Club Obi Wan

After a recent pic of an AB that was tapered more than I have ever seen one of my hats taper, I mentioned that ususally when I get one back for a reblock, it really isn't in bad shape, taper wise. Yes, the hats have tapered, but nothing like that one pic on another thread that was attributed to being an AB.

I made this one right after I first started offering my hats for sale. It is a huge hat, a size 8. The customer had me make it 6 inches tall. Which I did. It now measures 6 1/4 inches tall!! It not only tapered after almost 4 years, but it also grew as well. Now, the below pics are before the reblock, of course. The hat is stripped down. This is what I am used to seeing taper, and shrinkage-wise.








Definetly some shrinkage and taper over the past 4 years, but nothing like you geneally see on other hats. I bet after the reblock, he will exceed 4 years before he needs another one.

This was an outstanding run of felt, no doubt. As that is the only variable that would be present in my hats. Some runs are better than others. That is common, these days. But even things like the percentage of humidity in the air can affect how fast, or slow a hat tapers over time. That is, the relative humidity, the day the hat was made. Felt has to be practically bone dry once the hat is finished. If not, that is if the core is still even the slightest bit wet, the hat is unstable, and will taper prematurely. My best hats are made on low humidity days. Everyone's are. Fedora

Steve, everyone knows Adventurebilt is a seal of quality. It's only common sense that hats taper a little after a long time.

Though I understand you need to defend your turf. Rock on Steve, you've been and are doing a great job. The best job, in fact.

Either way, it's cool to see a hat in the process of a reblock. 6 inches! That's a talllllll crown!

My best hats are made on low humidity days.

Uh, Steve, you live in Mississippi. You must not have many 'good' hats out there if this is a prime factor, especially based on your location!

Just kidding, of course!

Regards! Michaelson

See, Michaelson, now we've discovered the TRUE reason for the wait!

_ wrote:Hey - That's my lid!

I thought THIS was your hat!

I can now see how Steve would say it may have tapered over time .

Yep, bink, the dead of winter would be the only real 'non-humid' time of year, to my reckoning.

Regard! Michaelson

I was in Columbus, Mississippi during the "colder" months, though you could've surprised me!

Steve, I emailed you a couple of days ago about a reblock. What does one run these days, and should I just PayPal you that amount and send the hat? Thanks.

"Steve, I emailed you a couple of days ago about a reblock. What does one run these days, and should I just PayPal you that amount and send the hat? Thanks. "




As most know, I only do AB reblocks these days. Not enough time for the other brands. The price is still 35 bucks. Not much compared to some, but once you buy an AB, the reblocks bascially just cover the parts replaced, like ribbon, sweatband and liner. The labor is free for my customers.

"Though I understand you need to defend your turf. "

Well, I was shocked by the pic, since this is NOT typical of what I see on ABs needing reblocks. I just wanted to show what the few ABs look like that I do have to reblock. Now, granted, I have seen a couple worse than _'s and I would be dishonest if I did not acknowledge that, but generally these worse hats were saturated with water, and no newer felt can withstand a saturation without shrinking and tapering. But there will always be a hat every now and then that fall outside of the norm. It can either be my fault, or the feltmakers fault. My fault by not having the hat completely dry, or their fault due to employee turnover, or inexperience in making felt. Factories have turnover, and I don't doubt a green horn runs felt from time to time.

"Uh, Steve, you live in Mississippi. You must not have many 'good' hats out there if this is a prime factor, especially based on your location! "

Yes, the humidity can be quite high on some days, but then lower than one would expect from the South. And, it goes without saying that on high humidity days, I have to spend more time ironing out the humidity, but it can be done. All my hats stay in plastic bags while not being worked on. If it is raining, I don't work on felt, I make sweatbands, and bows. But, I used to make hats when it rained. Then I found out, it wasn't the best idea, from an ancient hatter, UNLESS, your shop could maintain a lower humidity, which mine cannot. All of the old hat shops, the larger ones, had a back shop, and and front shop. The back shop was humid, from the steam, etc, but the front shop was dry. This was planned of course.

"Hey - That's my lid! "


Yep, one of a few size 8's I have made. All I can say _, is if the rest of you is as big as your head, I want to always be on GOOD TERMS with you my friend. I am still amazed anytime I make or reblock a size 8 hat. I mean, the hat is just so........HUGE. The factory has to make these bodies in separate runs due to the size of them, and more fur having to be used to make them. Size 8 heads are special. There are not many of them, but the same can be said for anything below a size 7. Not many of them either, unless a female is buying a fedora. But, a few guys out there have small heads, less than a size 7. I placed a size 6 5/8 next to this size 8 the same day I snapped this pic, and the difference was overwhelming. Hard to believe that much variation could be present in homo sapiens. Fedora

Steve, I know _'s hat is a beaver, but what about the handful of rabbit ABs that were made? I'm not sure if the one Aeris has is rabbit or beaver. Could that make that much of a difference?

I'm a big fan of yours, Steve. But that's because I'm obsessed with hats.

Fedora wrote:As most know, I only do AB reblocks these days. Not enough time for the other brands. The price is still 35 bucks. Not much compared to some, but once you buy an AB, the reblocks bascially just cover the parts replaced, like ribbon, sweatband and liner. The labor is free for my customers.
Fedora

What about IM/AB/HJ's? Not that she needs a reblock yet just wondering for the future.

Johnny

I believe it probably is. Still, I always get a laugh out of that picture.

Steve, I sent my AB to you a couple of years ago as I noticed it had a very slight taper. But what you did to fix it was very easy, just steamed it and bashed it anew. It seems that the dent in the top was a little to deep and that caused some taper.

Size 8 heads are special. There are not many of them, but the same can be said for anything below a size 7. Not many of them either, unless a female is buying a fedora. But, a few guys out there have small heads, less than a size 7.

6 and 7/8ths. I guess I have an odd head size. Oh no, now I'm never going to get my AB!!!

Johnny Fedora wrote:

Fedora wrote:As most know, I only do AB reblocks these days. Not enough time for the other brands. The price is still 35 bucks. Not much compared to some, but once you buy an AB, the reblocks bascially just cover the parts replaced, like ribbon, sweatband and liner. The labor is free for my customers.
Fedora

What about IM/AB/HJ's? Not that she needs a reblock yet just wondering for the future.

Johnny

Just bumpin the question...

Johnny