Club Obi Wan

I have to admit that I am below rank amateur in hatmanship. I've read that it's a no-no to take off your fedora by the pinch (though this seems most natural to me). How, then, do you remove it?

If your hat doesn't have the tight Raiders crease, there is probably no need for concern. But if you don't want to take chances, you could try removing your hats with both hands, applyimg a little pressure with a thumb on the underside of the brim, close to where it meets your head.

Jack

You take your hat off with your left hand by the brim. This leaves your right hand free to shake some ones hand and no risk to your hat at all.

My Magnoli HJ doesn't seem to have any stiffener in the front brim at all and changes shape pretty easily with handling. So once I got the brim to look right to me, I figured better safe than sorry. It's the only hat I'm that carerful with, though.

Jack

Thanks very much for the suggestions.

Here's what I do;
1. If the hat is not snug, I tilt my head forward with my hand on the front (not grabbing or pinching) and let gravity shift the weight of the hat from my head to my hand. Then, cupping the pinch, I remove the hat.

2. If the hat is a little snug, I do the same thing, but nudge it under the brim at the back of my head so it falls forward.

3. Alternate method, if the brim isn't overly floppy, I use one or both hands to gently lift the hat by the brim, often by the back. I don't "clutch" it. I only apply the force necessary to remove it and not drop it.

I find those methods cause the least shape changes and the least stress on the hat.

crismans wrote:I have to admit that I am below rank amateur in hatmanship. I've read that it's a no-no to take off your fedora by the pinch (though this seems most natural to me). How, then, do you remove it?

You know how Anakin Skywalker got his helmet on in "Revenge Of The Sith" and "The Empire Strikes Back" - I also have a mecanical device that does the same thing with my fedora. I also have the menacing music.

in the movie 12 o'clock high one of the main characters buys a new hat in the begining of the movie and when he take it off he uses the brim only,I watched it with my dad and he told me that was the proper way to take off a hat,so that's the way I do it.

Renderking Fisk wrote:You know how Anakin Skywalker got his helmet on in "Revenge Of The Sith" and "The Empire Strikes Back" - I also have a mecanical device that does the same thing with my fedora. I also have the menacing music.

Uh, Ren....here, have a seat by me here in the shade. Have a cold drink. You need to rest, old friend....



Regards! Michaelson

Renderking Fisk wrote: You know how Anakin Skywalker got his helmet on in "Revenge Of The Sith" and "The Empire Strikes Back" - I also have a mecanical device that does the same thing with my fedora. I also have the menacing music.

Can you provide a link to the vendor? I want one!

You're supposed to take it off??

Marty

I take my hat off by the brim, and usually from the underside. I put it on by the topside of the brim and tug it down like you see Indy do in Raiders during the well of the souls "silhouette" scene. In Indy's time, he could have whatever hat he wanted and replace them fairly often. Taking it off by the pinch wouldn't necessarily have been a faux pas when they were readily available at any men's wear shop. If you've got a hat you can't replace (as our ABs will be, in time), then it's best to use the brim for both taking off and putting on.

For additional opinions,see this thread also....

viewtopic.php?t=27566

-raider 57

I'll be honest... with the exception of my really thin disney hat (the brand, not the land), I just grab the pinch. Sure, it may have helped in the ripping of the pinch in my raiders pinched hats (but it DEFINATELY was not the ONLY contributor), but it doesn't seem to hurt my looser pinched hats at all.

-KB

2 parts bacon grease, 1 rabid squirrel, some lawn trimmings, a cliff notes edition of THUS SPAKE ZARATHUSTRA, and a wife that reminds me it is the mileage...


That'll remove anything, dignity included.

Indiana Strones wrote:viewtopic.php?t=29230&start=0&postdays= ... ght=remove

Nice work Strones

I had forgotten about that thread!

Cheers
Jonesy

I grab mine by the pinch.

it 'solidifies' the pinch for me, gives it that slightly less than perfect off angle I like ( a bit cavalier if you will in the look) and it's a reasonably cheap hat I can easily replace if need be. (it's a christie's).

Is this the right way? Probably not. I like the idea of removing it with the left hand and shaking with the right. But I don't do that. I might grab the brim to 'tip' my hat, shake if needed, and then remove my hat.

I don't like the idea of 'bowing' to remove my hat.

I don't like the idea of using two hands to remove my hat.

Do what is comfortable for you! I understand some of these hats are VERY expensive, and well worth it, but they are meant to be enjoyed!

I remove my hat indoors too... I don't know if anyone else does, but I beleive it is a bit rude to not remove your cover in a restaraunt, home or inn. The train station, insane asylum or brothel is OK to wear it as far as I know...

Banter welcome!

Hey all,

I have an Akubra Bushman (Nullerbor tan) from the early '80s. I gave it a front crease only, crown left high. People called it my "Father Murphy" hat from the old TV show. I only put it on and off by the pinch. I also had a habit of pulling it down in front by the edge of the brim (kind of like Indy). It now has two holes at those two spots to teach me better manners to my future hats.

Dan S

But to be fair- you got 20 years of wear from it!

be happy! Order a nice new one and get another 20 years from it!

That is great! You wear and enjoy your hat. It can be the nicest, most durable hatin the world but that doesn't matter if it sits at home on a shelf...

Hey J!m,

I'm not trying to contracdict you or anything. Just sharing my experience. Actually, the holes showed up in something under ten years, maybe five, but I still wore it quite awhile after they did.

Did you ever see the cover of the book about Akubra hats? Called something like "Akubra is Assie for hat". On the cover is a middle aged gent wearing the most beaten up looking hat I ever saw. Inside the book, some of the hats got worse! If they could wear theirs after the holes and what not, so could I, and I did.

When I can afford a Fed, that's next.

Dan S

Renderking Fisk wrote: You know how Anakin Skywalker got his helmet on in "Revenge Of The Sith" and "The Empire Strikes Back" - I also have a mecanical device that does the same thing with my fedora. I also have the menacing music.

Ha ha ha! Incredibly funny.

I try to remember to do it the Oak way but I often forget and grab the pinch and the haggard crown of my wool DP is definitely showing the strain. But I have worn this cheap thing way way more than was ever intended and in tougher, sweatier conditions, so I am not surprised it is looking beat regardless of my doffing technique.