Club Obi Wan

I sold one of my vintage HJs to our friend Pagey, and I had to pull my other one out of storage. I snapped a couple of pics before my batteries went dead in my digital camera(this thing eats them) and while dark and blurry, they really show how nice and deep this HJ took the front creases. I replaced the 2 inch wide ribbon that came on this hat with the old HJ ribbon that Marc and I use. This hat came with the little paper tag on the inside that stated this color was "Nut Brown" I like this color alot, althought these pics show it as way too dark. It was unworn when I acquired it, or looked to be. Brand new looking. It was made at the 38 New Bond Street address, has a light gold liner, with blue HJ shield with unicorn on top. It also has the Raiders blockshape that is so hard to find these days from HJ. All this one needs is some rain to break it in, and get some sags going on. Fedora

Did you keep photo copies of the other HJ you sold Pagey? Those would be interesting to use as a comparison with this one!

Regards! Michaelson

I WANT ONE!!! That is THE hat, right there...no offense meant to your AB line, as the AB's certainly share this same spectacular look, but, I mean, this is probably as close to the genuine article as one can get without the benefit of time-travel. Same block shape, same bash, same maker, even the little crease or pleat under the ribbon in the rightside dent! Beautiful! Does it even have the "TURN"?

A masterpiece, a work of art, when you get new batteries for you camera, take more pictures! I could stare at this beauty for hours!

-GCR

Wow. Would love to see a profile of this hat too both bashed and open crown. Does it have the lower back? I lightly "reblocked" the AB you sent me and PERFECTO - the lower back does indeed allow me the untapered view from the front and low crease behind. Really cool stuff.

But you're right - the way it takes those psychodeep front bashes is very unique.

HERE's a question, Steve. What is the difference any one of us might notice between an AB received 6 months ago and one received 6 months from now - a year apart?

And if this was addressed elsewhere I apologize.


-John

HERE's a question, Steve. What is the difference any one of us might notice between an AB received 6 months ago and one received 6 months from now - a year apart?

I guess it depends upon what sort of eye you have for small details. The truth of the matter is, I have tweaked my blocks several times in the last two years. The last tweak came after I got the vintage HJs and compared them to our reverse engineered blocks. I made mention of it at the time, that we had our blocks really close to what we saw in the HJs. I tweaked a little bit to get a nuance I saw on the HJ, but not on my block. It was nothing more than the degree of a particular radius, or curve. Marc studied the HJ block shape closely before he had his blocks made for him, off of engineer-esque drawings.

I could have sat on my laurels and never made the small changes to the block shape, but I take this stuff very seriously. With that said, I am 98 per cent satisfied with what we have at the moment. In a few days when I get a blank block in, I am gonna remake the Raiders block(I need a new set anyways) and add one other little nuance, and then send the block in and have it replicated again. So there is at least one more tweak, but most won't notice it. I know about it, and that is what counts.

I just happen to have a pic of the other HJ. This one was more broken in.



Still have not bought any new batteries yet, but stayed tuned. Fedora


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Steve, is this the same HJ from the one you posted before (top of the thread)?

I am gonna remake the Raiders block(I need a new set anyways) and add one other little nuance, and then send the block in and have it replicated again.

Is there a chance we can still get blocks that are once size smaller for us to rest our current fedoras on to hold their shapes longer?

My fedora has yet to taper, but I would also like to have something to rest it on/over to keep it that way.

Oak, I think that last pic is the HJ he sold Pagey. Although, I thought Pagey said his came open crowned.

Although, I thought Pagey said his came open crowned.

It did. I punched it out open crown and gave it an overnight soak in naptha. It came out looking newly blocked, with the old pinch barely visible. A bit of steam finished it off. Fedora

Ah, I see. Well that clears that up and that was a very cool thing to do. It allowed Pagey to put his own bash on it. Although, I must say the hat's previous bash looked awsome as well.

Wow! It's so...perfect.

Fedora wrote:So there is at least one more tweak, but most won't notice it. I know about it, and that is what counts.

Heck, I may not be able to see it, but just knowing you are always narrowing the gap is what I love about these...striving for perfection.

And I take it that if we send our 1-year-old ABs back to you to re-block on the new blocks we'll reap the benefits of your continued refinements, right?

Thanks, Steve -
J

How brave you are Steve! How hard was to sell that hat??

How much did Pagey pay for it anyway? Don't tell me it's the price of a normal AB otherwise I want one too

You can read all about that HJ here:

http://indylounge.proboards105.com/inde ... 1163579087

Thanks for the answer Steve!

And what about the Raiders HJ felt do you believe leant itself so well to the behavior we love?

Will there be much difference in the AB felt from last year to next?