Club Obi Wan

The secret to the tight pinch is spraying water. If you look at the camptown I got up top, what I did was dry bash the basic creases, just to make sure its even. then using cold distilled water from a spray bottle 6-8 inches away, I sprayed the hat 3-5 times and finished the pinch. Let it dry completely before putting it back on. It worked with my BCF, my DP, my adventurer, my camptown and my Fed IV and the shapes have always held. Only spray after you've done the dry bash. My hats have gone through a great deal and their shapes have kept regardless. Oh and once I'm sure the bash and creases are in I finish it off with rain n stain. Thats how it's worked for me and I am sure it'll work for you.

Cheers

Thanks, Steve. I might try that. Despite the foam making a good fit there's still a little bit of play at the sides. As long as it doesn't shrink the felt

Hope you were watching Raiders tonight on BBC1. Don't know where they got the print from but it looked as though it had had some distressing itself!

Thanks, IndianaSolo - looks as though I lucked into that method. The spray means the felt doesn't get too wet...

Cheers
Alex

Heya Alex,

Yeah, after using the 'lampshade trick' yesterday, I am quite happy with the result. It didn't shrink the rest of the hat, just the sweatband. I am not a fan of using those adhesive strips in my hat as it contorts the sweatband if you put it on the inside of the sweat, or it looks unseemly is attached on the outside of the sweat. The lampshade trick tightened my hat just enough that I no longer needed the adhesive strip, and made the hat fit like a glove. Let me know what you decide to do. I am curious to hear about your results. Take care!

-Steve H

Hi Steve,

Tried the lampshade trick this morning and I think it's tightened up the sweatband but not enough to remove the foam tape I don't feel. I'm a 58, ordered a 59 and I think the foam has brought it back to a 58. Did you drop a size with the lampshade thing?

Cheers
Alex

DanielJones wrote:Looks great! Good Job!

Cheers!

Dan

Here here ! Nice job on your bashing. Keep it up and have fun !

JerseyJones !

Hi all - another method of reducing the size is basically the same as being discussed but using a hair dryer.

Lift the sweat band so it is sitting outside the hat. Wet about the back 30% of the sweat band by dabbing water onto the inside of the band. Warm the band with the hair dryer and allow the band to dry, do not over heat it or dry it with the dryer, gradual is good. (Too radical and you could be in the market for a hat stretcher, better to repeat process a few times.)

This can be repeated using more of the sweat band and more heat. Never apply extreme heat to the sweat band, as with the lampshade trick, applying a little warmth to the wet band seems to do the trick. Too much heat too close may damage the band.

Good to take a full size out of a hat...

Hey there, Alex,

I'm not sure if the lampshade trick will take the hat down a whole hat size. I ordered a 58 and AM a 58, and it was still a little big on me. SO, with that in mind, I wouldn't want to recommend anything too radical that could potentially shrink your hat too much. Stick with the tape!! =) Hope all is well.

-Steve H

Hey guys, just recieved my Tawny Fawn FedIV...(and before everybody starts, I will be posting pics soon)...what a beauty, color is just what I expected, and the blocking is perfect, have already dry bashed it here at work, will work in the dry bash a couple of days, then spray with some cold water to set in my tight Raiders crease and will be good to go...man this felt is much stiffer than my previous Fed Deluxe, I have given it a couple of sit-ons and crumpling to soften it up though...so, high regards to Ron and Co. @ Hats Direct, everybody here who has help me to 'open my wallet' for another hat, it certainly is an addicting hobby ( I guess you could call it that, or maybe just a wild wide-eyed craze)...anybody who has a dark brown and is debating the tawny fawn, it is well worth it and compliments my dark brown deluxe well...pics will be coming within the next couple of days with my 2 feds side by side...

Thanks, Steve. Just out of interest is your hat a regular or Deluxe? Because I noticed on the hatsdirect website that one of the qualities of the Deluxe is reduced shrinkage of the sweatband. So I don't really want to 'take on' their non-shrinkable sweatband

It fits great with the tape, I'm happy with the bash - for a first time hat I'm thrilled. And I only had to wait 20 odd years to get it! When funds allow I might treat myself to another - a size down.

mountainman, thanks for the tips but like I said I think I'll stick with the tape for now...

Look forward to seeing the pics, Georgia Jones!

Cheers
Alex

What size is everyone getting in relation to their normal size? -And how is it fitting? ie...normally you wear a 57, but ordered a 58...

and did anyone order their regular size with the IV, how'd that fit?

Hey there,

To Alex: Mine's a regular - so there you have it. We've figured out why you've not seen much difference in your sweatband size, as you have a deluxe (I envy you - I am really curious as to how that felt feels in comparison to the regular - superior, I'd gather).

citRon: I ordered MY hatsize (I'm typically a 58 and I got a 58 - mainly cuz I didn't hear about the 'size-up' thing 'til after my hat was processed). This result is purely my own, but the hat fit fine. In fact, it was slightly loose (which I fixed with the above-mentioned lampshade trick). So, in MY case, it would have been bad advice to move a whole size up as that would have caused the hat to be about a size (plus some) too big for me. From the looks of it, Alex might offer a similar story to my own. He ordered a size larger than his typical hat size and is now using the sizing tape. I imagine everyone's experience is different, but MY recommendation would be to go for your normal hat size.

Cheers, all,
-Steve H

Just got my Fed IV Reg today. Like Steve H there, I measure just shy of a size 58 and the 58 I ordered fit a little loosely, so if it's half a size smaller it doesn't show much. A brief sit on a lamp and it fits like a glove.

I'm currently in the process of sitting on it and kicking it around, because while it's a very fine hat, it's not Raiders until it's been a little distressed.

My size is somewhere between a 58 and 59. Since my head shape is a long oval, I decided to stay with a 59. It was a little large, so I applied some heat to the sweatband and it seems to have shrunk about half a size. It fits just about right now.

As far as sitting on it and kicking it around, mine arrived pre-distressed thanks to some brutal shipping and handling procedures - no extra charge!

Scott

I got my Tawny Fawn Fed IV today!!!!!

I ordered a 59 stating that I wanted it to be 23 1/4. Deb said they would send a large 59 or a small 60. As it was I got a 59. It is just about perfect. It is slightly tight front to back with just a little free space at the sides. It feels like it will be able to fit correctly with wearing.

My box was only slightly squished in one corner. Nothing that reached the hat though.

This is my first attempt at bashing. I was going for a LC style look.




Matt

Hey Boiler, you did a mighty fine job with that bash. It looks so nice.

1 question, is everyone softening their hat like in Keppler's video, or no???

gabrielle wrote:Hey Boiler, you did a mighty fine job with that bash. It looks so nice.

1 question, is everyone softening their hat like in Keppler's video, or no???

I did.

You know I was going to ask if someone got the Fawn Fed. Good looking lid Boiler!!
One question, is it as dark as it appears on the monitor? All in all, good job on the bash!!

Cheers!

Dan

Hi Guys,

Thought I'd throw some pics of my hat into the mix. Got my deluxe today, and the box was pristine. Great job Ron! I snapped these after a little while with the steam, the ashes, and the sawdust. I decided immediately to turn it, and I don't regret that decision at all. I worked off of pictures from the ROTLA Storybook, as well as the little ROTLA book and record (has awesome up-close hat shots throughout). I'm pretty happy with the results so far.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9948272@N0 ... otostream/

Thanks for the kind comments Gabrielle and DanielJones.

The pictures are a little dark. The middle one is closest to the actual color. I took the pictures too late yesterday so I was dealing with house lights and flash only. The hat is not as light as citRon's "Zorro" hat appears in his pictures, and mine fits a lot better! Sorry citRon, I'm not trying to gloat.

Matt

Boilermaker, great looking lid, your fed looks exactly like mine right now as far as bash and shape...and from another set of eyes I agree the middle color is closest to the actual color...to another posters question regarding breaking in, yes I have done what is shown on Lee's site plus more...hat is very stiff out of the box, but with time will soften up...Boilermaker, another comment I wanted to make, your hat seems to have some reverse taper like mine as well, I believe the block is the reason for this, but as you can see in my avatar, Indy's hat appears that way as well in some cases....I personally like it...some may not

gabrielle wrote:1 question, is everyone softening their hat like in Keppler's video, or no???

I crush it, sit on it, beat on it with a brush, spray it with water, and generally work it over with my fingers until it's soft. My Fed III, which is a bit over a year old now, feels like it has little no no stiffener now, as I'm constantly working the felt over with my hands. My Fed IV is still kind of stiff right now, but in a year I'm sure it'll be just as floppy.

Steve, hard to say what the difference would be between the regular and deluxe. Both look equally good. I'm guessing the finish is a little finer. It's a very tactile hat.

Sizewise, if I were ordering again I'd probably stick with my measured size and not go up a size. But then again I have the luxury of taking the tape out if there's any shrinkage...

Cheers
Alex

If anyone also has a Fed III, is the height of the crown noticably lower on the IV???

JulianK wrote:If anyone also has a Fed III, is the height of the crown noticably lower on the IV???

oh yeah. way better on IV.

BJ- rub it in, why don't you? I guess I'm destined for ill fitting Indy gear. Wait! my MkVII fits great!

Speaking of which, what WAS the actual size of that one you got, citRon? I don't recall you ever saying what it measured out to be! If you did, I've missed it!

Regard! Michaelson

citRon wrote:

JulianK wrote:If anyone also has a Fed III, is the height of the crown noticably lower on the IV???

oh yeah. way better on IV.

That's all I needed to know! Ordering one tomorrow!

Columbiana, yours looks good too. They seem to all look good. .. Mine shipped yesterday.

Boilermaker, I agree, the Tawny Fawn color is lookng good. I just wish that you would at least smile and be happy in your pic's.

Michaelson wrote:Speaking of which, what WAS the actual size of that one you got, citRon? I don't recall you ever saying what it measured out to be! If you did, I've missed it!

Regard! Michaelson

Well, I tried my best to measure the inside of the sweatband with a cm measuring tape, and if I did it right, it was exactly 57 cm. I never thought trying to measure inside a hat band would be that hard!


I'm going to put my Tawny Fed IV in the Bazaar for a couple of days if anyone is interested, before it goes back to Kangarooville.

Thanks for all the comments. I really like the hat. I think it is funny that in the top picture it is very close to the color of the hat in my avatar. That hat was taken from a Rope Bridge shot in the Temple of Doom bash matrix.

Georgia Jones there really isn't any reverse taper. What is seen in the picture is the result of the side dimple. The back of the dimple pushes the felt out a little which looks like reverse taper. It could be the same effect on the picture in your avatar.

Matt

My Moonstone Fed IV arrived today! I'll post pictures tomorrow night, as the digital camera was left at the office. The color is excellent, the fit is about right - a little loose, especially on the sides, but I'm a long oval, so that's to be expected - just slapped a couple 2-3 inch pieces of the sizing tape in the sides and hopefully the hat will conform to my head eventually. It's in a sort of relaxed LC bash just now, basically it's LC without the brim snapped so high.

I had a go at re-bashing my Fed4 today, and I am curious what people think (especially compared to what it looked like earlier in this thread). My center dent hits the 4-inch mark in back and the 4.5-inch mark in front (should it be a bit higher in front?). I've applied a bit more Fuller's Earth too, as you can see! =)





Cheers!
-Steve H

Beauty of a hat imagine671. The bash looks great and the hat looks nice and worn, very nice job...

Screams Raiders to me - and you got me seriously pondering over the Fuller's Earth...

Cheers
Alex

imagine671/Steve H

The hat looks great, leave it as it is and let it settle. I am very tempted to get this new Fed.

BTW where did you get the Fullers Earth? I'm a Brit to but living in Poland and have been looking for some fullers for the prem of KCS

Cheers

Got mine today, quite happy with the preliminary bash. The block shape fricking rocks!

Wow! How'd you get your hat to look like a TIE fighter?

is the crown height on the Fed IV the same as the crown height on a fed from 2 years ago?

My Fed IV Deluxe just arrived! I absolutely love it. Great job Ron!
Kinda nervous -- I've never bashed an open crown hat before. Here it is after only a few minutes of tinkering.
Without flash:


With flash:

The felt on these new Feds softens up really quickly. Mine is already very soft and the brim is becoming nice and floppy. It hardly has any flange left.
I'll take some new pics soon, it's really getting a good raiders look to it.

binkmeisterRick wrote:Wow! How'd you get your hat to look like a TIE fighter?

With some difficulty... the 'Death Star Trench' bash is quite hard to get right. Takes some steam and a lot of Fullers earth.

thats a real nice hat imagine671
I am gonna rework mine a little and then post some pics. Input would be great as i am a lilttle "all at sea"

Sabich, you may want to tighten up the front pinch and push down the top point a bit to get the "humps." If there is a particular hat you like from a given scene, print out pics of it and tweak the hat till you get what you're after. Don't be afraid of the felt, though, the Akubra can take it!

OK, I got my deluxe a few days ago...And i've been pondering it, but...*Sigh*

I don't think it's quite what I expected.

Someone can chime in here...Maybe it's just me. It IS my first bash, and all...



OK, jokes aside...It is me, after all. I had to have the 'pilgrim picture' to go with my 'hobo-dunce' Stetson picture. Couldn't resist.

What a great hat---bashed it Raiders-style. Pictures of that when I get a chance.

KUDOS to Ron for yet another great hat!!!

Great looking hat, Imagine. Because of all the excitement over the FedIV,
I ordered one for my father and it should be here any day. But I've got to say, I may order one for myself. I already have a Peters Bros. Custom and an AB coming, But these are beautiful. Who said I should have checked my wallet at the door? This stuff can get expensive.

I just ordered mine.......FINALLY!!

I've just received three days ago my Fed IV.
Firts Thanks Ron and Jenny for the quick service.


Better quality for this model. the felt is thinner and the hat easyest to form.
Always very comfortable.
Perhaps the top a little bit higher will be better...(and more spherical ?)
Anyway, a very good hat.
Regards
Anjali

Been learning all about Fuller's Earth today - mainly don't try to get clumps off with water because it turns into clay But it comes off the hat OK. So with a paintbrush and clothes brush here's what I have...







Cheers
Alex

Morganswift...great looking hat, I have been tempted to use some fullers earth now that I have two hats...great bash also, near perfect (how I perfer the bash anyway)...I am almost to the point where I have mine finished, I like to take a week or so and tweak till I'm happy, I'll try to get some photos of both mine on here this weekend...b.t.w, haven't read back thru the thread and you may have already said, is yours a dlx. or reg?....thanks

Thanks, Georgia Jones. I've given the hat a bit of a clean this afternoon with a shoebrush just leaving enough Fuller's behind for 'character'. It's the deluxe. I am tempted to get another actually and have this one as my 'prop' hat and the other leave pristine.

Look forward to seeing the pics of your hats!

Cheers
Alex