Club Obi Wan

I'm a proud member of a AB since a few weeks. I really like the hat but I think it's a bit too dark for my predistressed cowhide. So I'm thinking of putting some dry dirt on it.
I guess it might look great but on the other hand I'm affraid doing this to a brand new (and not that cheap) hat
I couldn't find a picture of a AB with dirt on it yet.

Did anyone of you tried it out?

I think someone did. Hey, if you get your hat dirty and you don't like it, just get ot cleaned and reblocked by Steve. Just go find a nice, dusty place to play around in for a while. That should help. Honestly, you'll find that your AB will attract dust. Just don't brush or dust off your hat and it will start to match your jacket a bit more.

bink

And, of course, there is always "Fuller's Earth." Fake dirt is cleaner than real dirt, or something.

I just talked with pagey about it and I think I have to try it anyway (can't sleep otherwise)

Using fake dirt is like using artificcial leather for making whips

Talk to Fedora himself as well. He has made distressed hats to order for some folks and thus may have techniques and experience that could help.

Before doing that, wear the fedora out in the sun, a lot... and see what happens. It might do so naturally.

For me, personally... I love the color of mine. I'm debating about painting some of my trim around the house that color.

Ren, so your house is going to be fedora grey with beaver brown trim?

I can't imagine rubbing dirt in your hat is very good for the felt. I think, to do this to your everyday hat is a bit much. For a costume, it is great; desirable, in fact, but on your everyday hat; it may look really dirty to the uninitiated. I would imagine that restaurants may seat you in the back.

A distressed jacket is different: it's scratched and faded; it's not covered in mud.

Of course, that's just my opinion and I could be wrong.

Hemingway Jones wrote:I can't imagine rubbing dirt in your hat is very good for the felt. I think, to do this to your everyday hat is a bit much. For a costume, it is great; desirable, in fact, but on your everyday hat; it may look really dirty to the uninitiated. I would imagine that restaurants may seat you in the back.

A distressed jacket is different: it's scratched and faded; it's not covered in mud.

Of course, that's just my opinion and I could be wrong.

Oh, I dunno ... I mean, I wouldn't mind dirt on my every day hat, but that's just me. Were I going to a nice restaurant, or something, then I'd wear a different hat. I do agree with you though on the dirt issue, I don't think rubbing dirt into a hat is good for it. Fuller's Earth would probably be the best bet for something like this.

Regards,

If you put dirt on your AB, and if you don't like it, then take a paper towel and get it wet and squeeze all of the water out so it is damp and wipe your AB with it and all of the dirt will come out. That's what I did when I put I little bit of dirt on mine.

Wayne, I'd think that'd turn the dirt to mud. I'd think you'd be better off giving it a good beating with a rollup newspaper or something.

BreinederIndy wrote:I'm a proud member of a AB since a few weeks...

No pics of your hat?

I will post some "undirty" pics of me with my hat soon

Bufflehead Jones wrote:Ren, so your house is going to be fedora grey with beaver brown trim?

The color of the house on the outside is light brown with red shutters. (We live in an open field here, just drive around the town and look for the house with empty bottles of Johnny Walker lined up on porch....)

We have door and window trim that's painted white and we were going to go with a natural color. I love the color of the Adventurbilt that I was thinking of using that color in some of the rooms.

Indiana Texas-girl wrote:Wayne, I'd think that'd turn the dirt to mud. I'd think you'd be better off giving it a good beating with a rollup newspaper or something.

It depends on how much dirt you put on it, I just put a dusting of dirt and it came off fine, but I would not do it if I had a lot of dirt on it.

Well, one things for sure when I get my AB, I won't be throwing any dirt on it. Just like my Jacket I want mine to age and distress naturally.

It will get dirty, when it's supposed to get dirty, when I'm Leaping from tree to tree! As they float down the mighty rivers of British Columbia! With my best girly by my side!

The Pine!

The Larch!The Giant Redwood tree!
The Sequoia!
The Little Whopping Rule Tree!
We'd sing! Sing! Sing! Oh, Ups, And that's all she wrote..

BreinederIndy wrote:I will post some "undirty" pics of me with my hat soon

What type of AB is yours? Raven bar-like, "streets of cairo" or what else?

I asked Steve for a Raven bar look

Indiana Wayne wrote:

Indiana Texas-girl wrote:Wayne, I'd think that'd turn the dirt to mud. I'd think you'd be better off giving it a good beating with a rollup newspaper or something.

It depends on how much dirt you put on it, I just put a dusting of dirt and it came off fine, but I would not do it if I had a lot of dirt on it.

A lot of dirt, or just a little dust....makes no difference. When it gets wet, it turns to mud. Regards. Michaelson

BreinederIndy wrote:I asked Steve for a Raven bar look

I'm gonna buy one like yours then... i really cant wait for your pics now

Ok, here they are:

First I thought that the collour is a bit too dark. Well, I guess it is too dark for a pre distressed, but I'm thinking of geting another one anyway

Thats some great looking Indy gear you've got there.

Is that some sort of Easter Egg on your jacket?

I like that military uniform on the dummy behind you as well (Austrian I presume?).

Is that a Canadian Mountee uniform behind you? Great gear pics. I love the coat and the hat is an AB! Though I wish we could see it a little better.

Thank you, it took a while to get the stuff together (although the picture didn't show all.

It's not a military uniform, nether austrian

It's a canadian R.C.M.P. red serge

Hemingway Jones wrote:Is that a Canadian Mountee uniform behind you?

Yap

BreinederIndy wrote:Ok, here they are:

Your hat is A DREAM.... i will buy it very soon.
Thanks for the pics

BreinederIndy wrote:Thank you, it took a while to get the stuff together (although the picture didn't show all.

It's not a military uniform, nether austrian

It's a canadian R.C.M.P. red serge

Whoops. Oh well, I got one part right: it was a uniform.

That's close enough

Nice Gear you got, the Fedora looks great on your, Do you have any pics of it, in the light.?

Michaelson wrote:

Indiana Wayne wrote:

Indiana Texas-girl wrote:Wayne, I'd think that'd turn the dirt to mud. I'd think you'd be better off giving it a good beating with a rollup newspaper or something.

It depends on how much dirt you put on it, I just put a dusting of dirt and it came off fine, but I would not do it if I had a lot of dirt on it.

A lot of dirt, or just a little dust....makes no difference. When it gets wet, it turns to mud. Regards. Michaelson

OK, I am wrong, but when I meant damp, I meant barely any water on the paper towel. Also if it worked with me, it might work with you.

Back up there, son. No one said you were wrong. My point was that any amount of dust will turn to mud (this is a direct quote from just about all hat makers), and that's why they recommend an occasional wiping of a felt hat with a damp (not wet) cotton dish rag, as if the hat ever gets damp from mist (fog), or worse case scenario, rain, you'll have a muddy mess to contend with, lightly applied or not.

Just so folks who don't realize what the consequences can be, now they know.

Carry on....

Regards. Michaelson