Shaping my new AB deluxe

[Erri]

Ok ok I haven't really bought a NEW AB but I gave my (ex pagey's) tapered regular AB to Marc for a reblock. Such an excellent reblock my European friends. After days of admiring the Beauty I finally decided to bash it. Here some pics of the process...


a rough pinch at the beginning just to find out how turned I want it to be


Once it is found the pinch has to be more clear




with the right turn I got the right Raven Bar brim! Hoorray... now back to the crown...


with some more adjustments



... starts to get a good shape








I hope you enjoyed the pictures as much as I enjoyed shaping that masterpiece!
My congrats and thanks again to Marc!

[Erri]

You may consider getting into the hat bashing business!

I didn't know there was a business! Thanks for the compliments.

[whiskyman]

Good photo series. If it was mine, I'd have the front pich slightly higher and drop the back down a little - but that's just me.

[McFly]

Fantastic, Erri! I'd love if my hat looked that good - alas, it's only an Akubra though. Maybe I should buy an AB and send it to you to bash for me.

In Christ,
Shane

[BendingOak]

I have to agree wit wiskyman. I think the front is to low and the back to high.

[VP]

Such an excellent reblock my European friends.

Yeah, bloody expensive though. €50 is way too much for something that Fedora used to do for €8.

[Indy_Railok]

Ah, sweet Errico! It's gonna be great seeing it in person in a month!

[Redbeard]

Yeah, bloody expensive though. €50 is way too much for something that Fedora used to do for €8.

I agree it is a lot of money. Put you have to see that it not just a simple re-block that Marc does, but it is a complete overhowl. He does everything with the hats, he even re-dyes them and give them new pouncing if the need it. Put this way: Yes, a Mercedes is more expensive, but you get something for it...

Cheers,
Red

[VP]

I don't need a complete overhaul, just a reblock. I don't get a full annual inspection for my car if it only needs a gas refill.

[Redbeard]

Well, that is easy: Don't send your hat to Marc. You know, I think it is called deluxe for a reason.

Cheers,
Red

[VP]

Aren't there any cheaper alternatives?

[Redbeard]

Well there are. But you will never find somebody with a block that even comes close to Marc's in terms of screen acuracy and none existing tape. (I mean he hat his blockmaker make three versions or so till he was satisfied and he invested a fortune...)

Doesn't Steve make re-blocks anymore?

[Michaelson]

According to his announcement on June 20th in the vendors section, he only reblocks AB's now.

viewtopic.php?t=18051


Regards! Michaelson

[BendingOak]

the hat in question is a AB.

[Michaelson]

I know.

Regards! Michaelson

[VP]

the hat in question is a AB.

I was talking about reblocking my Akubra.

[mark seven]

Great pics Erri,that's one fine lookin' hat!

[hp]

Very fine hat, Erri!
Did Marc do anything else besides reblock, e.g. change ribbon, lining or sweat?

Cheers
HP

[Fedora]

According to his announcement on June 20th in the vendors section, he only reblocks AB's now.

Yes, I have been referring folks here in the States to Art, but from what I understand, he may be getting out of the reblock business, except for his own line of custom hats. The catch to this is the time involved. Many times, you can make a new hat faster than it takes to reblock an old one due to the cleaning issue. And when you have a large demand, you have to make a decison. I am afraid this involves not doing reblocks on hats other than your own. I love to reblock vintage hats and Akubras, but when you have customers waiting on new hats, it is hard to justify it. I literally had several stacks of non AB reblocks, stacked to the ceiling, and am still working those in with the new hats as I go along. So, this bottlenecks my new hat production, and I had to make the decision. There is always Optimo as he does them, but he is pricey on the refurbs.


An intersting note I just heard from Marc this week is an old hatter told him it should take 3 to 4 minutes to make a hat. Optimo has that capability as he uses factory machines to make his hats. So, reblocks to him, take no time at all. It takes me all day to make one hat!!! Same with reblocks. The smart thing to do is to use machines, and as the old hatter told Marc, you can't make any money doing them by hand!!! He is right. You can't. But this ain't about money in the first place. We wanted a hat made like the small shops made them in the 1930's, because that is Indy era accurate. It would be faster to just have a factory make our hats like others do, with our logos on the liners and sweats. I refuse to do it, and so does Marc. But, we must be doing something right. I know of a couple of other folks who are now handmaking hats, to serve a niche market, and they are cranking out the hats, but at a slow pace. The idea came from this Indy hat market that Marc and I serve. Handmade hats are still as scarce as chicken teeth, and you will never see many doing it, due to the economics. If you do it, you do it for other reasons than making money.

On reblocks, it would be cheaper to just buy yourself a block from Lamode, a size smaller than your hat is, and once a month, steam the hat and pull it over the block. It would pay for itself by the time you paid for a couple of reblocks. Fedora

[Michaelson]

What's the status with JPDesign and his reblock work?
(not to wander to far away from the original intent of this string....erri's fine looking AB!)

Regards! Michaelson

[Erri]

Thanks for the compliments people

Good photo series. If it was mine, I'd have the front pich slightly higher and drop the back down a little - but that's just me.

Maybe you're right, I'll have a better look tomorrow in the light

Ah, sweet Errico! It's gonna be great seeing it in person in a month!

Bet your a** you will

Yeah, bloody expensive though. €50 is way too much for something that Fedora used to do for €8.

I agree it is a lot of money. Put you have to see that it not just a simple re-block that Marc does, but it is a complete overhowl. He does everything with the hats, he even re-dyes them and give them new pouncing if the need it. Put this way: Yes, a Mercedes is more expensive, but you get something for it...

Cheers,
Red

That hat needed an "tweak". Marc did such an excellent job. I swear the hat looked new. My girlfriend asked me if he didn't keep it for himself and send a new one. Absolutely no marks of previous bashes, re-dyed and new ribbon. Plus Marc was here in Florence, practically I didn't pay anything of postage... what's safer and cheaper than a hand exchange?

[Strider]

Let's see it from straight forward!

[Erri]

Here you go...

[Fedora]

I think you need a long oval, but the distortion of the pic may be at fault here. I would love to see a pic taken from a distance. Your face is slim, and the crown looks wide from the front. I would put a hand on each side of the crown and clap to press the sides in to see if this would compact the hat more. The Raiders fedora on Ford's head was a straight, but a rather compact hat, to my eyes. The new HJs while tapered a bit too much for me, do have the compact look to them. My first Keppler was a wide hat as viewed from the front. I took Dakota's advice and ordered a long oval from Lee, and the hat was perfect in that area. That is what makes me think the same thing may be going on here. But then again, it may just be the closeup pics. Love to see a pic from the distance if you can pull it off. It does look fantastic from the sides though, very well done!! Just my two cents for what it is worth. Fedora

[Erri]

Thanks Steve, I think it's an effect of the camera... I'll post some far distance pictures as soon as I get some.
About the shape... I deliberately asked for a regular oval (I'm long oval) for untapering issues that you might find in some of my previous threads
Thanks again Steve :D

[prairiejones]

Good looking hat. I also think the front pinch needs to be a little taller. Try it and see. I usually err on the side of the taller front pinch.

[Fedora]

I deliberately asked for a regular oval (I'm long oval)

Right, I had forgotten Erri wan!! I figured it might be the close ups as that does not really show the hat as it really is. Regards, Fedora

[Marc]

Nice bash as always Erri!

I deliberately asked for a regular oval (I'm long oval) for untapering issues that you might find in some of my previous threads

And after seeing the AB-Dlx. on Erri's head, guess what MY next hat will be

Regards,

Marc

[Erri]

Thanks marc and thanks prairie. I'll see if in these days I take some far distance pictures Steve, so you will have a more "real" image of how it looks. I was just too close to the camera

[Indiana Texas-girl]

What's the status with JPDesign and his reblock work?
(not to wander to far away from the original intent of this string....erri's fine looking AB!)

Regards! Michaelson

Just did a search on yellowpages.com. Here's what I found:
http://www.yellowpages.com/sp/moreinfo/ ... P%20Design

Jimmy Pierce Designs
111 E Pearl St
Granbury, TX 76048

(817) 579-1080

[Erri]

I figured it might be the close ups as that does not really show the hat as it really is. Regards, Fedora

Here you go





Sidenote:
Regarding the too low pinch... Looking at these pictures I'm starting to think that it gives the right look and the original hat probably wasn't as high as we caricaturize it. Plus it shows how great is Marc's block: the hat looks still untapered (and with some reverse taper) even with a lower pinch than "normal".

[VP]

Yeah it's a good thing that the hat looks OK even if it's inaccurate. But it's still inaccurate.

[Erri]

Yeah it's a good thing that the hat looks OK even if it's inaccurate. But it's still inaccurate.

still happy that it's not as much inaccurate as yours, my cheeky friend

[VP]

Yeah, but the price-accuracy relationship is unbeatable.

[Erri]

Yeah, but the price-accuracy relationship is unbeatable.

Admit you want me to be banned VP

[VP]

What? No way, why would I want that? What makes you think so, my Italiano friend?

[Marc]

You get what you pay for...

For reference:























With that said: both Akubras are HIGHLY recommended by both Steve and me, so I'm not throwing anything at anyone. But if you want a 100% screen accurate Indy Fedora you might just bite the bullet and either have yours reblocked or get something else...

Regards,

Marc

[VP]

Hey, those pics are 2½ years old. Since then I have modified the bow, turned it, stuffed some tissue paper under the sweatband etc. The pics aren't the best representatives of its current state. If nothing cheaper turns up I will probably get it reblocked by you. If I order an ABD at the same time will I get a discount price for the reblock?

Oh yeah and I don't think that you can get a 100% RotLA hat out of an Akubra.

[Marc]

Oh yeah and I don't think that you can get a 100% RotLA hat out of an Akubra.

Oh, I've refurbished Federations that got me SERIOUSLY tempted to buy one for myself, so I believe rather the opposite, but each on his own.

If I order an ABD at the same time will I get a discount price for the reblock?

Sure, you only have to pay the shipping for ONE package, so that would save you 17€. Be sure to order before the added value taxes go up next year and you'll safe yet another 8€.

Regards,

Marc

[VP]

Cool. I probably won't order another hat before I get a summer job and some more money from it, but we'll see. Eight euros is just 2.7% of 300 euros.

[Marc]

Eight euros is just 2.7% of 300 euros

I know, but with the better rawbodies - which of course cost more (and which I´m paying out of my own pocket) - I have come to the point where I unfortunately need to forward the rising taxes to the customer...

Regards,

Marc

[prairiejones]

Hey erri, The hat looks great in those last pics. Don't change a thing.

[hp]

Sidenote:
Regarding the too low pinch... Looking at these pictures I'm starting to think that it gives the right look and the original hat probably wasn't as high as we caricaturize it. Plus it shows how great is Marc's block: the hat looks still untapered (and with some reverse taper) even with a lower pinch than "normal".

I can confirm this. I also have a low pinch on my AB Deluxe, because I've choosen LC style for my face. The hat neither LOOKS tapered nor it IS tapered.

Cheers
HP

[Erri]

Hey erri, The hat looks great in those last pics. Don't change a thing.

Thanks prairie :D

I can confirm this. I also have a low pinch on my AB Deluxe, because I've choosen LC style for my face. The hat neither LOOKS tapered nor it IS tapered.

Oh I remember your hat in Venice! Nice one

[Indiana Croft]

Yea Erri-Wan don't change a thing, I love the look of your lid.
You've inspired me to make my first attempt a doing a re-bash on my AB. The front pinch always looked different that when I first got it so many years ago, I'll do a post of how it looks when I do it. So far I've steamed out the pinch and the popped the crown out.

Croft

[Erri]

Yea Erri-Wan don't change a thing, I love the look of your lid.
You've inspired me to make my first attempt a doing a re-bash on my AB. The front pinch always looked different that when I first got it so many years ago, I'll do a post of how it looks when I do it. So far I've steamed out the pinch and the popped the crown out.

Croft

SORRY for not answering before Indiana Croft. You really flattered me. How did it go with your rebash attempt on the AB?

[Indiana Croft]

No problemo, it came out ok, pertty much the same as before but only a small difference that only I can see, but I'm happy with it.
Plus I took the plunge and sat on it. Gave it some charac.ter.

I was able to get in on the special Fedora ran on his remaining Rabbit bodies so I'll post picks of both hats when I get it.
Take care, Croft