do you think?!

Sable, you old sewer rat.

Wow, Sable... talk about a commute to work!

bink

Bufflehead Jones wrote:Sable, you old sewer rat.

It's a drain, not a sewer. Drains carry rainwater and sewers carry dishwater and human waste. There's a big difference.

very cool pics Sable. all i can say is WOW

ummm i'm goin with everyone else and askin what were you doin down there?

I ran in to Sable the other day and I must say his AB is looking awesome! It does look crumpled, but it looks really nice!!

I am ashamed to say I haven't worn my raiders out yet...The LC style ya..(it even helped me meet a lady!) I will, promise post pics soon!

Oh and by the by...WHY haven't I met this lovely photographer of yours Sable? Why you gotta play me like that dogg (The extra "G" stands for Gangsta!)