Club Obi Wan

Can any of the fedoras really withstand the punishment that Indy puts them through in the movies?

The "special treated" ABs and AB Deluxes can. Trust me.

hands down AB line.

And, as I understand it, there's probably at least a year wait on the ABs?

Yeah

I'm assuming it's worth the wait. Would it be safe to order it without having the funds at my immediate disposal? I wouldn't be charged until it was shipped, right? I mean, I just don't want to start saving for six months, order my fedora, and then wait another year for it to be shipped.

I've been in a few knock down, drag out fights in my AB before, and it took it. If you overly abused it with the intent of ruining it, I'm sure it can be done, but I went through some crazy stuff in mine and it survived.

Fedora (IIRC) doesn't charge until he actually starts making the Fedora's. So if you can just be sure in some way that you will have the funds when he starts making it, then you'd be in the clear.

And yes, they are DEFINITELY worth the wait. :junior: -IJ

Then, AB it is! Thanks for your help, gentlemen. Now, can someone please direct me to a post that discusses all the measurements needed to create the perfect fedora for my height, face structure, etc. As someone pointed out in another post, we don't all look like Harrison Ford. I want a fedora that not only has the Indy look, but also looks right on me.

AB is well worth the wait and the best thing to do is talk with Steve. He will get you the right specs. for you. Be patient with him as he is very busy guy right now so it might take a little time to back to you.

I thought you had to pay before you got on the AB list?

Email Steve about your concerns and include some pictures of yourself as pics will really help Steve out when making the right hat for you.

You do. You send the paypal payment, but he only collects once he starts making it. :junior: -IJ

So, does that mean it's not withdrawn from my account until he starts making it?

afrayedknot, AB is the way to go I just ordered mine, Steve said I could send him a check or go to paypal and send him the money that way. Don't forget to tell him your COW name so you can get the discount. Patience is the key, I probably won't get mine till late this year. But it will be worth the wait.

IndianaChris

I'm pretty sure you have to pay up front -- that means that your PayPal account will be debited at the time you make the order. It may seem harsh to have to pay upfront for a hat you won't get for a year, but Steve and Marc's margins are thin to nonexistent. It's a bit much to expect them to invest thousands of dollars in all the raw materials for hats when they are selling them at below market prices... the lack of a decent profit margin would make an already dicey financial proposition a sure loser.

I know Steve used to do layaway, so it couldn't hurt to ask him about that option.

that_dog wrote:I'm pretty sure you have to pay up front -- that means that your PayPal account will be debited at the time you make the order.

Mine was when I placed my order. Of course, you could pay him through Paypal using a credit card, but as I'm opposed to credit cards in general I couldn't personally recommend that option.

If Steve doesn't have the money, you're not on the list. It takes him only a couple of days to make an actual hat from start to finish, so the wait time is all... um... wait time. If his policies have changed in recent months, it's news to me.

I'm assuming it's worth the wait. Would it be safe to order it without having the funds at my immediate disposal? I wouldn't be charged until it was shipped, right? I mean, I just don't want to start saving for six months, order my fedora, and then wait another year for it to be shipped.

Here's how it worked for me. I made three or four payments over a period of several months, but got put on the list as of the date I made the first payment, not the last.

Wish I'd know about the COW discount, though. I don't remember asking for one.

The best thing is to go straight to Steve. Like I said before , give him a few days if he doesn't get back to right away. He is hit with so many phone calls, PM's and e-mails.

As all the others said, AB is the way to go. Outstanding quality, perfect price, and completely handmade.

Jens wrote:The "special treated" ABs and AB Deluxes can. Trust me.

In fact they did... But we'll see that on may 22nd.

afrayedknot wrote:And, as I understand it, there's probably at least a year wait on the ABs?

Indiana Max wrote:Yeah

As far as I know the wait time is down to 8 months or so. I ordered mine in October 07, and Steve said that I'll get it to the premiere in may, or maybe before. That makes 8 months... I could be wrong, though.

What's the difference between the AB and the AB Deluxe. Also, with the AB Deluxe, what's the difference between a raw edge brim and a bound edge brim? Any advantages/disadvantages? And finally, what is "special treated"?

AB deluxe is made using better materials (kangaroo-skin sweat band, for example) and is generally more expensive. Both are better than first rate though.

Bound edge means that there's a little bit of fabric sewn around the edge of the brim - it's a style choice, as far as I know there's no advantage or disadvantage to it.

"Special Treatment" is a process developed by Marc and Steve that ages the hat ahead of time and generally makes it more durable.

Honestly though, the answers to all these questions can be found on their website, or by doing a search here on COW. :junior: -IJ

Thanks. The websites didn't offer much of a detailed description. I've been doing searches on COW, but I haven't quite grasped how to narrow the searches, resulting in pages of information. I just thought this would be the most direct way to find an answer. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Oh no problem, always happy to help. :junior: -IJ

As far as I know the wait time is down to 8 months or so. I ordered mine in October 07, and Steve said that I'll get it to the premiere in may, or maybe before. That makes 8 months... I could be wrong, though.

When I ordered mine last week he told me about 10 months. And yes, I sent him pics of me in my Tilley's, Fed and one without a hat. He said he'll take a look at them and try to get the hat to the proper proportions for my head/face. By the way, I also sent him length and width measurements for my head along with my hat size....couldn't hurt to have that.

Another great lid is the Akubra federation. I own a few both regular and deluxe and I have to say that this hat is built to last. No taper, no discoloration, keeps it's shape, easy to maintain and I always store it crown down as it seems to reduce the possibility of taper. I don't own an AB but my experience with the Federations have been without complaints. Just my two cents.

Best regards,
Indiana_7

well, it seems that I7 beat me to it by about 5 minutes.

If it's a great quality hat that you're looking for, and don't want to wait for it, then a Federation Delux is a great contender, too. I have an AB and I LOVE it, but I also have the Fed D and it is my Geocaching hat, and has stood up to all of what I have thrown at it. it is tough as nails, keeps it shape, and looks great!

If you don't mind the wait, and have money to invest in a hat that'll last a lifetime, then oh yeah, make it an AB, but if it's just a sturdy and reliable fedora ye be wantin then you can't go wrong with the Fed D, either.

(altho I got spoiled, cuz Fedora bashed my FD, too! )

I have AB and Akubra fed deluxe....hands down to AB though.