Club Obi Wan

I agree with the glowing review of the AB, but I can't agree with the rest Vito.

I came through the 'ranks' with totally incorrect gear, and enjoyed the trip immensely. That was the thrill of the 'chase', and even though I had essentially incorrect items, I was still a part of the hobby and enjoying it just as much as someone with totally correct gear. I wanted to upgrade, of course, but I didn't regret a thing I owned at the time.

Would I return to those days? Absolutely. No problem for me, as I wore the leather jacket and fedora BEFORE Indy ever hit the screen, so it was just widening my horizons when this all came about.

Heck with the expense....buy what you can afford, and enjoy it. Work toward the next item, or be happy where you are. It's all a part of the fun of the hobby, and not in 'keeping up with the Jones''!


Regards! Michaelson

Michaelson brings up some good points. I think the fun is in the hunt. Actually there is a line from a Classic Star Trek (Amok Time) where Spock says to the guy trying to get his fiance "you will find having is not as powerful as wanting" or something like that. I have lots of stuff I hunt for and then once I get it it sits on the shelf collecting dust.

One other practical point for me is that when is perfect ever really perfect? I remember going to Swaine and Addey in London years ago to see about "the real Indy" hat. The model they had originally used was no longer available and so they only offered a close copy. But not perfect (as the hundreds of discussions about fedoras will testify to). If I had bought the hat back then (for a ridiculous sum of money I might add) I might have had a hat from the original Indy hat maker but it would have been far from perfect. Wait long enough and the AdventureBilts will come along which are better hats and more screen accurate (the perfect hat?) but in the meantime, years go by and you have no hat.

Contentment is where the secret is to happiness I think. I think there are many people on the site that have multiple jackets and multiple hats for multiple applications. Some hats are better in warmer weather, or in rain etc. ALso there are so many variations on the hat, even within the movies, that unless you actually own a screen worn hat or jacket it will never be perfect. And just so you know, when I was at Swaine and Addey they had a screen wore hat and they let me try it on. At Noel Howards shop he had an original screen worn jacket and I tried that on. The perfect pair? Not for me as neither of them fit.

Canada

I have quite a few hats, but most of them are kept for sentimental reasons. Some were gifts, and some were prototype models of hat lines when they were first introduced. A couple were experimental models that were never put into production, but were steps TO a main hat producer to the model he now makes and sells.

I love them all, but I don't WEAR them all.

I have a small group that DO get in the regular rotation, and I'm satisfied with each of them in their own right, and their own use in time and season.

That said, I do occasionally think back to the day when I owned only ONE hat, and was happy to have it.

Regards! Michaelson

That said, I do occasionally think back to the day when I owned only ONE hat, and was happy to have it.

ah yes..reflecting on when the madness started..my first real indy fedora, and not even a year ago to boot. it was a todd's hj bashed in the peru/raven bar scene. the day i got it and threw it on my head i immediately thought, "this doesn't look right", but #### did that hat every grow on me. in hindsight, it was 2 sizes too big , an incorrect hatblock for the crown, but did todd ever do wonders with the bash. i wore it on my wedding day and had lots of pictures taken....each one of them, i thought....it does look like the raiders hat!

i agree wholeheartedly that wanting is the greatest vice. i feel lost when there is nothing left to get or nothing left on order.....a good example of this is my latest rabbit ab from fedora. its a masterpiece to my eye...so much that the next hat will have to go a long way to hold a candle to it......dag nammit steve!!! how am i suppose to buy more hats from you if you make me such a perfect hat?!?!?!?

Easy. Have him make you a beaver version.

Regards! Michaelson

you know, my second hat was an AB beaver. steve speced it out to try to match my face so the crown was a little short and the brim was a little wide. i've since trimmed the brim down to compliment the crown better and i really liked the results. she's my rain hat as i think the beaver that steve made this from had some plastic in it

the rabbit ab is the standard ab size dimensions.....but to have a hat like that in beaver...hmmmmmm......wooo hooo!!!! i'm wanting again!!! thanks michaelson!!! now....where'd i put that password to my paypal account...........

Sorry, Vito, I can't quite agree with you, either. The quest for gear is different for everyone here, regardless of budget. There are plenty of gearheads who are content with "close enough" gear, even if they do have it within their budgets to get something better. I can think of two garheads I know personally who own Dorfman Pacifics and are happy with them, even if they aren't the bees knees for everyone. Even though I have my share of "authentic" gear, part of the joy of this hobby for me is finding those gems which are period accurate, which would work perfectly fine, and finding it for a steal. Sometimes those buys are more exciting and fufilling than saving up for the "right" gear.

Does anyone know whether the newer HJ's, whether AB or Todd's, have the correct liners? What I'm thinking of is the old purple/gold crest as seen in the early scenes of LC.

Vito, I understand where you are coming from and agree. I would to have not waste so much money on not only inaccurate hats but low quality hats aswell. Don't get me wrong not all of my hats where total trash. I still have a couple none AB's but over all would liked to have not spend the money on the. I completely understand when you say inner peace.
I wished someone gave me your advise a long time ago.

morsegist wrote:Does anyone know whether the newer HJ's, whether AB or Todd's, have the correct liners? What I'm thinking of is the old purple/gold crest as seen in the early scenes of LC.

I'll have an AB/Magnoli HJ soon (hopefully any day now) and I'll post pictures. As far as I know, Todd offers two liners, but not the purple and gold.

I received my Federation today! It fits perfectly!! I'll post pics after I bash it!

Michaelson wrote:I love them all, but I don't WEAR them all.

Well because that would just look silly.

Beating a dead horse; I've enjoyed my trip so far too - granted I have mostly accurate stuff. Everything from Aldens to a Wested. But there's still things I want to upgrade - Magnoli -> NH, Stenhouse -> DM, etc. But I would never get rid of or stop wearing my Magnoli shirt, or stop cracking my Stenhouse. It's still great stuff, even if it's no longer part of my best stuff.

In Christ,
Shane

IndyMcFly wrote:

Michaelson wrote:I love them all, but I don't WEAR them all.

Well because that would just look silly.

Beating a dead horse; I've enjoyed my trip so far too - granted I have mostly accurate stuff. Everything from Aldens to a Wested. But there's still things I want to upgrade - Magnoli -> NH, Stenhouse -> DM, etc. But I would never get rid of or stop wearing my Magnoli shirt, or stop cracking my Stenhouse. It's still great stuff, even if it's no longer part of my best stuff.

In Christ,
Shane

Heh, for some reason, when I read your second last sentence, I thought you wrote "cracking my crackhouse"...

For me though, when I do something, I prefer to just go all out. I mean, I started with a Wested, then I picked up a vintage MkVII bag & NH straps (in both colors), which will soon be followed by a pair of NH pants and a live S&W revolver, and eventually, I'll have to work my way to obtaining an Andre Dometakis (sp?) shirt... Though I read on CoW that there was some poor bloke that was waiting over 4 or 5 years on his order with Andre...

I mean, if you're going to get something, why settle for an imitation if the real deal is still available?

Having said that, get an Adventurebilt. Definetly an Adventurebilt.

Go for the Keppler lid.

-Rabittooth