Club Obi Wan

This is the first Raiders like -back of crown- profile I've seen since Raiders. ..(Please, completely disregard the brim!)........... ....... ...... It's the third reblock of this thin floppy Borsalino PBBM on a 360 stovepipe block. Each time I enlarged the block. (That's why the brim is almost gone.) The hat has gone from a 7 1/8 that was a good fit, to a size 7 3/8. .. (too) BIG... It's turned, there's a 3mm thick (extra thick) 3/4 inch wide sweat and the ribbon is tightened, more on the top. 6 inch open crown, 4 1/2 inch front pinch height. I had to lower the front and back of the block to get a front that low, in other words, more dome on the block when viewed from the side. If these 2 are Poets then what's up?

I should have a hat with a brim in a coulple weeks. I bought this big hat from Miller. 6 1/4 inch crown, 4 inch brim. I've stripped it down for reblocking, but it has thick felt, so I'm going to have to sand it much thinner, plus, I might dye it because the color is really a light sand color. Is a 6x beaver. I think that means it has 6 beaver hairs in it.

3thoubucks wrote: Is a 6X beaver. I think that means it has 6 beaver hairs in it.

You're one of the few that has a real handle on this 'x' thing besides our hat makers, old friend!

Regards! Michaelson

No way is this the block 3M$. I just located the elusive Raiders block and here it is!!!!





It will yeild this final side look.



Fedora

"What the heck is that?" - Steve Martin

Edit: Okay, now that you added the second pic, I get it...you're serious? That is a wacky block, Steve!

If these 2 are Poets then what's up?

I use the same block to get this shape. Check out the comparison pics.

I get it...you're serious?

Naw, just razzing 3M$. There isn't much difference in his new block when compared to mine. I was just surprised he had a BIG discovery. You need to get out more. Fedora

Fedora wrote:Naw, just razzing 3M$.

Sigh...GOT ME!

Fedora wrote:You need to get out more. Fedora

Yes, yes I do...

Yes, yes I do...

No, I was referring to my friend 3M$. Sorry you misunderstood me. Regards, Fedora

No, you're right....Jerry really does too.

Regards! Michaelson

I'd say there is a big difference between your block and mine, taperwise. But it's a small difference and a big difference at the same time, if you know what I mean. You've recreated the vintage Poet, much to your credit, which makes a great grey seaplane or Hawaii cave entrace hat, but the main hat is different I think. (That's my first reblock, the current one is more domed front to back.) The "BIG Breakthough" in the title, has a lot to do with the fact that the hat is 1 1/2 to 2 sizes too big this time, and I'm getting an accurate crown profile, for the first time, even though I've done a 360 stovepipe, thick sweat, tightened ribbon, turned hat, last month- the hat size wasn't as BIG. Maybe an AB 2 sizes too big would do the trick, but I used a total stovepipe and I don't think I could get the same look with a block with significantly more taper.

Fedora wrote:No way is this the block 3M$. I just located the elusive Raiders block and here it is!!!!

Fedora

That was on your lawn chair all this time, Fedora?!

I've been through the 8 pages of "Post your adventurebuilts here" Half the links are dead, but most of the pics are front views. They look great and it's no big surprise...An AB block has stovepipe sides. But I think these are the grey seaplane, Hawaii hats. .. ........................ . ................. Here's my PBBM when it was new. Basicly an AB block, stovepipe sides, not too much taper front and back Different dome than an AB Look what I had to do to it to get the Raiders crown!

This is pretty close.

AB



Perhaps the crown is a bit low in the back.

Cheers,
G-MANN

Since I think I've made the first perfect Raiders crown since Raiders, I'm awarding myself with my first new avatar in about 4 years to honor the occasion.- A big floppy Raiders hat with the back all bulging out. That's the color of the the oversize 6x Miller I'm going to block next. .... O.K., here's the hat soon after it came off the block. The TV remotes keep it from spreading, and nothing was touched between shots

In (my) shots that you used 3thobucks I didn't push back the center dent and even the front pinch was too high... I was still at the beginning with hatshaping with my rabbit felt plus the second one is a tapered beaver. It's quite pointless to take those ones as examples. With a brand new untapered beaver I bet I can get the same look that you skilfully got with your hat

If they did indeed use the Australian model with the tear-drop crown, and NOT the poet. When re-blocked and bashed to the style we know and love, wouldn't this have produced a higher crown and therefore a deeper centre dent? I have seen this theory somewhere here before and it really does ring true. The crowns we now have on the AB and Akubra just cannot be bashed to replicate the low back and deep centre crease, I have tried on them all - it's just not poss.

I think you are definately right 3thou!

I don't know, it looks like my AB.

I'm a little lost on the issue of upsizing the hat to get these kinds of results. Is this common among hat makers to do? It just seems overly complicated compared to stepping into a hat shop, finding a hat that looks well and fits well, then purchasing lots of them for the film. I'm not saying your theory is not true, because stranger things have happened in gearland.

Can someone (3K?) explain the upsizing issue to me like I was a little kid, please?

I'm really digging the results so far. Really digging them. Just love to see it with a complete brim.

One thing about my Optimo is that it doesn't get that high profile arch as in your pics. Always been after that.

Yeah, I'm totally lost on this.

I guess once you guys figure out exactly how they got the "LOOK" of the Raiders hat then post a tutorial on how to bash it or what type of hat you need to buy to get that exact look.

I have two hats that I think are blocked in a manner that you are referring to above. In both cases, the hats are too big for me. Steve can tell you more specifics about the block.

Here are 2 more fedoras with that same look:





Cheers,
John

Marc's blocks are completely straight sides, all 360 degrees. I also have that same block too. We came up with these last year. You are a year behind the curve. Now, with that said, I have those straight blocks in my hat shop. In all sizes. But, once that I found the vintage HJ, this one here:





I changed one set of blocks to replicate at least one of the original blocks from HJ. I use that for my Raiders fedora currently. Here it is open crowned so you can see that even with some taper, the end result looks very close to what you are showing.

I think sometimes we tend to exagerrate certain aspects of "the hat"

I also think that much of that reverse taper we like is a result of the hat mushrooming out, not only on the back where you see the reverse taper, but also on the sides. Do you ever see this aspect when the hats look newer, less distressed? When does the reverse taper show up? Is it there on the Temple hat? Inside the Temple, I mean. Which hats show the reverse taper that leads one to think the block shape created the reverse taper?

Also, if one is to believe that the hat actually fit Ford, as he was certainly fitted, is it possible that the hat stretched out, or the sweat was removed and then the ribbon tightened up, and this gave the bulging back taper that we are fond of? But, post a pic of a non distressed Raiders fedora with back taper, and I will concede the point. Regards Fedora

Look what I had to do to it to get the Raiders crown!

But, that has nothing to do with the block being straight on the back. What you are showing is an example of taking a larger sized hat, and then tightening the ribbon up to the point that it makes the back bulge out. You can take any block with the traditonal front and back taper, size it up one size, and then reduce the size down one size by using a tighter ribbon and get the same results. So, what is your point. A straight sided block, and an overly tight ribbon? Why not just use a slightly tapered block and an overly tight ribbon? What do you see as the main difference?

Since I think I've made the first perfect Raiders crown since Raiders,

Well sir, that is a matter of opinion. Until we find an original Raiders fedora, in pristine condition, your block shape, and mine will be nothing more than a theory. Fedora

Here's another theory (which I'm sure has been already proposed somewhere else) to explain the difference we're seeing in the side profile.

3thou, you pointed out in a earlier thread that the Raiders hat in many scenes appears to be extraordinarily tight; I believe darthjones also confirmed that the hat worn in most of the action scenes by HF never needed a chinstrap because it fit so snugly.

Now, I also agree that it is possible to get the back of the hat to have more reverse taper and get a more domed profile with the old poet block by making the center crease deeper. However, that doesn't work anymore when I put the hat on, since my head always pushes the crease out a little bit. Going by the overhead shot in the temple where Indy taps the floor with the torch, clearly this didn't happen on that hat.

I think this all comes down to one factor: my hats fit comfortably, not extra-tight. If I squeezed my head into a hat that was half a size too small, it wouldn't sit quite as low, and so I could have a deeper center crease, thereby retaining the Raiders profile. I think the reason the clipper plane hat and the temple exterior hats both have a different profile from the temple interior/SoC is because they fit properly. I think the action scene hat(s) may have been purposefully made a bit smaller to keep them on his head during all the swashbuckling.

Therefore, the bash can't ever quite be made the same on a correctly sized hat because your head is in the way, therefore the profile is never quite right. That would also explain why you can get the correct look with a hat 2 sizes too big, or a size too small, but not with one the size that most people want to wear.

Fedora, 3thou, wouldn't you guys consider this more likely than that they used two slightly different blocks in the same set of hats?

In any case, I think 3thous' technique is valuable as a new approach to getting the perfect profile without needing a giant shoehorn get into your lid.

Antone

Nice try Steve! Here's my first 360 stovepipe post from Feb 8 2006. viewtopic.php?t=16101 Where Marc said "I believe the original block was an open crown block with an ever so slight front and back taper. That's what Steve's vintage H.J. has as well..." So he wasn't into 360 stovepipes at this point. He was into the vintage Poet, which is what the AB block is. Maybe I convinced him. or maybe my next 360 post- viewtopic.php?t=16140 I think this is the last picture of his product he posted here. Really can't believe that's a 360. looks the same as this from G-man above Admit it.... I'm the only one who's been pushing 360 stovepipes around here, making them and posting pics of them. Please direct me to the post where you or Marc recently talked about stovepipes, say you were selling them, or posted pics of any you had for sale? Also, I don't buy the idea that you have to have a tapered block to handle thin floppy felt. My hat has the body of a paper towel. Like I want a hat that really doesn't have the Raiders block, just to make the felt work?......Beyond that, My block has more front to back dome than yours, which makes a 4 1/2 inch tall front pinch work well on a 6 inch crown. AND I'm the only one to show a 360 stovepipe 1 1/2 to 2 sizes too big with an ultra thick sweat band to make up the difference. WHICH gives me the Lost Felt Above The Ribbon At The Back Of The Hat Bulging Over The Ribbon. -I could be wrong though.

Is it posible the reason no one can get the hat acurate ( spot on)( it's not posible ). That hat ( in Raiders ) was never really seen at all four side at one time. Is it at all posible that you see it from one side and by time you see it by another side it was hit ,or touched, or pushed ( changing the look of the hat). That we all have put this image in our heads of what the hat should look like on all four side's and it really doesn't look that way at the same time.

Ok boys, park the testosterone at the door before this ####### match gets outta hand.

Let me point out, (because I've been around these parts since before the great crash of 2002...)
Fedora had talked about stovepipe blocks long before your post in Feb 2006.

See here viewtopic.php?t=6294
(Jan2004)

There were a few other gentleman here, who will remain nameless, who also experimented with it.

So please, for the sake of the community, stop the petty "I thought of it first..." stap. It serves no purpose.
Use the search button, do some research. It really is an amazing tool.

Dalexs

Well, ya got me!! Question? Has anyone talked to Swales to find out what might have happened to the original block or blocks, that was actualy used to make tha famous raiders fedora? The reason I ask, I see many posts, and some, have talked to Mr. Swales, on several fedora questions. But, has anyone really tried to find out what has happened to the original block or blocks? In reality, someone knows the facts. If I knew Mr.Swailes e-mail address, I would ask him. or Peter. It seems to me that they know. Is it possible that someone else, made these raiders fedors??
Why is it so much of a mistery? or Maybe they don't want to tell, if the person who made them wants to be anonymous?? That is the question???

To all, have a great day!!!

IndianaWill

So he wasn't into 360 stovepipes at this point.

I should let Marc speak for himself, but I think he is up to the chin in making hats right now. So, I will speak for him. Marc is a very secretive fellow when it comes to the Raiders block. That is why his block shape that is in the hands of an English blockmaker will not be copied by that blockmaker for anyone but AB hats. He and I discussed the block shape for days via long distance My first hat blocks that I had made in the summer of 2005 were copies of my bondo block that I made 3 years earlier, or so. It was a straight up 360 block, and I still have those in my shop. If you want pics, I will post them. Perfectly straight, all the way around. So, I went there, and did that. Now, Marc and I have never quite agreed on this one facet of the original Raiders block shape. I lean toward the tradtional block shapes that one sees, in vintage hats, especially vintage HJs, and he leaned heavily toward the straight sided block and he went with that, with a nuance or two, I shall not mention. But, what entered into the equation is the way that different felt reacts to a specific block shape. One thing is for certain. You can get the Raiders look(at least some of the hats) by using a perfectly straight block. But, this block shape was rare, as I have never seen one-period that was straight and had the right radius on the tip. And, I have seen more blocks than I can count, off of the top of my head.

I used the bondo straight sided block for a long time. I am surprised you never knew it. I even had it copied in all sizes. So, I am not so sure you originated it. Lamode, the blockmaker has never seen a block like it, and had to make them "off of the system". Uncommon, he said.

That is why I thought it odd that you made your announcement. But, no harm done. I am certainly not trying to take your credit, but thought you were taking mine. Regards and no hard feelings either way. Fedora

. In my Feb. 8 post, my second sentence says "Fedora and Marc have experimented with this type of block...." Credit where credit was due. viewtopic.php?t=16101 But it seems you have abandoned it, and Marc is keeping it a secret. So all of us get points for 360 stovepipes, you, and probably Marc, before me. I made my first one over a year ago, and at that time, I thought you were already making them. I gave up and started looking for answers in telescope crowns, buying 5 such hats over the course of 2005. --- So, I guess my innovation is a hat 1 1/2 to 2 sizes too big, with an extra thick sweat to compensate, and a tightened ribbon, (and it's a 360 stovepipe, which understandably, I though you and Marc weren't really into anymore. .. I'm also prepared to believe an AB, but 2 to 2 1/2 sizes too big could also be a better answer. Well, if it is, I just called it! .......... After 8 years of getting along, Fedora and I are never going to hate each other. But in the tradition of Raiders, we're all trying to get to the prize first. Which means the non hat making gearheads get better hats in the end. Would any of us rather have glory...or the perfect Raiders hat, if it had to be one or the other? Hard question to answer.

Ok, I will go ahead and posit my proof. Here is the copy of the bondo block that I made several years ago, and used it to reblock countless hats from the fans here, and the lurkers. As long as they wore my size, I would do it free, just to learn the craft.





And here is the other view of this original Raider's block.




Completly straight sided.

Now here is a hat off of that block. Notice the creased in front and back reverse taper.




So, I knew about it, had already made one, and had it replicated long before you dove into it. I have been there already. I could have saved you alot of thinking, if I would have known. I could have sent you the pics and you could have seen it, and then replicated your version. Remember, Marc and I have been sickly obsessed with the finer details for several years now. We put our heads together, and I did the physical work. This is not to take anything away from your effort 3M$. You too, have thought long and hard on this same subject.

In my offering of Indy fedoras, I have all of the bases covered. I have my idea what a Raiders fedora is, and should be, and that is what I will send out. That is, what I personally think it is. My vision. But, being the careful fellow that I am, I also have the square blocks too. In that way, I can try and please everyone. Like I said, no hard feelings on my part. Regards, Fedora

But it seems you have abandoned it,

That is another story. When I first made the sides staight, I was using a vintage number 52 block I got from ebay. In order to keep the sides perfectly straight, I used a small builders square. When the square finally said that I had the sides straight, I was amazed, because the block seemed to be larger at the top, than the bottom!! I blocked hats on it, and it just was too odd. Too much reverse taper, all the way around. I was assuming, at that time, that a perfectly straight block would look larger on the top, perhaps and optical illusion. Later on, while I was scratching my head, the cabinet maker came out, and I measured the block. It was larger in circumference on the top!! Why? Because I disovered that the supposedly straight surface on the bottom of the block, and my reference, when using the square, was not straight at all. It slanted ever so slightly toward the center of the block, hence the not perfectly straight sides. Now, I never made mention of this. Perhaps things are clearer now.

After 8 years of getting along, Fedora and I are never going to hate each other.

You are absolutely right about that. I hold you in high esteem my friend, and love debating with you. We are of the same cloth. Regards, Fedora

That's the truth Fedora.

Fedora wrote:
Completly straight sided.

Now here is a hat off of that block. Notice the creased in front and back reverse taper.

Hi Steve,

Do you have a pic or two handy of what hats from that block looked like, fully finished, bashed and pinched? I'd love to see a couple of comparison pics between one of those and a hat from the current block, if it isn't too much trouble.

Also (and only if you don't mind giving away a trade secret) what do you see as being the main problem with the look you get from your stovepipe block? Does it just look generally exaggerated to you, or are there specific features that jump out at you as being clearly wrong?

Regards,

Antone

With the beaucoup talent and knowledge in this forum, maybe a new thread would be in order, to show the different block shapes our memebers use, and the resulting hats that come off of them, with an explanation of the perceived pros and cons each style block produces, (keyword is perceived, everyone sees things a little different, and perception is reality). This just a thought [/b]

3thoubucks,

I was unaware that you made Fedoras to sell as Fedora and Marc do.

What do your Fedoras cost?

Cheers,
G-MANN

Does it just look generally exaggerated to you, or are there specific features that jump out at you as being clearly wrong?

Yes. We tend to exaggerate the hat, IMO. That is one point. What comes to mind right off is the crown height. We tend to make that taller. The next thing is the squareness of the hat. We tend to want it more blocklike, than it actually is, or was. Then the reverse taper. We want a blocked in reverse taper, while the film hat only seemed to have it when the hat was distressed. Those are the main points. Now, with that said, the Raiders fedora was a tall hat, relatively speaking. And it was a very stove piped looking hat too. But, I am talking degrees here, nit-picky points for sure, but this is what this forum is about. Personally, I lean toward a more tradtional configuration of the block. I would say that 99.9 per cent of hat blocks used for dress hats have some taper, on the front and back of the block. Now, some have lots of front and back taper, on the block shape. And then there are varing degrees of it, with the one that I favor having just a wee bit. That is, if you put a square on it, you would see some. So, it is a matter of degree, really. And, yes we are talking nit picky stuff here, but I just cannot get away from what I have seen in block shapes over the years. And every block that I have seen, has some sort of taper on the front and back. They did that to finess the overall look of the hat. And generally speaking, once creased, the hat straightened up to perfectly straight sides, that is, a square look.

With all of this said, I think we are just discussing a few degrees of front and back taper. I think both yield a good Raiders fedora, and I lean toward what I think the original very old block actually looked like. Still, a matter of opinion, and we are all entitled to that I think.

Too late to do anything more to the hat shown above, as it has been packed up and I am about to mail it. I will get some pics of the next one though and post a finished pic. I will try to remember to get pics of each block shape, and do a comparison soon of the hats that came off of the blocks. I think, that what got me away from the perfectly straight front and back was the angle of the pinch on the front, when viewed from the side. It seems to me that the block with the slight taper yielded a more accurate looking "kick back" of the front pinch. That is, 1/2 inch above the ribbon, the pinched portion does its break, and then angles back at a particular angle. If I remember corrrectly, it was this facet that made me look toward the more traditional tapered front and back. I needed the break to occur at the proper place, and I needed the angle to be closer. But, with this said, I do not know if I was taking into account the characteristics of the felt, which I later discovered to be a hair pulling variable. Those little variable can confuse the issue, believe it or not. Regards, Fedora

Steve , thanks for posting that. Everytime you post something I learn something new.

Have you guys ever thought about pulling all this knowledge together about the "hat" and sending it to Lucas or Spielberg.....maybe trying to get some buisness from them?

I'm sure their going to be looking for hats for the next film and I don't see why you guys shouldn't "Throw your hats into the ring" in a manner of speaking.

It's worth a shot. Just think.....Indy's next hat could be an AB. Talk about going full circle!

Indiana_Tone wrote: "That's a good hat, but a little too good for Indiana. What were the other ones made out of? We need that type for consistency."

(Steve then throws his hat on the floor, tromps on it a bit, picks it back up, blows off a minimal amount of dust, and hands it back.)

"How's that?"

"PERFECT!"

.

Really can't believe that's a 360. looks the same as this from G-man above

Strange indeed. Yep, that is a 360 stovepipe. And, I agree, it is hard to believe as it looks to be just like my vintage HJ shaped block.

Beyond that, My block has more front to back dome than yours, which makes a 4 1/2 inch tall front pinch work well on a 6 inch crown.

You are correct about that. I am intrigued by the extra dome. I just have not convinced myself that this was a fact in the original block design. But, it is possible. I would have to fashion a block with that extra dome, and then see if I could pull off the looks of the film hat, from all angles. If the original block did indeed sport the extra tall dome, while having the straight sides from the front view, it would indeed be one of a kind in the blocks that I have seen over the years. We have to agree that if this high domed block shape is correct, the hat would always have very pronounced camel humps when viewed from the front. Now, the Cairo hat had small humps when viewed from the front. Logically then, if the front crease was pushed up to minimize the humps, you should see the taper of the radius that forms the high dome, when veiwed fromt he sides. I do not see that in the Cairo hat. Also, if the block height was 6 inches, and the front pinch was pushed up on the Cairo hat, it should appear taller than what the Cairo hat appears to be by using the ribbon as the ruler. Thoughts? Fedora

Has it ever been proven that the "Cairo Hat" and the hat wore at the beginning of the film were the same exact hat? I'm sure they had numerous hats for the film and each of them might have had a slightly different bash to them and crown height. Plus, I'm sure Harrison and the stunt guys fiddled with all of them.

Here's what makes my 1 1/2 to two sizes too large hat work. A thick sweat inside the hat.. This does strange things to the crown, maybe stretching the base, giving the hat some taper, in a weird way, and allowing the sides above the sweat to cave in. What I used on the hat in this thread is a 360 length of about 2 and 1/4 paper towels, folded. . ........... Fedora, the Cairo crown has mushroomed which would drop the height. It's caved in over the ribbon above Fords's ears. The height of the sides where these cave-ins are, would have to be shorter. Since these same cave-ins aren't there at the very front and back of the hat, the sides got shorter while the front and back didn't. The crown may have have shrunk a little too? ......Here's why I estimate my hat is 1 1/2 to 2 sizes too big. - A 7 1/8 hat is a snug fit for me, and a 7 1/4 is a loose fit. I have an unworn Miller Indy and my new Miller 6x Granger. Both hats are 7 3/8 and are completely stripped. It's hard to start the Miller Indy over my block, and my Granger starts on easier, but it still takes some force.

3K$,

Do you realize that if the costume people did all these things to get Harrison's hat to look like that, they wouldn't have even begun filming, yet?

Actually, the "hat" probably wasn't messed with at all by the costume people except for some distressing by adding dirt.

The whole thing is just a "happy accident" that all of us are trying to replicate.

My feeling is that you guys have gotten as close as your ever going to get. Actually, you've done better by creating the AB.....something that actually works in the real world.

Some mysteries were never ment to be solved!

Indy wore a HAT : :!:

The whole thing is just a "happy accident" that all of us are trying to replicate.

I think you right about that.

3$k, you keep it up.

I think it's best trying to find way of coming up with tricks to get the look rather than what happened.

Perhaps this ad will throw a wrench in the gears.
This came from a block sale, from the UK. Read it..........

Used extensively by Warner Brothers wardrobe department in numerous movies. Purchased by Brian Delaney, son of Jack Delaney, Wardrobe Department Manager for The Burbank Studios. The studio lot is now Warner Brothers again but, they no longer make hats for movies.

Barry Delaney has had a thriving business supplying custom and period specific hats to Warner Brothers and all other studios for the last thirty years. Time to retire and sell these fully usable and collectable hat making blocks.

For the Hatmaker or Collector!

Perhaps the reason the gray hat and the hat worn prior to the temple was an HJ. But, the main Raiders fedora was made.....by the wardrobe department. Of course, I know Warner Bros is not Paramount, but if one company used hat blocks, perhaps the other did as well? I doubt this, but found this ad fascinating as well as informative. I had no clue that the wardrobe department of either company actually made their own hats!! I recall reading how long ago, Stetson would actually send a rep when a film was to feature hats, be it a western on other sort of film.


Perhaps Lucas will get me to make the hats, and then send it to 3M$ to do the "treatment". And then take us along to insure the hat is Raideresque enough!! I mean, if they are so darn picky about the script, surely they know they need a more adventuresome fedora, like the Raiders fedora to really top this film off. But for some reason, I fear we will see a hat in the next film that will have us regurgitating our popcorn and cokes. Fedora

I decided this was a good thread to post one of my own hats on. Many have seen this vintage HJ, looking all Streets of Cairo. It had gotten a bit worse with the mushrooming, so I decided to pull out my original block and do a quick and dirty reblock, while also putting some of that nice HJ ribbon on it. I have been so busy that I have not had the chance to even use any of it on my own hats!!! Now, this felt here is some of the floppiest I have seen, and very vintage like in that respect. But, not so floppy that it will not hold the style. The brim is floppy too, and will flap in the wind. But, I like that. Anyways, I just pulled the hat down over the block after I steamed it good and this is the new block job here. Notice that while sitting on its brim, the softness of the felt makes the reverse taper more exaggerated.




Now how is that for reverse taper? In order to get a better idea of the straight sided block that I used, I had to put the next size down band block in the sweat, to mimic a head, in order to show you what it looks like sitting on someone's reg oval head. Here it is.



Now, as I mentioned once before, the perfectly straight blocks always gave me this look here on the front pinch. It is too straight, when compared with the Indy fedora, IMO. On these next two photos, I raised the creases up on the front and back to what I normally use.




And here is another shot.






This characteristic of the pefectly straight front and back is what prompted me to think the front and back of the original block must hat had enough taper to get the kicked back look of the front pinch. But, regardless, I now have a freshly block personal hat with the HJ ribbon. Regards, Fedora