Club Obi Wan

Ok guys and gals here is one that I missed in making it to fit the facial shape and head shape. In this instance, what Shane needed was a shorter hat than the film hat, and as you can see, it dwarfs his head!! I used a regular oval block, when what I should have used was a long oval block. This hat is too wide for his face. On a regular oval head, with a regular facial shape, this hat would have worked. He is sending it back so I can reduce the crown height, and use a long oval block so it fits his particular facial and head shape. Sure looks good from the sides though. And if it wasn't too wide, man that back shot sure looks nice and accurate. This is the most difficult part of hatmaking, matching the block shape and dimensions to the individuals head and facial shape. I have the most problems when thinner faces are involved, and lucky for my, it doesn't happen that often!!! But, I will always make these hats right, although it may take you sending them back for the adjustments. I can't be accused of only showing the good jobs that I do!! I asked Shane immediately if I could post the pics he sent me.

It's because Shane has such a small head. In fact, it's smaller than the rest of his body. Imagine 12 inch figurine with the head of a 4 inch figure. That pretty much sums it up. But there's an easy fix, Shane. We can club your head so it swells up to size, thus filling the hat. Here, I'll get a bat.

That's a great looking hat otherwise, Steve. Send it my way!

I agree that hat looks great! If my hat looks like that I will be a very happy AB owner!

Steve:

Given Shane's facial/head structure, for the proper proportions, what do you anticipate the crown height will be? Are the brim dimensions also modified?

Incredible (or another testiment to your block), how the front angle still retains a "meaty" look.

Sincerely,

binkmeisterRick wrote:It's because Shane has such a small head. In fact, it's smaller than the rest of his body. Imagine 12 inch figurine with the head of a 4 inch figure. That pretty much sums it up. But there's an easy fix, Shane. We can club your head so it swells up to size, thus filling the hat. Here, I'll get a bat.

That's a great looking hat otherwise, Steve. Send it my way!

Hey, if my hat will fit afterwards, do it. But then my Akubra won't fit when it finally comes home to me. It's as bad as a Wested wait, except the dude HAS my hat ready to go and just hasn't shipped it.

I really like the AB, and it's very soft. The brim is a little stiff but that's okay. Maybe Steve can curl it up a little for me - I like the brim kind of curled. The pinch is a little loose though and I don't know how to fix it. I'll wait till I get it back though and it fits for me to try and work that out though.

No, I'm not happy in those pics - my hat doesn't fit! - but it's a great hat and I really wish I could wear it. It's just been a little windy lately (okay a lot yesterday) and I don't want to risk it. Plus it looks kind of silly on me right now.

In Christ,
Small Head

Given Shane's facial/head structure, for the proper proportions, what do you anticipate the crown height will be? Are the brim dimensions also modified?

I think I made that one 5 1/4 open crown but I will have too look at the paperwork. The long oval block shape will affect the look of the brim, so I will have to wait and see what it does to brims interplay with the crown. It may look ok as is, once the crown is trimmer looking. Going by how that hat looks in height, I may have to go down to a 5 inch open crown height so it creases down to 4 5/8's on the sides just to keep it from looking like a 6 inch crown hat.

These smaller head sizes are difficult to match up as the typical specs are just too much to use. You have to scale down everything, and then you have to take into account the long oval shape too.

Needless to say, it is easier to get a good looking hat for the regular facial shapes, but certainly not impossible. Sometimes it just takes a few tries before you can get it to look right. And this is a good example of how the original specs do not fit all. And it goes without saying, I am still learning how to do this.

Part of the problem with this hat too, is it is too large for him, as it is resting on his ears. I work off of measurments, and either I misread the tape measure, or he did. I do add 1/8 an inch to the measurments given me to allow for shrinkage of the sweat once you sweat in the hat a few times and the leather dries. A perfectly fitting hat won't stay that way long if you wear it as an adventure hat. So, I add a smidge so that when the sweat does shrink, you won't be walking around with a headache. Fedora

I imagine that with a center-dent like the Raiders hat, that you have quite the dilemma.

For example if one has a longer face and would like a hat that is a bit shorter to fit the face better, can it be done? It seems as if it would be difficult since the top of the hat is resting on the head already. If you shorten the crown, it will be 2" over the wearer's ears and it would take nothing more than a sparrow fart to knock it off.

So even if you get the perfect crown height, you then have to proportionately size the brim to make it look like an Indy hat. So the hat would look perfectly proportioned sitting on the table, but a person with a long, narrow face has to have a tall crown and either a stingy brim to fit the width of the face, or a wide brim to fit the proportions of the hat.

It seems like a lose/lose situation to me. We are lucky that you are good at your hobby.

I love wearing my AB everywhere and for once, I"m lucky to have such a fat head...KC

Fedora wrote:Part of the problem with this hat too, is it is too large for him, as it is resting on his ears. I work off of measurments, and either I misread the tape measure, or he did. I do add 1/8 an inch to the measurments given me to allow for shrinkage of the sweat once you sweat in the hat a few times and the leather dries. A perfectly fitting hat won't stay that way long if you wear it as an adventure hat. So, I add a smidge so that when the sweat does shrink, you won't be walking around with a headache. Fedora

So what will happen to fix this? I don't think you can make the hat smaller, can you? What will have to happen to re-do any of this? Obviously you'll take the hat apart and reblock it on a long oval block, but if you wanted to make it smaller you'd have to make the whole felt body flat again, wouldn't you? I'm assuming I'll get this hat back the same size but in the form of a long oval, but with a taller crown and shorter brim?

What is the process it will go through in order to make it the right size?

In Christ,
Shane

Off to the post office in 15 minutes. You should get it by Saturday or Monday.

In Christ,
Shane

So what will happen to fix this? I don't think you can make the hat smaller, can you? What will have to happen to re-do any of this? Obviously you'll take the hat apart and reblock it on a long oval block, but if you wanted to make it smaller you'd have to make the whole felt body flat again, wouldn't you? I'm assuming I'll get this hat back the same size but in the form of a long oval, but with a taller crown and shorter brim?

What is the process it will go through in order to make it the right size?

The hat will have to be stripped down, steamed and pulled over a long oval block in the same size I used for your original hat. I will then cut the sweat down and drum it into the hat, and reassemble. I will then see how the brim looks in prorportion with the new crown shape, review your pics and make a determination if I need to take some more off the brim, and how much. Pretty simple stuff.

Oh, and also do your other requests, like no turn and initials. Actually, not turning the hat will give you the curled brim on the sides that you also want. I turned the original, and the turn takes out lots of the side curl.

I sometimes forget about not turning a hat that is to be a Raiders fedora. I am just so used to turning those, and somehow for me, it is so easy to forget that one thing. That asymetrical look is so necessary to achieve the look(except outside the Temple scenes) although I understand some guys just can't stand the asymetrical look( like Rick5150) and I never forget on his hats because we correspond alot and he has drilled it in my head over the years. But I have got so used to Rick with his symetrical Raider fedoras, that he would look odd in an asymetrical one these days. It just wouldn't look right on him. I would even go so far as to say, it would look comedic on him. So please Rick, don't ever change!! And the truth is, his symetrical hat is like the one Indy wore prior to entering into the temple at the start of the film. I think Indy banged his head when he rolled down the slope, and was knocked loony. In his looniness, he didn't have enough wits about him to wear his hat straight on his head, and wore it off center. As he was a bit off center after the fall. Comments-Bink???? Fedora

I was never right BEFORE the fall! I also like my hats unturned. I give 'em plenty of character just by wearing them! Of course, my head itself is turned...

Looks beautiful from the side though. Nice hat too.

Hmm, I might need you to check mine out Fedora...just to make sure. (if I can get some pictures taken)