Roll up AB? Video...

Fedora · Post by **Fedora** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 11:30 am

I took a short trip and wanted to take my rain AB, so I rolled it up, like an old roll up hat from Borsalino, and stuck it in one of my backpack pockets. Never tried this prior. Turned out the AB, at least if it is 6 or 7 years old, shows just how good beaver felt is. And it also explains why it is almost impossible to distress an AB to look like a Raiders. Any dent from rolling it up, just pops right out and looks as smooth as it was prior to rolling it up.

When I find someone who can take short film clip of me doing this, I will post it on this thread for a show and tell. IF Photo Bucket allows me to upload and link it here. I was quite pleased with being able to roll one up and it still look great afterwards. Well, I was actually elated to discover it. Makes packing and carring more than one hat real easy to do! For our world travelers and backpackers. Fedora

Post by **Ken** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 11:35 am

I've found the AB to be really resilient too - I've packed it flat in a suitcase before for several days going through airports and stuffed it at the bottom of rucksacks and its always returned to its original shape, more or less. I couldn't have a hat that I couldn't abuse!

Ken

DR Ulloa · Post by **DR Ulloa** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 1:16 pm

When rolled up, my AB fits right in my MKvii. Thats how I softened the felt up on my ABs. I rolled them up into a ball. They are floppier than basset hound's ears, now.

Dave

thegreatgalling · Post by **thegreatgalling** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 5:07 pm

I would love to see a video of this Steve!

jnicktem · Post by **jnicktem** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 7:19 pm

That's what I've been doing with my Akubra Fed IV Deluxe. It now has the floppiest felt I have ever seen!

Garzo · Post by **Garzo** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 8:23 pm

Wow, I can't imagine doing that with my AB Deluxe. It seems pretty stiff. Not in a bad way, but I just would be very nervous to roll it up like a Panama hat or some wool-felt traveler. I've never seen one of your ABs in person. Is it a bit softer and more pliable than Marc's AB Deluxe?

jnicktem · Post by **jnicktem** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 8:28 pm

Garzo wrote:Wow, I can't imagine doing that with my AB Deluxe. It seems pretty stiff. Not in a bad way, but I just would be very nervous to roll it up like a Panama hat or some wool-felt traveler. I've never seen one of your ABs in person. Is it a bit softer and more pliable than Marc's AB Deluxe?

When it comes to stiffness I don't feel a difference between the AB and the AB Deluxe.... IMO.

beaverlid · Post by **beaverlid** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 8:52 am

Steve,

You can do this without fear of ruining your AB. If you ruin it by rolling it up you can have it refurbed with ease as I hear you are pretty close to the hatter at Adventurebilt.

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 9:09 am

I just wouldn't have the guts to do that. I know it could take it, but still.

Ian

Fedora · Post by **Fedora** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 9:22 am

You can do this without fear of ruining your AB. If you ruin it by rolling it up you can have it refurbed with ease as I hear you are pretty close to the hatter at Adventurebilt.

Yeah, that guy lives fairly close to me. But, I hear he is a bit of an eccentric, wears vintage looking clothes, and the guy for heaven's sake is still wearing those dated fedoras. I mean, this guy wears a hat everyday!! Must think he is living in a TCM film or something. Can I trust him with my baseball cap???? Regards, Soggy Bottom Pants.

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 10:07 am

Steve, I think it's time we change your screen name to Soggy Bottom Pants.

Fedora · Post by **Fedora** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 10:30 am

Steve, I think it's time we change your screen name to Soggy Bottom Pants.

Oh no. First it's Mississippi Steve and NOW Soggy Bottom Pants? Lordy.

Seriously, I have seen some of these young folks around here wear their pants so low, that the seat drags the ground. Looks funny when it rains and you see their wet seats. So, I now call em Soggy Bottom Pants(not to be confuse with the Soggy Bottom Boys)

Fedora

Kim Hoffman · Post by **Kim Hoffman** » Mon May 03, 2010 3:47 pm

Better than rolling...purchase a hat carrier. Soon or later rolling up or flattening will have an adverse effect on the poor hat. Especially at these prices.

Fedora · Post by **Fedora** » Tue May 04, 2010 12:25 pm

Better than rolling...purchase a hat carrier. Soon or later rolling up or flattening will have an adverse effect on the poor hat. Especially at these prices.

Yeah, I would not roll up a hat with shellac in it. Might crack. But on a soft hat that will not crinkle from the roll up, like my hat here, I doubt it would suffer any adverse effect. Let me get that video done today, and I will show ya. Really, rolling up a hat is no different from accidently sitting on a soft hat. If any hat is affected adversely by sitting on, I wouldn't own that sort of hat anyways. Fedora

Fedora · Post by **Fedora** » Tue May 04, 2010 1:51 pm

Drum rollllllllllllllllllllllll...ok, I am quite amazed with my old self. I think I just figured out how to use my high tech digital camera, to film me playing with my own hat. Then I fugured out how to upload it to my photo hosting site, and I think it works!!!! A new era for AB hats has arrived.

Ok, some back story. The hat you are about to see was the very first hat I ever made, using the felt, that was later to become the Indy 4 felt. It has been reblocked a few times, and I installed the HJ ribbon that my buddy Marc got lucky and found a few years ago. As you can see, I have not babied this hat, or even taken care of it. If it gets dirty, the next rain is my washing machine. It has lightened up several shades since it was new. Plus, this film is in the direct sunlight so....a consideration.

I did reblock this hat a couple years ago, when I had just tweaked my Raiders block, and liked it better than my older block, and of course had to use it on my own hat. But, as good felt tends to do, over time and rain, it has reverted back somewhat to the block used to make it years ago. But, I figure a reblock next year, whether it needs it or not may show my newest blockshape better. Hope so anyways, but still as is, not a bad looking Raiders fedora. Ok, I can't seem to make short posts so here she is. Enjoy also the mating calls of one of our local birds.

http://s28.photobucket.com/albums/c225/ ... CT0151.flv

Now, the astute will notice a slight crease on the back/side on the bow side of the hat. That goes away within a few minutes, especially if you coax it. And, this is why a pure beaver hat, at least in the weight that Marc and I use will never get that SOC look, that is so much a part of the looks of that one hat. The felt we use is just too darn high quality felt to break down like that rabbit felt did in Raiders. And we planned it that way. We also thought out the color of brown deal. We knew colors fade in sunlight. We knew our darker browns would wash out over time. And we allowed for that. If we had started with a real accurate, lighter brown, our hats would eventually be almost white, with enough exposure and the passage of time. But if that happens to your own hat, I can bring back the original color. But can't fix bullet holes.....

Fedora

Post by **Michaelson** » Tue May 04, 2010 2:04 pm

Does that hat have the liner in it, Steve?

Regards! Michaelson

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Tue May 04, 2010 2:08 pm

Sweet! We got Steve into the 21st Century, now we just gotta get Michaelson caught up!

Steve, can you show a video of how you roll it?

RaidersBash · Post by **RaidersBash** » Tue May 04, 2010 2:12 pm

That's SICK!!! Sick as in one of the coolest things I've ever seen!!!

I want one

Post by **Michaelson** » Tue May 04, 2010 2:12 pm

binkmeisterRick wrote:We got Steve into the 21st Century, now we just gotta get Michaelson caught up!

Yeah, yeah, I get that all the time from the daughters.

Regards! Michaelson

Gater · Post by **Gater** » Tue May 04, 2010 2:17 pm

not only is that a really cool video, but the birds give it that Peruvian Jungle feel, too

jnicktem · Post by **jnicktem** » Tue May 04, 2010 2:31 pm

So Steve- say for instance the AB you just reblocked and sent to me... I can roll it up like that and have it turn out perfect? I have done such things with my Akubra, but rolling it up gave it "character."

Fedora · Post by **Fedora** » Tue May 04, 2010 2:38 pm

Does that hat have the liner in it, Steve?

No sir. I take em out this time of year. No need to stain a nice liner up with sweat, plus, the main reason is, the hat wears cooler without the liner, at least here in the humid South. Bit since my liners are stitched in, there would be no difference really in so far as hurting the hat in anyway.

But I need to add a word of caution. If your AB seems to have shellac in the brim, I would wait until that time arises when it has all leached out, before I would consider rolling that hat up.

I am wearing my Henry today, and just rolled it up and popped it back out, and it sprung back to its shape without marks of being rolled up. So, the Henry is a roll up too. And no doubt other brands are as well, as long as the shellac is very light, or absent. But, I cannot say for sure, as I have not tried it on others. But generally speaking, I think all good quality felt can be rolled up, assuming the way the hat is put together is real secure, i.e stitches, flexibility of the sweat, etc.

Bink, on how I roll it up, I can just tell it easily. Pop it out to open crown. Push one side of the hat in to flatten out the hat, turn the brim downward, and then just roll her up. You can actually roll my hat tighter than I did, if needed. I just wanted it to fit inside that back pack pocket. I could have actually pushed it all the way down, and closed the flap, but did not know how much time my camera would allow me, i.e. the memory. So, I had to make it a streamline opeation. Fedora

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Tue May 04, 2010 2:47 pm

Well, it just worked on my vintage Dobbs Cross Country!

Post by **Michaelson** » Tue May 04, 2010 2:49 pm

Fedora wrote:
Does that hat have the liner in it, Steve?
No sir. I take em out this time of year. No need to stain a nice liner up with sweat, plus, the main reason is, the hat wears cooler without the liner, at least here in the humid South. Bit since my liners are stitched in, there would be no difference really in so far as hurting the hat in anyway.

Yeah, I know. You and I were pulling out our liners WAY back when but no one believed us...remember? I even went so far to punch holes in the crown of two of my 'travel' AB's for summer ventilation! (grins)

Seriously, I was curious as I wouldn't want to try that with a hat that still has its liner installed. Those are a PAIN to straighen out when the bash gets smashed, let alone if one rolls the thing up! I just wanted to make sure.

Regards! Michaelson

Fedora · Post by **Fedora** » Tue May 04, 2010 2:57 pm

So Steve- say for instance the AB you just reblocked and sent to me... I can roll it up like that and have it turn out perfect? I have done such things with my Akubra, but rolling it up gave it "character."

Probably, but so many hats pass through my hands that yours is just a faint memory, with no details in it. If it is beaver, and if it seems to have a flexible brim, go for it! I have never seen anything that would hurt a beaver AB, like rollin em up, sitting on them, even stomping on em. Real durable hats. Most hats are much tougher than many think anyways. If its a decent hat,this sort of stuff won't hurt it. And probably will make it even more comfortable to wear as this will soften up a hat even more, which sure won't hurt beaver felt.

Seriously, I was curious as I wouldn't want to try that with a hat that still has its liner installed. Those are a PAIN to straighen out when the bash gets smashed, let alone if they roll the thing up! I just wanted to make sure.

I put my new embroidered liner in my Henry, rolled it up, with no visible change to the liner. Might creakle it up after a few roll ups though, but at least not with one roll up. When you roll a hat up, even the liner is more rolled than creased though. Shouldn't be any worse than just taking a liner, and rolling it up. But if you fold a liner, with a sharp crease, that would show up on the liner, as a creased line. I think that is why we used to roll certain items when packing the duffle bag in the military. And I still roll clothing when I pack a backpack for a camping trip. And now, I am rolling up my spare rain hat. Just a rolling along!

Fedora

Post by **Michaelson** » Tue May 04, 2010 3:00 pm

Makes sense.

Regards! Michaelson

sam · Post by **sam** » Tue May 04, 2010 8:43 pm

Steve, that is awesome! Thanks so much for posting this! That is one beautiful hat, too! It's cool to see it done with this backpack too, since you and I (and probably plenty of other members here too!) have the same one!

It's good to know that should we ever need to roll an AB or carry an extra hat, we can! Thanks again, my friend!

Post by **Michaelson** » Wed May 05, 2010 11:20 am

It's also another first in the fact we actually see Fedora's hands and arms move rather than just see his words here, or talk to him on the phone. He's harder to spot on the internet than ME!

Kind of reminded me of 'Fang' on the old Soupy Sales show....if anyone remembers back that far.

Regards! Michaelson

Fedora · Post by **Fedora** » Wed May 05, 2010 12:19 pm

I watched those busy arms and hands, and thought, boy, I sure don't lag when a hat gets in my hands. I mean, it was deadly fast! And I was intentionally trying to actually slow down the process. I must look like I am running a race when I get into a hat. Fast but still precise, otherwise I would have to slow down. I think it just comes from being raised on a farm where the elders expected to see nothing but tail ends and elbows when doing a job. No diddling allowed. John fondly calls me a hatmaking machine, and now I guess that video shows why.

No playing when the hat hits the hands. I don't have that luxury these days.

On this roll up hat deal, years ago, I bought a Borsalino roll up, a real old one, that came in a leather tube around 1 3/4 wide. It was a really lightweight felt, real thin and springy. When I pulled it out, it popped out, almost to an open crown shape, but not 100 per cent. So, I just assumed from that, that a regular felt hat would not roll up and still be wearable. So, I never even considered rolling up my own AB, until recently.

I now think that any soft felt hat can be rolled up. Just as long as the construction is sturdy enough to take it. Since I use upholstery braided nylon thread, in every stitch in my line of hats, I overkill, but ABs were designed from the very start to be really tough hats. A dress hat made like a tank. Now, in doing so, there are tradeoffs. But we preferred the being built like a tank, to being 100 per cent film accurate. And a braided nylon thread is thicker than a fine sewing thread, and therefore much more visible, especially on the part you see, the ribbon. Another trade off.

My point is, if your other brand of hat uses the really fine nice sewing thread, cotton or poly, you may tear loose some stitches if you roll a hat like this up. So, be forewarned. I am so confident in what I make that I don't worry bout folks ruining one of my hats, from sitting on it, crushing it, folding it up, or even using one as a dipper in a clean stream for drinking. That's the way hats used to be made, and several of us here are doing that again, today. Fedora

Fedora · Post by **Fedora** » Wed May 05, 2010 12:30 pm

He's harder to spot on the internet than ME!

Yep, and totally intentional. ALthough I did relent and joined Face Book. I had recieved so many invites but never joined, until I was trying to find a guy I was in the military with and whom we had shared some adventures. In order to use face book to see if he was there, I had to join. Now, I don't really understand this Face Book deal, seems rather chaotic to me, and I don't know squat about it. And I figured out one could spend alot of time there, which I don't have. It's here, hats and emails for me.

Texan Scott · Post by **Texan Scott** » Wed May 05, 2010 12:34 pm

Like Indy with his whip, he's fast with a fedora.

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Wed May 05, 2010 3:12 pm

I think thats one of the reasons I called you a "hat making machine" the other is you put so much of your time into making hats. More than I can at this time. One, being my neck and back pain and the other being I have a ten year old. He needs to see his dad from time to time.

Steve have you seen my stomp my hat video? Oh, by the by. I blocked your hat on Monday.

afterthedog · Post by **afterthedog** » Wed May 05, 2010 9:17 pm

Wow!

I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it. That really eases my mind about where I set my hat down. I have a three year old who adores Indy, and a seven year old who's just plain clumsy. Good to know that if either one of them happens to get ahold of my hat that they can't hurt it!

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Wed May 05, 2010 9:33 pm

afterthedog wrote:Wow! I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it. That really eases my mind about where I set my hat down. I have a three year old who adores Indy, and a seven year old who's just plain clumsy. Good to know that if either one of them happens to get ahold of my hat that they can't hurt it!

It's not called Adventurebilt for nothing.

Fedora · Post by **Fedora** » Thu May 06, 2010 9:13 am

One, being my neck and back pain and the other being I have a ten year old. He needs to see his dad from time to time.

Steve have you seen my stomp my hat video? Oh, by the by. I blocked your hat on Monday.

Yeah, I hate it for you with that neck and back pain John. At least now, you don't have to save lives like you used to, although I know you would rather be doing that, if given the choice. And good news on my Penman!!! Please autograph the underside of the sweat for me please. It will be a special hat for me.

Oh, don't think I have seen that video. I recall one from years ago where a young fan here, stomped his fedora, this was before I made hats, I think, and he posted it. I thought it was hilarious at the time, just watching him do it. He really got into doing it, which somehow struck me as funny. Regards, Fedora

Fedora · Post by **Fedora** » Thu May 06, 2010 9:20 am

That really eases my mind about where I set my hat down. I have a three year old who adores Indy, and a seven year old who's just plain clumsy.

I can relate. When I drop by to see my grankids, the youngest one, 3 years old, always grabs paw paw's hat. My daughter, knowing that I always wear my hats used to take it back and chide him, but I stopped that righit off. I love seeing the toddler running around wearing my hat, playing with it. And assured her, that there was nothing Zack could do to hurt my hats. Even when he would use it a a chair, on the floor.

So now, when I walk into their house, I pull off my hat and put it on Zack's head, and off he goes. Had to stop him from lettng the dog wear it though! Kids yes, dogs, no! Fedora

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Thu May 06, 2010 10:08 am

Fedora wrote:
One, being my neck and back pain and the other being I have a ten year old. He needs to see his dad from time to time.

Steve have you seen my stomp my hat video? Oh, by the by. I blocked your hat on Monday.

Yeah, I hate it for you with that neck and back pain John. At least now, you don't have to save lives like you used to, although I know you would rather be doing that, if given the choice. And good news on my Penman!!! Please autograph the underside of the sweat for me please. It will be a special hat for me.

It's a special hat for me as well. Making an Indy hat for " the Indy hat guy" I'm very excited and nervous at the same time. I'm making a cleaned up version of the LC bow not a Raiders bow. Unless you want the Raiders bow on it? I try and replicate the LC hat as close as possible but as you know the LC and Temple bow is ugly. Do you want to crease this hat or should I.

.......and you will be able to roll this at hat up like yours.

Oh, don't think I have seen that video. I recall one from years ago where a young fan here, stomped his fedora, this was before I made hats, I think, and he posted it. I thought it was hilarious at the time, just watching him do it. He really got into doing it, which somehow struck me as funny. Regards, Fedora

DR Ulloa · Post by **DR Ulloa** » Thu May 06, 2010 10:11 am

You've gotta stop using your iphone for everything, John. That was one complicated post to read and understand!

Dave

Fedora · Post by **Fedora** » Thu May 06, 2010 11:59 am

I'm making a cleaned up version of the LC bow not a Raiders bow. Unless you want the Raiders bow on it? I try and replicate the LC hat as close as possible but as you know the LC and Temple bow is ugly. Do you want to crease this hat or should I.

.......and you will be able to roll this at hat up like yours.

Great, and look forward to wearing it! Just make it the same as you would your line of LC hats John. And please do crease it for me. I have enough of my own creased hats, and another hatters crease is very desirable to me.

Oh, had no doubts the Penman hats could not be rolled up. Not any difference from what I make and sell and your own line of hats. We make em the same way, me, Marc, you and LLS. And you, me and LLS use the same feltmaker too! The best felt made in the USA today. Which is why most of the master western hatters use our feltmaker for their own westen hats, although they buy the western bodies instead of the dress. And unlike us dress hatters, those western hatters are given a wide range of blends too. Nutria, beaver, rabbit, various mixtures in their blend line. The thing is, our feltmaker supplied many custom western hatters with felt for a long time, and only started offering dress weight felt right before I started making hats. Apparently the demand for dress felt had increased over the past demand, and it became feasible for our feltmaker to once again offer dress bodies. Dress bodies was their main biz back in the 30's, as they supplied bodies for other big named hatters, like Dobbs, Knox, Stetson, etc. Some of these old hat factories of course made their own felt, but had to contract out when demand exceeded their own supply, and our feltmaker was used. Others, did not have back shops to make their own felt, and used our feltmaker to supply their front shop, where the bodies were turned into hats. So a company like Dobbs, could have only been a front shop operation. Today, folks like DP, actually don't make hats, their hats are made by other companies, various ones, FOR THEM. Think I have that right. Fedora

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Thu May 06, 2010 12:28 pm

DR Ulloa wrote:You've gotta stop using your iphone for everything, John. That was one complicated post to read and understand!

Dave

That's me, making you confused is what I like to do.

your right, most of the time I'm answering using the iPhone. Keeps me in contact with you guys here.

Steve,

You got it. I'm hoping to be done mid next week with it and off in the mail it will go.

John

bigrex · Post by **bigrex** » Fri May 07, 2010 3:06 am

binkmeisterRick wrote:Sweet! We got Steve into the 21st Century, now we just gotta get Michaelson caught up! Steve, can you show a video of how you roll it?

but then he would no longer belong in a museum and we would lose a treasured piece of history, I'm joking, I'm joking.

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Fri May 07, 2010 8:24 am

Well, Michaeslon eventually survived the jump into all the past centuries, so this one is no different.

Indiana · Post by **Indiana** » Sat May 08, 2010 4:21 pm

I had to give this a try myself. Everything pops back perfectly into place! I think it popped one of the stitches holding the ribbon on, though. Not sure. This hat is around two years old and has logged over 30,000 miles of travel and several months in the deserts of the Middle East with me.

afterthedog · Post by **afterthedog** » Sat May 08, 2010 10:03 pm

Took a 300 mile motorcycle trip today and wanted my AB to go along. After you take off your helmet you've gotta cover up that mess on top of your head, so why not do it in style? Thanks to this thread, I didn't worry about just sticking my hat into my saddle bag. Freakin' GREAT hat!

IndyBrit · Post by **IndyBrit** » Sun May 09, 2010 12:01 pm

Hey Steve,

any chance of a vid showing how to roll up a fedora

Fedora · Post by **Fedora** » Sun May 09, 2010 2:50 pm

any chance of a vid showing how to roll up a fedora

Don't mind doing it, but as I posted above, it is so simple a deal that a video seems a waste of time. But, I was gonna post a video showing how to maintain the Raiders crease on a new hat, training it, and will do a roll up video when I shoot that one. Or perhaps John will do the honors and show how to roll up a Penman. Since his hats are basically the same as mine, he might want to get in on this too.

Oh sorry John, I missed your query...

Steve have you seen my stomp my hat video?

Oh, so you did the stomp job too! No, I have not seen it John. Got a link?

But I gotta tell ya, since I rediscovered that most soft felt hats are ok to roll up, this really helps me out when packing up extra hats, for trips. But as I forewarned, I would not try this with a hat that had shellac in it. I don't want to get emails chiding me for helping ruin some guys hat!

And to give Lee Keppler some credit here, he posted a video years ago where he crushed up one of his own line and popped it back out to look as good as it did prior to the crush. But, I may be the first to actually show a rolled up hat, not sure. So as they said back when I was in the military, "if ya got em, roll em up". Smoke break. Fedora

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Sun May 09, 2010 3:04 pm

Here you go Steve.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=653216671406

You can also see the other videos I have done.

IndyBrit · Post by **IndyBrit** » Sun May 09, 2010 4:36 pm

[/quote][/quote]

Don't mind doing it, but as I posted above, it is so simple a deal that a video seems a waste of time. But, I was gonna post a video showing how to maintain the Raiders crease on a new hat, training it, and will do a roll up video when I shoot that one.

Fair enough.. for sure would not like to trouble you

Chiliana Jones · Post by **Chiliana Jones** » Sun May 09, 2010 5:31 pm

but what if the hat lays rolled up over time (2-3 days or more) in a rucksack pocket? will it pop back to it's original shape then? that's something that should be tested

CJ

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Sun May 09, 2010 11:22 pm

I'm sure it will. I roll mine up when driving my Lotus 7 and it doesn't really have a big "boot" ( trunk). Sometimes forget it's in there. Every time it pops back just fine. If there is no reason to leave it rolled up then Just un-roll it. If you are traveling and have a night stay somewhere. Un-roll it for the night. The next morning roll it back up. Most of the time the hat is on my head.