Club Obi Wan

Hi all!
This is my first post, as I've just joined COW as a member, however it's been several years that I have been around as a reader... even before the relaunch of the site (which I must say it's great!). I still remember Michaelson giving me my an advise on which Jacket to purchase more that 8 years ago (FYI, I went with U.S. Wings, and it's still my prized posession) back in Indyfan forum...

So why joined until today? To be honest, I feel belittled by the amazing knowledge and incredible collections here. In Mexico it's too difficult and/or expensive to get these things but, well, I'm trying, and I do want to feel part of this amazing community of people (e.g. Magnoli, Fedora, Michaelson, etc.).

But enough of introductions, here's my question:

I have been looking for a decent Fedora for some time. Yeah, I own the crappy Disney version, but I've never felt comfortable with it. In Mexico there are Tardan hats, but they have nothing that looks like Indy's. I was thinking of getting a Stetson, but -in all truth- I like the Raiders' version the most. HJ... way too expensive for a guy like me.

So after months of research it came down to two: Akruba and AB. However, I am not a daily hat wearer (like a recent poster), so after reading his post -an all your advises- I decided to go for the Akruba and reshape it using the COW instructions. That same day, call it "luck", a guy at e-Bay posted an Akruba with the following description (NOTE: The auction is no longer live):

THE AKUBRA FEDERATION
This hat is the Akubra Federation from the original run made back in 2002/2003
The ORIGINAL Federation is known to be the finest, most movie accurate Indiana Jones Fedora ever offered. This hat was a special offering by the Akubra hat company (Makers of many movie prop hats including Crocodile Dundee’s hat and hat band) and was produced in limited numbers specifically as a replica of the Indiana Jones Fedora.
PLEASE NOTE: This hat is from the original run in 2002, it is not one of the newer Federations that are being offered.
This hat is made of the finest quality felt and is an exact replica in every aspect to Indy's hat. The crown is the correct height, the brim is the correct width, the hat band is the correct width at 38mm and the color of both the hat and of the hat band are both correct as well. Other features are a dimensional cut snap brim, a roamed leather sweat band and full satin lining. The original Federation is long sold at from Akubra so here is a chance to get the perfect Indy Fedora for your collection, to wear or to add to your Indy wardrobe. If you are looking for a screen accurate, ultra high quality fedora then this is for you. There is simply no comparison with other Indy Fedoras, the original Federation truly is the top of the line.
This hat is a size 7-1/4 (UK Size 58) and measures a tad larger than 23" inside circumference
This Fedora has been sold out and unavailable for several years.
We are really thinning out our collection so my buy it now is VERY reasonable.
Please ask all questions prior to bidding. I accept Paypal and money orders.
Winner agrees to pay the actual rate for insured postage. Please feel free to email me with your zip code for a quote on shipping.
Thank you for looking!

So, since seller seemed to be really informed of the problems with Indy's replicas. I went off and bought it. After all, worst thing that can happen is that it is a regular Akruba. But I though I would drop by here and pop up the questions: :

Was there really an "original" Akruba Federation limited run that is a replica of Indy's? (and if so which movie??? From the post the seller seems to be hinting at Raiders). I've tried looking for information here, but I don't see any, so... any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks and sorry for the first looooong post.

Best,

Henry Guemez

Welcome to Club Obi-Wan, the definitive outlet for discussion of collecting, researching, and replicating/acquiring the Indiana Jones Costume, Props, etc. I have never heard of an original run of Akubras, if there's anyone who knows it's probably Michaelson. I thought that the original ribbon width was 39 mm, BTW.

Well he has another one on Ebay now... I'd say its pure hype...

You misread that. He was quoting from the seller who was thinning his collection. He's just bought it.

Indiana_Tone wrote:D'oh! Thanks, Whiskyman. ~~~~~~~~coffeeeeee.
Yep, was mixing in the seller's post with Legones'. Sorry, Legones.

Looks like Tone has been in the jug again!






Welcome to COW Henry!

Indiana_Tone wrote:D'oh! Thanks, Whiskyman. ~~~~~~~~coffeeeeee.
Yep, was mixing in the seller's post with Legones'. Sorry, Legones.

Still unsure about the difference between a 2002 run Akubra and today's. Depending on what you paid for the Akubra, though, it's still a good Indy (even if from todays stock.)

It'd still be nice for us to have a look at that Akubra.

I bought my first Fed in 2002 and it was no different to the hats I've seen since. I know that the Feds were originally sent out with a different coloured ribbon and no dimensional cut. In fact when I ordered mine they told me that it had changed (to my relief) and that the hat now had the dimensional brim and a darker ribbon - so no need to cut and re-dye.

You know, I never saw a Federation with a red liner. Anyone else here ever buy one with a red liner. I like it, but every Federation I have ever seen, and I have seen 20 to 30 of them over the years, all came with a white liner. Also, when Ron first got Akubra to make this hat for us, the price at that time was around 60 bucks US currency. We had a favorable exchange rate at that time. It stayed that way for awhile, and many folks got a heck of a bargain. With all of that said, the buy it now price of 99 bucks is a bargain. If I needed a hat, I would buy it.


For those who are new, the Federation was made for us, with Ron at Hatsdirect getting the job done. I think he still has the exclusive on them. Myself, Indydawg, Michaelson and MK were involved in this, by giving Ron the spics we wanted. He then went to Akubra, and talked them into it. I think MK even sent a hat to him to try and match the color, and Rond did the best that he could. It was a bit darker than what we wanted, and later on Ron got Akubra to make the Deluxe model that came in a lighter brown.

If any of you guys ever want the ultimate rabbit Raiders fedora, buy a deluxe, and send it to me for "the treatment". I will take the stiffener out, and reblock it, using the original parts and you will not find a better rabbit Indy fedora, IMHO. I would just put the HJ ribbon on it, as the Federation bows are a bit too stylized for an Indy fedora. The Akubras hold the place of being the only rabbit hat I will reblock, with the exception of my own rabbit. Fedora.

Thank you so much for the quick response!!

Indiana Tone, as I mentioned, my collection is waaaay to small and humble in comparison with others around here, so instead of thinning out I am planning on expanding it

But point taken, as I said even though I may be in some way "ripped off" as it is not THE most accurate one (of today as Sharpetoys says), it's still a great improvement over the Disney one, right??

I still wait for the judegement of Michaleson (after all, he was the guru for my jacket!)

Thanks all for the warm welcome!

Henry Guemez

Fedora wrote...

You know, I never saw a Federation with a red liner. Anyone else here ever buy one with a red liner. I like it, but every Federation I have ever seen, and I have seen 20 to 30 of them over the years, all came with a white liner

Steve,
Mine has the red liner in it

I like the look of that Red liner!! Though the C-dent he has going on is a bit strange, it still looks pretty good.

Cheers
Craig

You wrote...

But point taken, as I said even though I may be in some way "ripped off" as it is not THE most accurate one (of today as Sharpetoys says), it's still a great improvement over the Disney one, right??

I don't think you got ripped off you got a nice hat... Well worth the money.

I was speaking of the sellers hype . Sorry...

The first runs did have a red liner, Steve et al, or at least the first test run did. I advised Ron to change it to white as none of the Indy fedoras had a red liner, and it was changed when the production run began, as well as to make the hats open crown rather than a preblocked dent. No one could agree what the top bash should be, so rather than getting bogged down in those details, open crown was the final decision by Akubra.

The brims were not dimensionally cut either, and the ribbon/bow was wrong. Several changes were made before it was finally placed on the HatsDirect website for sale.

I believe the black Feds still come with a red liner, or at least the last one I received from them a couple years ago did.

What I find amusing is in reading the description of how the Fed was created. Folks....WE created the Fed, or at least a small committee from Indygear did, and the first prototype arrived at my house just days after I returned from the very first QM get together out in Long Beach. It was passed around to several people for their input, and those suggestions were were incorporated into the final design. The Deluxe came out just before the SECOND QM shindig, and it was just using further information that a second committee offered after critiquing the original Feds, and those changes were also incorporated into the standard Fed design.

SO, I'm not sure where this fellow got all his information, but he should have come to the source of the Federation line. We could have told him volumes. Well, he would have at least had all the pertinent information....

Regards! Michaelson

Well, I guess I should be thanking everyone here at this website. As most of you know I just got my Fed. Deluxe and I love every part of it. I think it's truely the first nice hat I have ever owned and I'll treasure it forever!

Of course.....I'll still be buying an AB too but that's further down the
road.

I'll follow your steps, Pitfall Harry! My next hat will be an AB... but for now I think the Federation will do, after all, it is creation of the COW members, and that ENOUGH is worth the price!
Thanks all!

Henry Guemez

IL, welcome! We don't have many members from Mexico. It's good to see our members here are coming from all over the globe. My boyfriend is originally from Mexico City and loves the city. I'm sure one day we'll be down there to visit since one of his brothers lives there still.

Thanks, Indiana Texas-girl!!!

Wow, there are other members from Mexico? I would sure like to meet them, maybe we could organize something down here. Hey! a picture of all with a pyramid in the background... all dressed up (I'd rather say "in character"), how cool would that be?

Anyway, your boyfriend's from Mexico City?? Maybe I know him... but then again in a city with over 20 million people, chances are slim (but as Han Solo would say "never tell me the odds!"

Great avatar!!

Henry Guemez

IL, I know there's at least one guy down there but I don't remember his member name. I just remember seeing Mexico in his location. If you go to the Memberlist and search by location, you might be able to find some other members in Mexico.

You may know my BF or may not. It's a huge city. He worked in the watch and jewelry business while there.
Here's a pic in the event that you might know him:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/ ... olly07.jpg

Indiana Texas-girl wrote:IL, I know there's at least one guy down there but I don't remember his member name.

Wasn't his name golpeo_rapidamente??

Nice picture, ITG!

No, he's in Australia....as I recall....

Regards! Michaelson

Gracias, Strider.

I honestly don't remember the guys name since he doesn't post a whole lot here.

I will try to change the view you have of mexican-non posters

Indiana Tone, the picture will be taken.. trust me.

Michaelson thanks, as always for your knowledge!!

Henry Guemez

Well, Henry, you have a great first name, probably one coveted by quite a few Indy fans. I look forward to seeing more posts. I don't guess my BF looked familiar. Maybe one day I'll make it down there with him, but I doubt it'll be anytime soon. He talked about going down there to vote in the presidential election. I think that's in July (???), and if so, maybe I'll make it there with him if I'm not working.

Indiana Legones wrote: I would sure like to meet them, maybe we could organize something down here. Hey! a picture of all with a pyramid in the background... all dressed up (I'd rather say "in character"), how cool would that be?

A Mexico summit with a trip to the pyramids would be fantastic! Please let us know if you plan anything, I'd love to see that happen...

Welcome aboard Henry!

Antone

Indiana Legones wrote: Michaelson thanks, as always for your knowledge!!

Henry Guemez

I do what I can, where I can, Henry.

HIGH regards! Michaelson

Antone wrote:

Indiana Legones wrote: I would sure like to meet them, maybe we could organize something down here. Hey! a picture of all with a pyramid in the background... all dressed up (I'd rather say "in character"), how cool would that be?

A Mexico summit with a trip to the pyramids would be fantastic! Please let us know if you plan anything, I'd love to see that happen...

Welcome aboard Henry!

Antone

Funny thing is IndyMcFly and I ended up hooking up in Mexico a year or so ago! We just happened to be at the same place at the same time, so we made our own little "mini-summit" out of it. Unfortunately, we weren't able to hit any ruins together, though we had hoped to.

bink

Let me know if you are down here in July, Indiana Texas-Girl! Your boyfriend sounds so professional...coming all the way down here just to vote! My respects!

I'll start looking of cool places for a summit, hoping some people would come here (Magnoli would be great... as it would save me lots on shippong expenses )

Cheers!

Henry Guemez

Fedora wrote:
For those who are new, the Federation was made for us, with Ron at Hatsdirect getting the job done. I think he still has the exclusive on them. Myself, Indydawg, Michaelson and MK were involved in this, by giving Ron the spics we wanted. He then went to Akubra, and talked them into it. I think MK even sent a hat to him to try and match the color, and Rond did the best that he could. It was a bit darker than what we wanted, and later on Ron got Akubra to make the Deluxe model that came in a lighter brown.

You have a good memory. I forgot about sending him that hat. It was one of Lee Kepler's. At that time he had the best color. I was disapointed that the original Federation had that greenish brown. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

Fedora wrote:If any of you guys ever want the ultimate rabbit Raiders fedora, buy a deluxe, and send it to me for "the treatment". I will take the stiffener out, and reblock it, using the original parts and you will not find a better rabbit Indy fedora, IMHO. I would just put the HJ ribbon on it, as the Federation bows are a bit too stylized for an Indy fedora. The Akubras hold the place of being the only rabbit hat I will reblock, with the exception of my own rabbit. Fedora.

Will you still do this, Steve?

That was posted last April, Strider.

Steve made an announcement in the vendors section recently that due to the amount of orders and work he has, he will no longer be doing reblocks like this offer anymore.

Regards! Michaelson

Fedora wrote:You know, I never saw a Federation with a red liner. Anyone else here ever buy one with a red liner. Fedora.

I've never seen onein person, but I recently had them replace the liner in my Campdraft, and they notified me of a delay because they only had red liners in stock. So it must be for specific models.
Chewie