Club Obi Wan

I dont know if this has been done already but since I just received mine today I thought I would post this since there is alot of akubra talk it seems.
I received my black regular federation today. Sorry I took pics but had to leave for work. If my wife can put them in photobucket for me tonight then I will post them.
Ok on to the hat. I thought it would be a little large from everything I've read on here but it actually fits right. I may be in trouble if it shrinks up too much actually. It has a dimple above the bow I believe just as Fatwoul described. I have not done anything to it but try it on as I literally had to leave for work. I was wondering (dumb newbie question)Should the brim snap down and stay or do I have to shape it down.
Anyway I will post pics as soon as I can. So lets see those Akubra feds.

I've found that the brims on the Federations can be stubborn. Try just snapping it down first. If it won't stay, or your not happy with it, a little bit of cool distilled or spring water should help in shaping. I recommend wetting the underside of the brim in case there is any color bleeding.

My own Black Fed;


Brown;


And Gray;


Not to mention my Campdraft;


I know, I'm such a show-off!

- - -

Here's a picture of my gray Fed after I cut a 1/4 inch off the brim. Just scribed a line with a compass and cut down the line with scissors then sanded the edge. Bob.

It has a dimple above the bow I believe just as Fatwoul described.

Mine too.

Thankfully I wanted a used, worn-in, look so after I crumpled the hat into a ball a few times the dimple was not noticable.

Here's my old LC-styled Akubra fed.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v682/ ... FedOYL.jpg

I love that LC styled hat... I think my next lid is gonna go LC style too, hopefully I can do a narrower brim for it. And I'd show my fed deluxe, but it wouldn't be very much fun to look at in its current state...
-Daryl

Thanks!

It now belongs to my girlfriend.



I think it looks so "Venice Pier" on her.

Yes it does... now I feel bad about not having a nice LC lid... thanks :evil:

-Daryl

Here are some pics of my trusty old Federation Deluxe. I bought this hat back in 2003 and have worn it almost non-stop as my primary, everyday fedora up until February of this year. It's been rained on dozens and dozens of times, snowed on and worn out in the raging sun. It's been bashed and rebashed, it's been sat on, scrunched up into a ball and reblocked using common household items. And that was all BEFORE these pics were taken.

Here's a shot of the hat in some harsh sunlight (yes I know it looks gray...it is NOT gray, however)


Some shots with my JPD (Akubra on the left)

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p163 ... JPD043.jpg

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p163 ... JPD044.jpg

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p163 ... JPD051.jpg

Some shots of when I gave it the "Streets of Cairo" treatment

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p163 ... TYSOC4.jpg

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p163 ... TYSOC1.jpg

One last shot

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p163/GCR5/HAT3.jpg

The Fed Deluxe was a heck of a hat. It took everything I threw at it and kept coming back for more. It is truly one tough customer, I highly recommend it if you're looking for a rabbit-felt hat that will stand up to regular wear and tear over the years.

-GCR

I've actually used a lot of steam on the brim of my Akubra with great success. But NOT ON THE CROWN!!!!

Chewbacca Jones wrote:I've found that the brims on the Federations can be stubborn. Try just snapping it down first. If it won't stay, or your not happy with it, a little bit of cool distilled or spring water should help in shaping. I recommend wetting the underside of the brim in case there is any color bleeding.

It definitely is stubborn. It pops right back up everytime I move it, so I will use the distilled water on it .

Ok hope this is the right size! Its too dark to see the dimple.



I will save the rest for after I try to bash it.

is that one of the lids that popped up on ebay recently?

-Daryl

Kentucky Blues wrote:is that one of the lids that popped up on ebay recently?

-Daryl

Got it from Hatsdirect. Great service!
Lousy service from the mail though! Looked like somebody kicked a hole right through the box! :evil:

Nice lid, GCR!

Here is my Fed Delux that Fedora bashed for me a la SoC

- - -

It's not the mail. hatsdirect have a kangaroo in a shed, and they let him kick all the boxes before they put hats in them. That's why we all get boxes with a dent, but perfectly intact hats.

it's revenge for buying up all those 'roo whips

fatwoul wrote:

Indycop wrote:Got it from Hatsdirect. Great service!
Lousy service from the mail though! Looked like somebody kicked a hole right through the box!

It's not the mail. hatsdirect have a kangaroo in a shed, and they let him kick all the boxes before they put hats in them. That's why we all get boxes with a dent, but perfectly intact hats.

Indycop wrote:

Kentucky Blues wrote:is that one of the lids that popped up on ebay recently?

-Daryl

Got it from Hatsdirect. Great service!
Lousy service from the mail though! Looked like somebody kicked a hole right through the box! :evil:

Mine had a boot hole in the box too. One thing I wish Hatsdirect would do is double box, I'd pay extra for the peace of mind.
Bob.

indy89 wrote:Nice lid, GCR!

Thanks!

Here are a few more I posted in another thread not so long ago. They're probably better suited to this thread, though.

For all those who think that their Akubras are a bit on the stiff side when new, all I can say is...wait.



http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p163 ... ats002.jpg

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p163 ... ats003.jpg

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p163 ... ats004.jpg

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p163 ... ats005.jpg

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p163 ... ats006.jpg

Like I said...tough customers, these Akubras.

-GCR

- - -

GCR wrote:

indy89 wrote:Nice lid, GCR!

Thanks!

Here are a few more I posted in another thread not so long ago. They're probably better suited to this thread, though.

For all those who think that their Akubras are a bit on the stiff side when new, all I can say is...wait.



http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p163 ... ats002.jpg

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p163 ... ats003.jpg

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p163 ... ats004.jpg

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p163 ... ats005.jpg

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p163 ... ats006.jpg

Like I said...tough customers, these Akubras.

-GCR

it kinda feels like jumping out of a perfectly good helicopter, thinking about doing that to a brand new hat! But it worked for erin! I think I will use the black more as a dress hat so I don't know if I should rough it up!? I definitely will get more akubras though but probably the bogart next.

Anymore akubras? Erin? Fatwoul pics with your new brim?

- - -

Indycop wrote:Anymore akubras? Erin? Fatwoul pics with your new brim?

Here's another. But, after a year, it was time to reshape the old standby.


So I gave her a soaking and reshaping. Looks different?




This may elicit a comment, or two, from Ripper.

Sincerely,

prairiejones wrote:I've actually used a lot of steam on the brim of my Akubra with great success. But NOT ON THE CROWN!!!!

This Akubra's crown was steamed; severely. But only when on a block!!

I was pleased.

Sincerely,

Here's a pic of me in my Fed outside the Indy ride, Disneyland.

Here's the hat after stretching the crown in an attempt to remove some taper.


When I get some time, I'm going to try it again.

Ron

That last pic is a good example of a "well loved" hat

Here's mine after altering the bow:


And one on my noggin.

It could use a reblock now though.

Regards,
Swindiana

Swindiana, the bow looks great after the alteration. What did you do to get it like that? I'm leary of altering it but I would like to know how to do it just in case. Thanks.

You're right, Swindy, your head could use a reblock.

Or put me in a lathe and get me a smaller hat size instead....

Erin;

I undid the stitches and shaped it bigger, so to speak. The middle part ("knot") is unfolded to be wider, if you will, though there isn't enough material to go all around the bow when it isn't as narrow. You just have to fold it over and hide the edges behind it.

Oh, I also ironed it flat on low heat before reshaping it. After that it was just a matter of redoing the stitches. A small effort with a pretty good result I think.

I'm sure someone will post you a tutorial link for exchanging the whole ribbon.

Regards,
Swindiana

Here is my Federation Deluxe size 59:

- - -

Just got my Fed Regular on Saturday- this is the second bash. I had it turned about an inch then though about it and realized i didn't need to...
FED Triumphant! (with my "old" fedora, soon to be worn no more...)

- - -

fishmeok wrote:Just got my Fed Regular on Saturday- this is the second bash. I had it turned about an inch then though about it and realized i didn't need to...
FED Triumphant! (with my "old" fedora, soon to be worn no more...)

Dude, your cat looks EXACTLY like my family's old one (God rest her soul)

And your hats are nice too!

That's a great cat- my ex found her outside work late one night cold and hungry. Been with me ever since (the cat, mind you).
Cheers
Mark

-Cats... I love cats!
*Bet you thought I was gonna say something else, huh?*

fishmeok;
I have a story pretty much the same too. I saved a half year old cat by feeding him with hot dogs and milk every day before going to school when I was a kid. That ended up with talking my parents into keeping him and we ended up having him for 16 years, god rest his soul. That was a cat with some personality...

Regards,
Swindiana

Cool.

By the way, in that first photo, are your hats sitting on a remote control Sherman?

Nah, it's an RC Stuart- a 1/6 Sherman would be about two feet longer...
Cheers
Mark

fishmeok wrote:Nah, it's an RC Stuart- a 1/6 Sherman would be about two feet longer...
Cheers
Mark

Ah. Rad.

That hat belongs on your head, fishmeok! The cat belongs in a mew-seum!

- - -

fatwoul wrote:Looks like I switched my invisibility on again...

Fats:

Just lost in the excitement of a remote control toy and a feline.

BTW: I prefer the more "brown" hue of your Dlx to the dark grey/brown tone of my regular.

Sincerely,

- - -

Great looking fedoras!

fishmeok wrote:That's a great cat- my ex found her outside work late one night cold and hungry. Been with me ever since (the cat, mind you).
Cheers
Mark

Cats seem to be more loyal that way.



So... hats...