Club Obi Wan

Looking good, Alex! Excellent job (again) with that hat! =)

Call me weird but I just don't know

Don't get me wrong I love Akubra's and I love Hatsdirect, I have at least 4 in all, Fed's, Fed D's, A Campdraft and a Tawny Fawn 3, which I love.

I don't know what it is but Other than Anjali's, I haven't liked the brims.
Like I said, Call me weird.

What I find is that Generally Akubra's come with quite flat brim bottoms that require some steam and hand flanging to get a bit more curl out of them. Perhaps If I see this I'll respond differently.

I'm glad to hear about the quality though and expect I will purchase a Fed IV but at this point I'm not sure what it is? I'm probably so used to the Fed III that I can't get my head around the IV.

All the same keep those pics coming, I'm always open to being persuaded eh!

Cheers
Kilgour Trout

Sorry it took so long, but here are some of the promised pics of my new Moonstone Fed IV. I realize the crease is not SA, but I'm not aiming for exact SA here, just a look that I like, which I think I have here. There will likely be some tweaking, but overall I think it's pretty good.





http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj66 ... IV/me2.jpg
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj66 ... 0IV/me.jpg

i was looking at getting one of these moonstone's....they look gorgeous. very nice work on the bash as well.

cheers,


g

Here is a pic of my new Federation dlx IV. I used my camera phone to take the picture, therefore the quality *****:/
I'm really digging this hat, though!

Fantastic hat Iowa! It looks great on you.
You too indy89!

Beautiful hat Iowa, my next Fed will be a moonstone!!

Thanks guys. I love this color, it's beautiful.

morganswift wrote: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

Okay, that hat is ridiculous. No hat should look that good. Who do you think you are, IndianaTone? (someone should understand that reference)

I have to say. I'm very impressed with this new block shape for the Akubra. I had my Federation reblocked by Steve about a year ago, and they look very similar.

Thanks, prairiejones - I am pretty pleased with it. In fact, I'm thinking of maybe 'bashing' the credit card and getting another so I can do it all over again!

Kilgour Trout wrote:What I find is that Generally Akubra's come with quite flat brim bottoms that require some steam and hand flanging to get a bit more curl out of them. Perhaps If I see this I'll respond differently.

Actually, Kilgour there's a LOT of stiffener in the felt so the brim is a little stubborn but I've noticed that it's really starting to soften up now. I've got quite a 'swoop' but perhaps it doesn't show up so well in the pics.

Cheers
Alex

Thanks Alex: I appreciate your appraisal. I'll be particularly keen to see how these lids look after a bit of life to them eh

I realize that Rarely is the first bash and styling of a hat the last.
As an example, I'm still fussing with my Cavanaugh KotCS type.
It's getting there but I realize every time I play with it
I get closer to making the hat look the way I want it.

In some ways it reminds me of the discovery of what made at
Stratavarius so unique. Many looked to a template that made all the
violins the same, that is until they discovered some rather amazing tools.
What they found was a tool that could shave and modify the violin wood from the inside while completed.

Stratavari would play each violin and then allow the violin itself to tell him
what needed to be carved away from the inside while testing and re-testing. It may sound weird but I find a hat is exactly the same.

You can't bash it the first time and have it right.
That's why I'm looking forward to multiple pics of these lids.

Can I ask one question? The brims strike me as very KotCS.
Would that be your assessment?

Warm Regards
Kilgour

Anjali,

That fedora looks great! Kudos on the hat and the bashing.

*************

Question to all and forgive the repetitiveness of this question.

I've read through almost all of this thread in attempt to get a proper answer and I suppose it won't readily present its self.

But, I originally heard, as did others, to order a size up from your normal size, as the Feds run small. But every post I've been reading states that people are getting Feds that are too big, and they have to either use the "lampshade" trick or use the tape.

I really want a moonstone fed...should I just order my normal size instead of going up one? Would this not fix the problem that others are having by ordering hats that are too large?

Thanks for your help guys!

Jack

Yeah...I say order your normal size. Mine was slightly big on me as well (normal hat size - not a size up), but fits perfectly now after I shrunk down the sweatband a bit.

This hat looks like the LC hat. It will be interesting to produce also the "old" Fed with the same thickness of felt.

Anjali

backstagejack, for what it's worth I'm thinking of ordering another hat and this time I'll definitely go for my size. Going up one was too big - but the foam tape has made it a good fit.

Cheers
Alex

These new Feds are really wonderful. Every color I've seen so far has been a beauty and the block shape is outstanding. I'm going for one and if I mess up the bash I'll just send it to AC...

Hey Iowa,

Thats a great looking hat. Any chance we can get some outdoor/natural light pics?

Dalexs

I'll get a couple today, since it's actually sunny and clear for the first time in four or five days.

Well, as I promised, here we go: a couple photos of the moonstone Fed IV in sunlight: (please ignore that blindingly white, hairy arm in the bottom of the pictures )

OK, finally had a chance to snaps some pics, opinions welcome, fed IV Tawny Fawn and a fed III deluxe

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8 ... ZMnLds3ZMf
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8 ... ZMnLds3ZMf
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8 ... ZMnLds3ZMf
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8 ... ZMnLds3ZMf

This is my very first post on COW, but i have been lurking a while

This thread made me pull the trigger!

I have a regular Fed comin my way!

hmm wonder what the chances are of it getting here before the premier!?

Georgia Jones, you linked to teeny tiny thumbnails, not the pics themselves.

Shagbd wrote:This is my very first post on COW, but i have been lurking a while

This thread made me pull the trigger!

I have a regular Fed comin my way!

hmm wonder what the chances are of it getting here before the premier!?

You'll get it....Mine is on the way too.....I'm VERY excited!!!

Kilgour Trout wrote:Can I ask one question? The brims strike me as very KotCS.
Would that be your assessment?

You may be right, Kilgour - couldn't say for sure. Like I said the felt has a lot of stiffener and it's pretty thick so it may indeed be more rigid the way the KOTCS hat seems to be. I think some folk are checking out the Christy's hat to see if there's more of the floppiness in the brim as in Raiders...

Cheers
Alex

OK, I edited my above post to get larger pics, but still don't know how to show the actual pics in my post in lieu of a link any advice?

morganswift wrote:

Kilgour Trout wrote:Can I ask one question? The brims strike me as very KotCS.
Would that be your assessment?

You may be right, Kilgour - couldn't say for sure. Like I said the felt has a lot of stiffener and it's pretty thick so it may indeed be more rigid the way the KOTCS hat seems to be. I think some folk are checking out the Christy's hat to see if there's more of the floppiness in the brim as in Raiders...

Cheers
Alex

Interesting; my hat was quite soft when I received it. In fact, it was so soft that I had to give it some steam to hold the front pinch, a quick pass of steam over the entire hat to stiffen it up a bit, and some more steam on the brim because it was too floppy. Of course, that may be becuase it was raining the day it was delivered, so when I got home and brought the box inside it had been sitting on the porch absorbing humidity (not actual rainwater, thank God!) for four or five hours.

Hmm, that's interesting. I guess humidity will affect the felt pretty drastically. My hat was very rigid out of the box and is still so after quite a bit of pummelling. To get the tight pinch I had to spray it with cold water to temporarily soften it...

Like the moonstone, Iowa

Cheers
Alex

It really doesn't take much to work the stiffness out. You just can't be afraid to maul it with your hands. But if you're going for a Raider's look, that's sort of required anyway.

Iowa, that is unusual, my fed IV was almost like cardboard when I first received it, much more so than my fed III, had to work it extra hard to soften it up to take my bash, getting pretty soft now though...man I felt like I could have given Oddjob a run for his money with his razor-edged bowler

Got my Fed just now and it is, as everyone has said, a geogeous hat. It is much softer out of the box than the Adventurer. I ordered the same size as my Adventurer, 60, and while it is a tad looser, it's hasn't had nearly the same love and attention just yet. I do not agree with the idea that you need to order a different size than you normally would.

I will post a side-by-side comparison of the two just as soon as Flickr straightens itself out.

Well, it seems like the Fed IIIs were always half a size larger than they were labeled, so now that the Fed IV is supposedly half a size smaller they're actually the correct size.

Georgia Jones wrote:OK, finally had a chance to snaps some pics, opinions welcome, fed IV Tawny Fawn and a fed III deluxe

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8 ... ZMnLds3ZMf
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8 ... ZMnLds3ZMf
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8 ... ZMnLds3ZMf
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8 ... ZMnLds3ZMf

We need some pics of you wearing the Tawny!!

Imagine671 said:

I ordered a 58 and AM a 58, and it was still a little big on me.

Same with my size 58. I don't think these hats are smaller than the old Feds. Can someone with a fairly fresh old model and a Fed 4 compare fit for us? I got it today, the color is great. The 2 1/2 inch brim at the sides is narrower than I ever go. Have to wear the hat for awile before I form an opinion on that. Brim front and back is just under 2 7/8 inches.

What was the total price any of you guys paid for a Federation IV reg to USA?

Indywanabe91 wrote:What was the total price any of you guys paid for a Federation IV reg to USA?

$101 for the hat, $36 shipping. Prices fluctuate with exchange rates.

ok thank you so a rough estimate of about 135-140

OK, finally fiqured how to show pics within post...thanks in no small part to Binkmeisterrick....CitRon, I will take some more of me wearing the Tawny Fawn...Fed IV Reg Tawny Fawn and a Fed III Deluxe:






The dark brown fed III was my first bash attempt about a month ago...trying for a general raiders bash...

Took my Fed for a walk yesterday:



We didn't go in the river this time; the Potomac is at flood stage and a little bit rough and dirty.

My Fed will be here anyday now....I'm concerned because I ordered a 56...Got the email about sizing and told em my head size is 22 inches even and they should just just select my size for me.....they said a 57 was what I needed. I will be VERY upset if this fed is too big.

when did you purchase it?

Vegeta wrote:My Fed will be here anyday now....I'm concerned because I ordered a 56...Got the email about sizing and told em my head size is 22 inches even and they should just just select my size for me.....they said a 57 was what I needed. I will be VERY upset if this fed is too big.

...my head is 22 1/4", and I could easily slip my 57 down around my ears (see my great portrait in earlier post).

I ordered it on the 9th. I hope everything works out for me for the better....You never know with hats. Ron PM'ed me and told me they really are measuring a 1/2 size small and will advise me on how to take care of it accordingly if need be....

I hope I dont have to send this thing all the way back to aussie land.

I just ordered my Fed IV today.


I hope my wife doesn't block this site.

Vegeta, if it doesn't fit right out of the box then the foam tape will definitely make it fit. That's what it's there for. Also if you've gone for the regular you can shrink the hat using the lampshade trick. The sweatband on the deluxe is a little more resistant so I wouldn't advise that route if you've gone for the deluxe.

And remember not to bash it at all if it doesn't fit the way you want and you want to exchange...

Cheers
Alex

My hat size is somewhere in between a 58 and 59 long oval, so I went with a 59 in the new Fed IV Deluxe. It turned out to be a little on the large size, and I really don’t like the feel of the foam insert. I decided to try to shrink the sweatband a little by turning it down, wetting the back half with water, and drying it with a hair dryer. Now it fits just about right.

Scott

That's interesting, Scott. You obviously have to discard the lampshade and wheel out the big guns (hairdryers) with the deluxe. I've got a 58 deluxe coming after my too big 59 and it'll be interesting to see how that fits...

Cheers
Alex

The size doesnt concern me as much as when I'll get it now. I orded it over a week ago and I want to have it for the premier How long did it take for you guys in the states to get your feds?

Well after reading every post in this thread I ordered my Fed IV stnd. tonight. I ordered a 55 after measuring my head keeping in mind I am two weeks overdue for a haircut. I am very exited about getting this hat. I am apprehensive about trying to bash it myself but think I can do a reasonable job with the tips I am finding on this website.

MorganSwift your hat is absolutely outstanding, I only hope I can get mine to look as half as good as your hat does.

Iowa, that is a smooth looking hat. Definitely what I would call a travelling hat! I really want a Fed in the brown, but seeing that I am torn

Cheers
Jonesy