Club Obi Wan

I finally received that block that I bought sight unseen from e-bay for 22.00. I am so lucky, because it is exactly the shape that I was looking for. It's a very flat block on the top of the crown, unlike most hats that we buy. It is very old, but in great condition. As we speak, I have on old Fed sitting on the thing, and it is a sight to behold. This Fed was my work hat for a year and it was filthy, tapered badly, and looked like @#$% from the abuse. After speaking with Graham at Optimo, I had gleaned the process of reblocking from him and basically used what he told me on this hat. It has turned out better than I could have imagined. The first thing that I did was remove the ribbon, the liner, and the sweatband. I threw the ribbon and liner away, but kept the sweatband. I then threw the hat into the washer with some liquid Woolite and run it thru a wash and rinse cycle. I gotta say that when I pulled this thing out of the washer, I panicked. It looked nothing like a hat. My first thought was, well, I have ruined it. But at least it is clean. I made a mental note, that the next time I must mark the front in some way so I can keep it as the front since the dimensional cut only looks good if the narrow part is on the sides of the hat. I took this dishrag like piece of felt and slipped it over the hat block. Tugging and pushing I stretched it tight over the block and then the miracle occured. It was a hat once again, and a beautiful one at that. And it was so clean and new looking. I am gonna let it dry on the block, iron the brim out, attach the sweatband, new liner, and new ribbon and save 50.00 in the process. I can't wait to see how it bashes with the flat topped block. Stay tuned. Fedora

In view of your imminent (or recent?) retirement, Fedora, do I sense a second career looming on the horizon?

That's how hatter recommend to clean hats?!

Anyway, since you already had it in the washer, why not dye it?
- I re-colored my old official fur felt Indy that way and it worked quite fine.

Good look on your further work and as always: Pics would be nice

Regards,
Marc

No retirement yet, but I am getting very close. I am going to do the hatter thing on a limited basis for a few online friends. Hobby only. On the cleaning, he told me that he run my Deluxes through a wash, and the wash used doesn't remove stiffener. I just put 2 and 2 together, and came up with 5, and threw it in a washer. The experiment worked, and grandly. But, the hat now has the pliability of an Optimo, which makes me glad that I have a gallon of stiffener. For the brim only. This is a learning process, and a heck of alot of fun on cold blustery days. Stay tuned for the evaluation of this block being suitable for the Raiders fedora. I figure this will put to rest(at least for me) the way the Raiders block was shaped. Fedora

I know this has been stated before by Optimo via fedoralover. I will restate it here, and this is from hands on experience. The flat top crown IS NOT the proper shape to use. I just found it out. My block is really flat on top, and this allows the hat to taper when bashed. How can it not? I have another block on its way to me, and this block is not flat on top. It breaks at the 5 inch mark, and then rounds up to 5 3/4. This one is what I am after, as it will allow the hat to bash on the top without pulling the sides in. I am gonna modify my existing block with wood putty to get the top the correct shape, and hopefully I will have a very accurate Raiders block using this first one. That the original block was 6 inches now makes good sense to me, since much of this extra height is pushed into the top of the hat. Fedora

Fedora wrote:I made a mental note, that the next time I must mark the front in some way so I can keep it as the front since the dimensional cut only looks good if the narrow part is on the sides of the hat.

Ha! I can relate so much! I had the exact same thing happen to me. I was measuring for a while to figure out which side was which.


Cheers,
Pyro.

Fedora, thanks for all this info! I have been working on a hat block made out of plaster and as of now I have a perfect cylinder of plaster 6 inches tall although I have yet to round the top out...I need to sand it down. I too am trying to reblock my deluxe, as it has picked up a bit of a taper.

-John

WOW... Over 5 years ago, and look at him now. Making hats for a movie that was not even thought of back then.

BTW congrats !

Let alone the fact Marc, the other half of the equation, was just happy to have redyed his Dorfman successfully!!!

Times do change, don't they?

Regards! Michaelson

Michaelson wrote:Let alone the fact Marc, the other half of the equation, was just happy to have redyed his Dorfman successfully!!!

Times do change, don't they?

Regards! Michaelson

LOL!!! this had me spitting toothpaste at the screen

Let alone the fact Marc, the other half of the equation, was just happy to have redyed his Dorfman successfully!!!

Times do change, don't they?

Gosh, I am speechless. I forget that my history is right here on COW. How appropiate that Marc chimed in!! I was playing with felt at the same time as he was. I had to laugh at myself though. Graham had told me apparently that he put a hat through the wash, and I assumed he meant a washing machine!! Wrong!! Boy, I sure was dumb then. Which reminds me, there are NO dumb questions. Thanks for bringing this post up to the top. I have fond memories of those times. I mean, I really knew absolutely very little about working on hats back then. I was making it up as I went along.....and learning.

If someone would have told me we would be making the Indy 4 hats, I would have thought them to be nuts! Once we started making and selling these things, it was a distant, impossible dream. But the dream was realized. Both Marc and I still have a hard time believing it. That's the truth. It seems like it happened to SOMEONE else. Fedora

It makes you wonder what adventures lie ahead in the next 5 years!

Congratulations on you and Marc making a dream come true.

Fedora wrote: Gosh, I am speechless. I forget that my history is right here on COW. Fedora

Yep, old friend, all the skeletons are buried right here in these pages.....

Regards! Michaelson

Hmmm....Washing machine, I tried this before but overcame the front back
problem by climbing into the washer with the hat still on my
Head.

I was a bit dizzy after the rinse cycle but at least the I was clean and
smelled like Woolite!

Remember kids...hat making is for Professionals!!


Kilgour Trout

You distressed your jacket at the same time, didn't you Kilgour?

I TOLD you not to listen to Gater that day!

Regards! Michaelson

Hey...wasn't that your idea?
Or at least that's what I remember after the concussion!

The hard part was getting into the pillow case
and turning on the dryer for that softened goat
effect

My wife says I'm definitely a softer Goat for the experience.



Kilgour

My idea? Oh, uh... ....

Regards! Michaelson

Hey...Speaking of Concussions and Maple Syrup

How's Your Maple Syrup supply Mark? I've got a line on some real quality stuff! Genuine Maple Syrup is my metaphysical way of coming for a visit.

You, Bink, Jess and Jerry send coffee, us Canuckleheads sit down to waffles and Good Maple Syrup.

Don't ask me to explain, It's a Canadian thing eh!

Cheers
Kilgour

Congrats and kudos to Steve and Marc!!!

Now for the rest of you scoundels...........