Club Obi Wan

Posted: **Wed Oct 13, 2010 2:54 pm**

I guess if it doesn't fit, you could always sell it (here, or on ebay) and get a 56 instead?

Joe

Posted: **Wed Oct 13, 2010 3:04 pm**

Or they may accept an exchange. I'm not entirely sure of their exchange policy, but seeing how they changed your order, and shipped it out without your okaying it, it sounds like it would be their responsibility to make sure you got a 56 if that's what you wanted.

Also, if you get a hat that does fit well out of the box, and don't want to risk it shrinking too much, you could invest in a good hat stretcher. Not only will they stretch out a hat that's too small, but they'll help retain the shape of a hat that fits if you keep your hat on it when not wearing it.

-KB

Posted: **Mon Oct 18, 2010 3:47 am**

Kentucky Blues wrote:Or they may accept an exchange. I'm not entirely sure of their exchange policy, but seeing how they changed your order, and shipped it out without your okaying it, it sounds like it would be their responsibility to make sure you got a 56 if that's what you wanted.

Also, if you get a hat that does fit well out of the box, and don't want to risk it shrinking too much, you could invest in a good hat stretcher. Not only will they stretch out a hat that's too small, but they'll help retain the shape of a hat that fits if you keep your hat on it when not wearing it.

-KB

KB,

They did say they will exchange it for a size 56 if I find size 57 not suitable.

The hat arrived today. Took it out of the box, not bashed anything yet, put it on. The side is tight, but the front and back is loose, without the foam insert, I can insert all four of my fingers into the gap at the back if I wear the hat in such a way where the front and the sides are close to my head.

With the foam inserted all around, the sides is very tight, but the front and back is still loose. I could insert 2 fingers into the gap at the back when the front is pulled against the back.
Any ideas as to how much the hat will shrink to a comfortable fit? Or is it still too big?

I'm just not sure if I could let the passage of time to let me know if it will fit well. It's a lovely hat, that's for sure. It's just the size that bothers me at this moment, not being sure of the fit as time goes by. It's an expensive purchase. With the current exchange rate, it's almost like spending the equivalent of 500 dollars on a hat.

Posted: **Mon Oct 18, 2010 8:08 am**

Sounds to me like we have the same head shape. Round oval. That's my problem with most hats as well... the front and/or back is loose. Depending on my haircut, I sometimes have to add or remove sizing tape from the sweatband. When my hat gets tight, it's time for a haircut! Hehe.

The number of fingers you can stick in it does seem to mean the hat is big for you. It's up to you whether you want to exchange it or wait for the hat to conform to your head shape. I also suggest you just put sizing tape at the front and/or back of the sweatband, not all the way round... since the front and back parts are the only parts that are loose.

Posted: **Mon Oct 18, 2010 9:38 pm**

Yes, four fingers are a bit much. Sizing tape in the front and back may help with the fit but with that much room, the hat may never shrink down to fit you. Ideally, if a new hat doesnt fit me precisely, I would rather get it a drop bigger than smaller, and even if its not shaped correctly, as my Feds were gapping on the sides (I'm a long oval), the hat will shrink down and conform to your head shape with wear and sweat. But four fingers? I dont know.

Posted: **Tue Oct 19, 2010 12:12 am**

Fenris,

Yes, I think we both have the same head shape. Jenny suggested I elongate the sides by stretching it a bit to see how it fits. Sadly, it only made the fact that the hat is much looser and sits floppily on the ears.

Indiana Bugs,

Yes, it does seem too big, and I wasn't confident that the hat will shrink to a good fit. I sent the hat back today for an exchange. To their credit, Jenny said they will ship another at no extra cost to me today itself.

Posted: **Fri Oct 22, 2010 9:42 am**

Better to exchange it for a more fit one than doing a lot of work and sizing tape. You did well, soon you will have the right one for you...

Posted: **Fri Oct 22, 2010 10:27 am**

I totally agree with tekors. If you can fit that many fingers between the hat and your head, I doubt it will shrink that much to conform to your head.

Well, don't forget to post pics of your new hat when it arrives.

Posted: **Fri Oct 22, 2010 5:25 pm**

Posted: **Tue Oct 26, 2010 10:58 pm**

Hi there! It's been a while since I posted here. Well here's what my Federation IV looks like as of now, the main difference being that I telescoped/teardrop shaped the crown instead of having a center dent, but the front pinch still looks a bit Indiana Jones-esque... The reason I made it teardrop or c-crown, is that I think it looks better on me with a slightly lower crown. Any thoughts?

Natural lighting

Room lighting

Posted: **Wed Oct 27, 2010 12:48 pm**

Let it age a month or two.

Every hat I've bought tends to take on its own "character" thru normal wear.

Trust me on this. After a month or two, take another pic and you'll see what I mean.
Somebody back me up on this?

Nice lid. Looks good on you. You may or may not want to shape up that brim...I always do.
That's just my personal preference.

Hatsdirect.....biggest bang for you buck in the hat world and their customer service ROCKS**

**...and I do customer service for a living.

Posted: **Wed Oct 27, 2010 9:10 pm**

Yes, my older Fed IV has been getting better with age. Definitely has more personality now. I have one that I barely wear and there is definitely a difference.

Posted: **Fri Oct 29, 2010 5:32 pm**

yesterday I have ordered the last federation 3 in black color, for just 70AUSD IM VERY HAPPY.

Posted: **Sat Oct 30, 2010 12:33 pm**

Great hat The Antiquarian...

jkdbuck76 is totally right... a hat gets better over time. After 2 months you'll see the difference because the lid will take this time to conform to your head.
Then wait to see your hat after many months or years... you will see how the hat gets character.

Posted: **Sat Oct 30, 2010 7:19 pm**

theinterchange wrote:That is a REALLY cool shot.

Randy

Thanks a lot, my man. That means a lot.

Well, here we go, fellers. I just got this Moonstone Fed IV Standard size 60 in the mail yesterday. I could not possibly be more pleased. Being almost a zealot about this hobby I know about how high expectations can be and how critical trivial details can become. But I received EXACTLY what I wanted. I reckon that attaching a little email note to my order about what I was looking for did the trick. Or at least I'd like to think it did... That lovely woman Jen in customer service seemed to find exactly what I wanted. I asked for a hat that she could perhaps eyeball and see if it would make a pleasant, yet slight reverse taper when bashed. Well she came through.

I also want to take this time to mention the floppiness of the felt. This is not a complaint at all, but WOW, this hat is waaaaay more soft and pliable than my Brown Fed IV Standard I received last September. This one is over a year old and is still way more stiff than the brand new one.

Here it is fresh out of the box.

I've begun bashing it. I don't know what I'm going for. I've always liked the curled brim from Last Crusade, so I'm slowly forming that. The crown is kind of looking Crystal Skull-ish, but I think I plan on tightening the pinch a bit more. We'll see. I've got to wear it on my head for a few days first. I also want to mention that I personally don't like the brim to curl up in the back, but I also don't want it snapped down either. So I place a folded handkerchief over the felt and gently iron it mostly flat with a clothes iron. Later I start working the felt on the sides with my hands into a curl that gently slopes into the flat back as naturally as possible. I simply LOVE this look. I enjoy shaping hats so much that I wish I could make a living doing it.

Posted: **Sat Oct 30, 2010 8:29 pm**

Arch Stanton wrote:

Youve put some great lines into that hat. Nice job.

Posted: **Sun Oct 31, 2010 10:59 am**

Arch Stanton, great looking lid there, man! I love the crease you've put into it. Nice job!

Dave

Posted: **Sun Oct 31, 2010 3:39 pm**

You've done a great bashing job there Arch Stanton! Very nice!

Posted: **Mon Nov 01, 2010 6:14 pm**

Arch Stanton wrote:
theinterchange wrote:That is a REALLY cool shot.

Randy

Thanks a lot, my man. That means a lot.

You're quite welcome. And adding another, that hat looks great comment to the previous posters.

Oh yeah, my Tawny Fed is much softer than my Dark Brown, and it's only months old, the brown is over a year old.

Randy

Posted: **Mon Nov 01, 2010 6:25 pm**

deleted

Posted: **Mon Nov 01, 2010 8:24 pm**

WOW Arch... I have to tell you, I just love those shots!
That hat looks GREAT (fantastic bash by you) and really suits you, too... just a perfect look for you.
WELL done! I could not be more impressed.

Posted: **Tue Nov 02, 2010 2:03 pm**

Great shots dude,
Liked the grey hat...

Posted: **Tue Nov 02, 2010 11:09 pm**

theinterchange wrote:Speaking of my Tawny Fawn...

I desaturated the photo, yet the only colors which remain quite true to reality are the felt and ribbon.

Randy

Nice! I was thinking about tawny fawn all day yesterday. It's weird that I got what I think is the perfect hat, but it's not enough! Now I need the tawny fawn! LOL

Great hat! Amazing.

Posted: **Wed Nov 03, 2010 6:43 am**

I dont think Ive posted my tawny fawn, so here it is. This was after I reshaped it a bit from what it was when I got it barely and gently used. And then I tweaked it again, but I dont have a pic of it the way it is right now. And, Im gonna reblock it anyway.

Posted: **Wed Nov 03, 2010 8:32 am**

nice hat indiana bugs

liked the colour

cheers

Posted: **Wed Nov 03, 2010 10:47 am**

Arch Stanton wrote:Nice! I was thinking about tawny fawn all day yesterday. It's weird that I got what I think is the perfect hat, but it's not enough! Now I need the tawny fawn! LOL

Great hat! Amazing.

Posted: **Thu Nov 04, 2010 3:51 pm**

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Posted: **Thu Nov 04, 2010 4:57 pm**

Lookin' GOOD, gentlemen!
Amazing how these hats develop so much unique, individual character for themselves (and their owners!)

Posted: **Sat Nov 06, 2010 12:38 am**

theinterchange wrote:P.S I was just thinking about the Timex I'm wearing in this photo, I've had it for 14 years! That was a shocking thought.

...in 986 years, even that Timex will be worth something...

Posted: **Sat Nov 06, 2010 11:05 am**

Texan Scott wrote: ...in 986 years, even that Timex will be worth something...

Posted: **Sun Nov 07, 2010 1:29 pm**

My first nice hat and first attempt at shaping a hat.

It is an old stock Fed III.

Reshaping it was not nearly as daunting as I thought it would be and it is so much more comfortable than my old hat. However, my old hat is a wool Dorfman Pacific, so that is not saying much.

I will probably buy a Fed IV Deluxe in dark brown for my Indy Gear rather than a standard, but this hat is so nice, I have no idea what even nicer felt would feel like.

I have a small head so I am having a little trouble getting used to how I look in a hat with such a tall crown, but I guess that is how it supposed to look.

Posted: **Sun Nov 07, 2010 2:45 pm**

Jedirun wrote:I will probably buy a Fed IV Deluxe in dark brown for my Indy Gear rather than a standard, but this hat is so nice, I have no idea what even nicer felt would feel like.

Posted: **Sun Nov 07, 2010 3:26 pm**

I have a carbon grey FedIV regular and a Brown FedIV deluxe, and the difference is very noticeable. The felt is smoother on the deluxe and the hat is very easy to shape, and it feels so much nicer than my regular Carbon Grey. I would recommend going for the deluxe as it is definitely a nicer hat than the regular, but if you want to distress that hat and are not bothered about it being so nice then go for the regular, as it is still a very good hat.

Joe

Posted: **Sun Nov 07, 2010 5:20 pm**

I have a deluxe Fed III and two standard Fed IVs. The III is the softest of the bunch. The brown standard IV is softer than the fawn standard IV - very different. Maybe with more wear itll soften up. I dont think there is enough of the difference between my deluxe and my softer standard to warrant spending a significantly greater amount of money on a deluxe, but what is significant to me may not be to others. As always, ymmv.

Posted: **Sun Nov 07, 2010 5:53 pm**

theinterchange wrote:
Jedirun wrote:I will probably buy a Fed IV Deluxe in dark brown for my Indy Gear rather than a standard, but this hat is so nice, I have no idea what even nicer felt would feel like.
Nice first attempt at bashing/shaping a hat, Jedirun.

I'm going to be 100% honest with you on this... I can't justify to someone spending the price difference between a Regular and Deluxe. I have owned between 7-8 Akubras of several different styles, and only one has been a Heritage/Deluxe hat. Apart from a slightly wider, nicer feeling sweatband, I couldn't swear to any noticeable differences. They're supposedly pounced a little more, but as it ages, my Deluxe has gotten fuzzy looking, which I like, but the most recent tawny fawn Regular Fed I bought was the smoothest of the three Federations I've owned.

Randy

P.S I've posted photos on this page of the two Feds I currently own.

Thanks,

Based on your experience as well as a the others who posted after you, I guess it may end up being based on how rich I am feeling when it is time to buy the Fed IV. However, it sounds doubtful that I will be missing much if I go with a Regular.

Posted: **Mon Nov 08, 2010 9:41 am**

Joeyeah_right wrote:I have a carbon grey FedIV regular and a Brown FedIV deluxe, and the difference is very noticeable. The felt is smoother on the deluxe and the hat is very easy to shape, and it feels so much nicer than my regular Carbon Grey. I would recommend going for the deluxe as it is definitely a nicer hat than the regular, but if you want to distress that hat and are not bothered about it being so nice then go for the regular, as it is still a very good hat.

Joe

Posted: **Mon Nov 08, 2010 10:52 am**

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Posted: **Mon Nov 08, 2010 3:08 pm**

theinterchange wrote:
Joeyeah_right wrote:I have a carbon grey FedIV regular and a Brown FedIV deluxe, and the difference is very noticeable. The felt is smoother on the deluxe and the hat is very easy to shape, and it feels so much nicer than my regular Carbon Grey. I would recommend going for the deluxe as it is definitely a nicer hat than the regular, but if you want to distress that hat and are not bothered about it being so nice then go for the regular, as it is still a very good hat.

Joe
I'd completely believe that your Carbon Grey Deluxe was noticeably different than your Dark Brown Regular.

You have that the wrong way around. My Dark Brown is the Deluxe, and the Carbon Grey is Regular.
The grey "Regular" is harder to shape as it seems to spring back when pressed, but the brown "Deluxe" was so much easier to shape as it stayed exactly where i pressed it. It is also finer, smoother and much more comfortable on my head.

Joe

Posted: **Mon Nov 08, 2010 3:42 pm**

deleted

Posted: **Mon Nov 08, 2010 5:03 pm**

theinterchange wrote:Ok gotcha. Misread.

Not meaning to disagree with you, mate. Just stating my observation after handling multiple Akubras of all stripes. I my opinion, they're not worth worrying over the difference if you're watching your money, but to each their own.

My Deluxe was like a helmet when I got it. I literally had to beat it around [repeatedly] to soften it up. Over a year in, it's still not as soft and floppy as my several months old Regular.

With the comments I've read on here and the Fedora Lounge, I think folks experience with these vary. Some claim that out of the box they're hard as a helmet, others soft and floppy [on both versions].

Ah, I see. I only have the two hats. I guess I just got lucky on getting a good one

Joe

Posted: **Mon Nov 08, 2010 6:05 pm**

Joeyeah_right wrote:Ah, I see. I only have the two hats. I guess I just got lucky on getting a good one

Joe

Posted: **Sat Nov 20, 2010 5:05 am**

Just arrived today- just bashed. Need to push the ribbon back down a bit. I like it. Slightly lower crown height than my other Indy hats which probably looks better on me

Posted: **Sat Nov 20, 2010 8:03 am**

Good looking hat, I like the lower crown.

-TS

Posted: **Sat Nov 20, 2010 7:33 pm**

Me too. It looks great on you.

Posted: **Tue Dec 07, 2010 11:50 pm**

Morning all!
This will be my first post here...I'm new to the forum, although a little less new to the hat world (and Indiana Jones world too I guess).. I've used the site to copy and get hints and great ideas about what to try with hats and the bashes that go for them, and thought my first post would be a good starter to show you all what I managed to get from the Fed IV I ordered last week (Stunning service, three days over the weekend.. I'm in Japan, so a little closer, but still half a world away, and I was very happy with the delivery!)..
Anyway, here are the photos I've taken so far of what I've done to the Fed..
Let me know what you'd change and why, I'd love to get some more ideas if anyone has them!
Regards..
Ben Sharples
(You may have to send a friend invite to see the photos? On Facebook..I can't upload them to here, but I'll accept anyone from here who cares enough to want to see!)
http://www.facebook.com/editprofile.php ... .563205720

Posted: **Wed Dec 08, 2010 11:24 am**

Hmmmm... content unavailable according to FB.

Try hosting it in flicker or photobucket.

Posted: **Wed Dec 08, 2010 5:07 pm**

Yeah, it's because the photos can only be looked at by people on my lists..I'll have another go at uploading them somewhere more available and let you know again! Of course, if you have a facebook profile, feel free to send me a friend request, I'd be honoured..
Sorry for the useless link!

Posted: **Wed Dec 08, 2010 5:40 pm**

djd wrote:Just arrived today- just bashed. Need to push the ribbon back down a bit. I like it. Slightly lower crown height than my other Indy hats which probably looks better on me

hi is that fed in moonstone ?

great bash by the way suits you really well

a great hat

have just ordered a fed deluxe in moonstone hope it looks anywhere near yours

gary

Posted: **Wed Dec 08, 2010 5:44 pm**

Not the moonstone Gary - it's the darker one. I forget what they call it - carbon grey maybe? More like the Raiders travel hat

Good hat for the money

Posted: **Wed Dec 08, 2010 6:01 pm**

cheers for that djd

was about to order a fed in grey as a travel hat to go with my utility henry you have made my mind up as to which colour to get

congratulations on a truely great hat it really suits you

great bash by the way

gary

Club Obi Wan

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