Garrison Raider - Re-bashed as Raven Bar hat
Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 12:30 am
Well guys, I'd said I was going to post some new pics of my Garrison Raider in another thread (or two!), and so I figured I'd better get down to it. 
These aren't terrific, as I have difficulty taking pictures of myself (can't focus easily - need a stand-in - and it's hard to get the lighting and pose right when you can't see what you are doing!](./images/smilies/Indy_wall.gif "Brick wall")
), but I think they show off the Raven Bar look pretty well, with the turn I put into it. It didn't have really any noticeable turn in it before, and I wasn't happy with it as I love the Raven Bar hat the most, which has a very pronounced turn in it. Since the front pinch was so set in after five months of wearing and reinforcement, I was afraid to turn and re-bash it as I thought I might ruin it, or the old front pinch would show and look terrible. Dave Garrison (Local Land Surveyor) encouraged me to, saying the hat could take it and that the old bash would gradually fade away. He said he had done it with some of his, with no problems. So I took the plunge, and am very happy I did. I LOVE this hat now - it looks just like I wanted it to. The lighting in these pics doesn't do it full justice, but they are as good as I can do for now, and they look pretty good. And you can't see any trace of the old bash! At least I can't.
EDIT: replaced previous blurred image with focused one:
This one is supposed to be like Indy at the bar saying he's sorry to Marion. No Marion, though. No time for Photoshopping.
And this one is supposed to be like Indy after he gets punched by Marion. I should have put a fist to my chin instead of an open hand, but oh well.
These aren't terrific, as I have difficulty taking pictures of myself (can't focus easily - need a stand-in - and it's hard to get the lighting and pose right when you can't see what you are doing!
), but I think they show off the Raven Bar look pretty well, with the turn I put into it. It didn't have really any noticeable turn in it before, and I wasn't happy with it as I love the Raven Bar hat the most, which has a very pronounced turn in it. Since the front pinch was so set in after five months of wearing and reinforcement, I was afraid to turn and re-bash it as I thought I might ruin it, or the old front pinch would show and look terrible. Dave Garrison (Local Land Surveyor) encouraged me to, saying the hat could take it and that the old bash would gradually fade away. He said he had done it with some of his, with no problems. So I took the plunge, and am very happy I did. I LOVE this hat now - it looks just like I wanted it to. The lighting in these pics doesn't do it full justice, but they are as good as I can do for now, and they look pretty good. And you can't see any trace of the old bash! At least I can't.EDIT: replaced previous blurred image with focused one:
This one is supposed to be like Indy at the bar saying he's sorry to Marion. No Marion, though. No time for Photoshopping.
And this one is supposed to be like Indy after he gets punched by Marion. I should have put a fist to my chin instead of an open hand, but oh well.
), but this one is el perfecto, as far as I'm concerned. There is isn't an angle it looks less than SA from. And you can bash it to any scene of the movie and it does it easily, with no fuss, which to me means it's pretty much a perfect Raiders block, especially the way it can crease down to 3 1/2" in the back (as the hat is in the Raven Bar and other scenes) without causing taper in the sides. Again, my pictures don't really do it full justice - it looks so much better in person. 
I stand corrected. 
Thanks for the compliments and encouragement! I probably wouldn't have tried something like this if you hadn't encouraged me. 
Thanks so much to you as well for your too-kind words. I was really floored by your photoshopped pics in your thread - you're my idol now. 
You've set the bar high - now I've got something to shoot for! 
) in my basement so I can really make the hat look it's best. My house is a picture-taking lighting nightmare... 
And I hate to use a flash, since that just blasts away all the shadows and lightens colors. Better to use natural lighting and get all the nicely placed shadows showing all the nuances of the color and creases of the hat. The trick is, getting just enough light and where you want it. 
How is yours doing? What style did you bash yours in?
. In these statements alone, you covered what I was aiming for in my hat. A 360 degree hat that screams RAIDERS!!! Your last three pics sum up the Raven Bar hat beautifully. The first of the three even has Cairo in it. I am pleased that you enjoy the hat so much and wear it often. It has held up well since you got it. Much like when Mitch posted his pics, you had keyed in on certain angles that I concentrated on when recreating the block. Kind of a subconscious thing. And really, when you see it in person, that is when the light bulb goes off.
And by the way, tell your wife I said thanks for the compliment on my photography. I'm very flattered, but I know I can do a lot better than this. I once did some professional photography many, many years ago but don't have the proper equipment and lighting anymore, and now have a digital camera and they work a bit differently than the old film ones. Once I get some experience (like this!) under my belt and some proper lighting, I'll be in business. 
I can't justify buying another one now, however. Maybe I can get a custom, and then if I like it enough, sell my current one. My wife will accuse me of losing it if I tell her I need another brown leather jacket! (I already have an A2 in addition to this one)