Club Obi Wan

I've had this fed for awhile but just recently steamed it to make it official. I wish I had a before pic but i failed to take one. I'd just like to know what you all think...

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i209/ ... 1192951287

Looks GREAT Werner! Just wondering why you didn't turn it... Oh, and could you post a side view as well?

Regards,

Marc

Thanks a lot, Marc! I'll probably turn it soon, I just wanted to get the shape down first. I'll be sure to post a side view also.

How do you pull off the bash in the front on the crown like that? Is that with steam? I've tried getting that by hand but the impression isn't staying like that.

All I did was put the kettle on the stove until it steamed. Then I just let the steam hit the part that I wanted to change on the hat. I dont know if it would have made an effect but beforehand, I put some muscle into the hat. I pinched it at the base and flipped it around and then, I threw it on the ground and stepped on it, without shoes on. After that I just steamed it to what i wanted it to look like.

The crown seems to have a little reverse taper like a Magnoli HJ, unless that's a trick of the camera.

Jack

I dont think its a trick of the camera because I was trying to get a pic the way it looked the same way that I saw it in real life and this was one of the few that did justice to it.

Great job-- if it got Marc's approbation, you know it must be good!

Jack

Nice job, from the background it looks like it takes a lot of beer to steam a fed.

Indy W:

Nice job! Yes, some details, please. Very interested to know the height of that crown.

Funny, how only the "larger Feds" with the taller crowns, seem to work for me.

Sincerely,

That hat looks pretty good. You should definitely add the turn, then it'll look perfect.

Aeris_Canon wrote:* * *Seuss, * * *just wondering if there's some kind of sarcasm there in that "larger Feds" quote. Is that to imply that all Feds no matter what size come at the same crown height or are you stating a matter of fact that the taller hats look better on you in particular than the ones you've bashed that were literally 5 1/2"?

Sarcasm? Moi? None intended. Your assumption as to taller hats looking better on me, is indeed correct. Is there a consensus the "smaller" Feds are shorter in crown height?

I finally received my JPD. Although asking for 6 inches, Jimmy sent it at 5 1/2. (A taller hat is now in the works.)

Despite hours of shaping, I could not make that 5 1/2 work for my face. Even my wife, generally of a sarcastic "oh, yes I see a difference," said the 5 1/2 did not look right.

So, the taller hat "for me." Now, I am contemplating either donating the 5 1/2 to a hatless gearhead, or tearing the sweat out and reblocking (but losing some brim in the process).

Sincerely,

Werner, it looks great! But don't turn it! Seriously, I think the hat looks great unturned. Besides, the turn wasn't in every scene in Raiders, so it's still SA! Leave it!

K, I'm back with new pics. So, it's a size 57 and the crown measures a little bit over 5 inches.

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i209/wernman/fed1.jpg
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i209/wernman/fed2.jpg
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i209/wernman/fed3.jpg
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i209/wernman/fed4.jpg
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i209/wernman/fed5.jpg

Oh man, looks amazing. Great job!

Alright, I am nonplussed. A 57 cm Fed is a "bit over" 5 inches open crown, while a 59 (I have one), is almost 6 inches?

So a 58 is............ 5 1/2?

Easiest way to shrink a crown; spritz with your beverage of choice, and iron it.

Sincerely,

That hat is lookin' good!

haha thanks a lot for the compliments guys. I never knew it was that different from all the other ones out there. Maybe it was that beer I accidentally dumped on it lol I cant remember exactly when I got it but I remember it was a little after they first came out. And yeah, I'll get a pic on the inside for ya real soon.

Alright, inside shots.


http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i209/ ... 0_1837.jpg
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i209/ ... 0_1833.jpg

A "Federation," it apparently is not? A "re-badged" Explorer? Interesting how the bow is less distinctive than the later productions. Perhaps it is just the camera angle, but I anticipated the ribbon would have looked "larger/wider" given the shorter crown.

Regardless, for a 5 inch open crowned hat, it certainly shaped up well.

Sincerely,

Whoops. I didn't measure it open. It IS about 6 inches open. Sorry for the misleading.

Some how, I had a sneaking suspicion.

I Werner:

You have shaped a fine "standard" sized Federation. Hat's off to you.

Sincerely,

I'm always glad to bring a couple back together. lol thanks

Aeris_Canon wrote:Basically, that's not a Federation, Seuss. I have two Feds in a 57 and believe me, they're at 6".

Either Werner got lucky on the crown height of a 57 Fed (and it looks awesome at that height) or...the title is misleading. It should say Steamed Akubra (Explorer), thoughts?

I have a 55 and it's about 5 1/2" or 6" with the crease popped out. Is this interesting enough to warrant photos, or is this a "known?"

In Christ,
Shane

Supposedly, the crown and brim of the Federation should vary slightly based on hat size. But it's not very consistant. My first standard Fed (a couple of year old) in size 59 had a 5 3/4 open crown and the sides of the brim were about 2 3/4! But my others have had crowns closer to 5 1/2 (in one case slightly under), and no brim sides larger than 2 5/8. All were the same size, so go figure! I guess it's hit-or-miss. I've been fairly lucky I suppose.

Werner, about how long did you steam it to get it to be "workable"? I have a new hat I'd like to shape up a little.

Thanks,
Glenn

When I first got it I just shaped it cold and let it sit like that for awhile, that's how I got the basic shape it is now. Then I put some steam on it and kept testing the workability of it as I was doin' it. Plus I threw it around, sat on it, folded it. stomped on it, and everything. So, it's fairly loosened up. lol

Looks good. You'll have to re bash it if you turn it at this point.

Thanks. I'll probably leave it then.

I've been hesitating a lot, but okay, i'm gonna go steam my fed dix.

be very conservative with steaming the crown. my fed reg tapered something fierce when i did that

Yes, you have to be very careful with steam. I once had a Stetson Temple that ended up looking almost like a brim with a pimple on top!

Jack

What about cold water? The hat I want to shape is a wool felt fedora. I heard spraying it with cold water is safer (no shrinkage) and a little easier. Any suggestions?

Well, quite refreshing. A hat, sized for the extra-tall.

Sincerely,

Yes, you have to be very careful with steam. I once had a Stetson Temple that ended up looking almost like a brim with a pimple on top!

Jack

so what did it look like after you used the steam??? ....sorry couldn't resist (i got a stetson too).

yes ac, it is me......the fed reg is the only thing that did not withstand my steam torture tests....moohoo wa ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!

Indiana G wrote:

Yes, you have to be very careful with steam. I once had a Stetson Temple that ended up looking almost like a brim with a pimple on top!

Jack

so what did it look like after you used the steam??? ....sorry couldn't resist (i got a stetson too).

yes ac, it is me......the fed reg is the only thing that did not withstand my steam torture tests....moohoo wa ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!

To be fair, though, some of my other Stetsons still look great and have held up exceptionally well through the years; esp. the licensed TOD & LC models.

Jack

Aeris_Canon wrote:* * * But yeah, the Fed is a good one for the taller, or wider faced fellows out there also. I'd love to see one of these Akubras show up in a 5 1/2" crown by default, though. Just for some of that nitpicky SA stuff.

Attempting to hijack the Fed from the province of the lanky?

BTW: What is the SA "top dent" depth?

Sincerely,

jack, i think i just got a real lemon of a stetson.....i'd love to have one from the 80's though....from what i've seen they are substantially different.

suess, open crown hat of 5 1/2" with a pushed center dent of 1" giving a finished height of 4 1/2"

Aeris_Canon wrote:

Indiana G wrote:

Yes, you have to be very careful with steam. I once had a Stetson Temple that ended up looking almost like a brim with a pimple on top!

Jack

so what did it look like after you used the steam??? ....sorry couldn't resist (i got a stetson too).

yes ac, it is me......the fed reg is the only thing that did not withstand my steam torture tests....moohoo wa ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!

NOOOOOoooooOOOOOOoooooOO!!!!!

Seriously,my Temple looked even worse than that.

Jack

Aeris_Canon wrote:Seuss, I'm just talking about the full humps on the side of a much narrower and less deep center dent on the top of the hat. Just what's going on with the top of the hat, really, in addition to the front, sides, and usual bash stuff. Like this.
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/5817/55dentwe5.jpg * * * .

Dent depth disregarded, suffice it to say, "it's all about the humps?"

Sincerely,