Club Obi Wan

Honestly, I am open to all possibilities, but I must also add, I have seen hundreds of vintage fedoras and age, or distressing, does some weird things to them: distended felt, faded felt, discolored felt, frayed ribbons, discolored ribbons, dried sweats, wrinkled sweats, and all sorts of things. These all have a direct effect on the look on the hat.

That being said, Marc is only stating how to replicate the look of the SOC hat, not stating that this is what was done; others have taken up that argument.

I think it is interesting to debate both; though little debate should be given to Marc's assertion because he is indeed correct; his technic works.

Now whether or not this, or some version of this occurred to create the actual SOC is an interesting topic for debate.

Pure speculation cannot row this boat as far as well documented proof.

How did you lighten the hat? Did you use bleach and water? can you share some tips.. i was wanting to do this but not mess up my fed.
thanks

Are you doing this to an old fedora or a good one?

See if this can be something under the ribbon like Marc said



Considering that the props dipartment threated every hat to "age" it, many of the screen used hats must have been a wee shrinked dued to the diluited bleach or other threatmens... so in most of the scenes I think we will see that "thing" under the ribbon too keep it tight on the hat... as supposed by Marc

That structure on that last pic Erri looks almost like the reeding tape showing through the hat. Only thing, is the felt sure would have to be thin and super soft to show it like that. That could also account for some of the other pics, if it starts at the bottom of the sweat and then goes up for 3/8 to 1/2 inch. Anything taller than that would probably be something else. Fedora

That is indeed an interesting find there my friend! I think this might be another part of the Raiders hat we cane chalk up to natural use.

Indiana_Tone wrote: Gonna be a shame when Fedora stops making these one day.

Ah, it breaks the heart.

Good show Tone!!!

Thanks for posting this.

Regards,

Marc

J_Weaver wrote:That is indeed an interesting find there my friend! I think this might be another part of the Raiders hat we cane chalk up to natural use.

I'll second this observation; I just noticed the other day that my own AB has recently started developing the same effect.

One question Tone-

Does your AB have the original HJ ribbon that Marc sourced, or did you get it before that? I'm mildly curious as to whether this is an effect that only comes up as a property of this particular kind of ribbon...

Antone

Hey guys! I haven't read the entire thread here yet but will go back and check it out.

Was going to say about the (what I believe to be) Cairo hat I saw in 1984: I don't think it is the same hat that is/was at the Smithsonian. And I remember it being so oddly toward green and with a VERY uneven brim. You could see the uneven, wavey quality just by looking down at it. And it was definitely more faded than any other IJ hat I have ever seen.

By the way, it also had that deep trough down the front and behind the ribbon on Indy's right (booze scene after boom of phone pole truck), our left. There was no dust on it though - very brushed.

Now, Swales and the Lucasfilm archivist both independantly told me that it had been lightly bleached. And when I bleached my own HJ (I did half water, half bleach roughly) it became the exact color I saw. You can see it on the left in that "A Couple of HJ's" thread. The hat on the right in that photo, although it looks to red, is actually straight up HJ brown. Maybe it ought to be corrected. Hmm.

And Swales told me of times when he had aged the hat for customers, rubbing on the pavement in the street, smashing it, etc. He said that he felt weird doing it but he did!

But I have NO problem with anyone opposing or commenting on anything I bring up here. Never been sensitive that way about all this so fire away!

And 3 thou, I think I sent you a PM - wondered if I could email you pics. of the hat stretcher I have. It definitely has a reverse taper to it. I have pics. of me in my HJ too if you want - it changes the shape a bit.

Hey, wait a minute - just realized that this is an old thread! duh. Sorry about that!

I don't know how I missed it before!

The artist who is helping with this hat deal for the next film told me on the phone last Sunday that he was told by some of the second unit guys that worked the Indy films, Ford used a folded wet paper towel at times to tighten the hat up, as well as to cool his head. It aided in keeping the hat on for action scenes. It may be that this shim under the hat made the innards of the sweat press against the felt more and the moisture aided in showing up the reeded tape, as well as the sweat through the ribbon and felt of the hat. This makes lots of sense. I was also amazed at the amount of distressing various hats were put through. As a fan from Georgia pointed out to me, the hat seemed to take on star qualities in Raiders. When Indy was down, the hat echoed that in its looks. When he was up, the hat changed as well. I think they may have changed the look from scene to scene to represent his frame of mind. Now, I never paid any attention to this but this fellow has, and his theory may be correct. Fedora

I hope someone is writing all this great info down somewhere for easy future reference, just so it's handy during the debates another ten years from now!

binkmeisterRick wrote:I hope someone is writing all this great info down somewhere for easy future reference, just so it's handy during the debates another ten years from now!

maybe on indygear.com??? Do I bring up a delicate topic?

What, like all the OTHER facts written down here and still debated?

Well we received so many information lately from reliable sources that I can hardly keep in mind all this good stuff

You're right, erri. When the myths and fact all finally run together, you create a legend, and THAT'S what folks will remember in the future.

High regards! Michaelson

Indiana_Tone wrote: I think this effect has to do more with hat fit and how much of the skull pushes forward against the headband into the hat. Does your hat fit nice and snug without being too tight or is it loose fitting so as not to mess up your hair after you take it off? I'm guessing your hat fits snug if you're seeing this effect also.

Yup, I tend to wear it firmly seated low on my noggin; we get that sideways blowing rain here a bit too often for me to wear it loose or pushed back

Antone

Fedora wrote: I was also amazed at the amount of distressing various hats were put through.Fedora

Wow - like what?! Oooo, would love to know.

The artist

Struzan??