Club Obi Wan

I own a large collection of blocks, and all are really old ones. I dug one out a few days ago, and noticed that this was a block I bought from the U.K. over 5 years ago, and had never used it. Since it looked close to the Raiders blockshape, I decided to use it to see what it would yield. I was pleased well with the results. This one here is a 7 5/8 sized hat, from that block, and I adjusted crown height and brim width due to it being larger sized hat. Feel free to voice negetive comments.







I must say that what I do love about these old vintage blocks is the skill of the blockmaker. Most handmade blocks, like I have made, are not perfect, yet most of these old blocks are perfect, as all radiuses are equal, the block breaks in the exact same spot regardless of what area you look at, front, back, sides. Plus, its rather nice to know that you are making a hat on a block that was used back in the old days. And you can always depnend upon the correct width, to front and back ratios to be exact. That is, the ovals are perfect.

This hat above is beaver, but I would bet a softer rabbit fur would really look even better coming off this old block. And the thing about this block is that it does have just a small amount of taper on the sides, but it creases out. Which makes for a less top heavy hat. I think one of the first mistakes I ever made was by making the blocks I made by hand, too top heavy, which really shows up an an inaccuracy in my first Raider fedoras that I made. It was a caricature, but many liked it. But it bothered me. As time has passed, I just cannot see the Raiders hat as being so full on the top. The look of the film hat seems to be "finessed" using a block with more taper than my original attempts, other than the look coming from a really full top. But, that is just my own opinion. Fedora

Like it Steve! Would be happy for you to use that on my rabbit raiders

Fedora wrote:...Feel free to voice negative comments...

I'd prefer to voice a positive comment and say: Wow!!! That hat looks great!!!

Joe



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Joeyeah_right wrote:

Fedora wrote:...Feel free to voice negative comments...

I'd prefer to voice a positive comment and say: Wow!!! That hat looks great!!!

Joe



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I would like to follow that with "Can I have it?"

Looks great my friend!

However one has to put into consideration WHO is working with the crown, that is gained with this block. Not many people can get a rather non accurate crown shape to yield a super accurate crown when crease but you're CERTAINLY among these few.

So, with all credit due for the block, most of my respect goes out to the man who creases the crown and makes it look accurate afterwards

Take care,

Marc

Wow that hat looks great and it is in my size. I would like to have that hat, but it is probably for a customer. Very nice Steve, maybe I should get a Rabbit hat from you on this block. 7 5/8 is my head size, Looks great, another awesome hat.

Fedora wrote:Feel free to voice negetive comments.

Negative comment: It's not mine and I can't (yet) afford one!

Other than that - VERY nice!!!

LJ

That's a great looking hat!

Fedora wrote:And the thing about this block is that it does have just a small amount of taper on the sides, but it creases out. Which makes for a less top heavy hat. I think one of the first mistakes I ever made was by making the blocks I made by hand, too top heavy, which really shows up an an inaccuracy in my first Raider fedoras that I made. It was a caricature, but many liked it. But it bothered me. As time has passed, I just cannot see the Raiders hat as being so full on the top. The look of the film hat seems to be "finessed" using a block with more taper than my original attempts, other than the look coming from a really full top. But, that is just my own opinion. Fedora

Steve,

Do you feel that most(?) of the vintage blocks youve run across were not quite so vertical? Iow, were the straight-sided blocks you made more stovepiped than most of vintage blocks, such as the one, for instance, that was used to create The Poet pre-1980?

Indiana Bugs wrote:

Fedora wrote:And the thing about this block is that it does have just a small amount of taper on the sides, but it creases out. Which makes for a less top heavy hat. I think one of the first mistakes I ever made was by making the blocks I made by hand, too top heavy, which really shows up an an inaccuracy in my first Raider fedoras that I made. It was a caricature, but many liked it. But it bothered me. As time has passed, I just cannot see the Raiders hat as being so full on the top. The look of the film hat seems to be "finessed" using a block with more taper than my original attempts, other than the look coming from a really full top. But, that is just my own opinion. Fedora

Steve,

Do you feel that most(?) of the vintage blocks youve run across were not quite so vertical? Iow, were the straight-sided blocks you made more stovepiped than most of vintage blocks, such as the one, for instance, that was used to create The Poet pre-1980?

First off, back when I was buying alot of vintage blocks, I was only buying ones that seemed to not have much taper. Some went right straight up, like the CS block, yet many had varying degrees of slight taper, with some even having more of a long radius on the sides, in place of the taper. So, any of these sorts of blocks always yielded decent Raider fedoras.

When I first made my own block, I made them straight up, on all sides. Yet when I started buying straighter vintage blocks, all seemed to go from a regular oval on the bottom, to a roundish oval on the top of the block, the top of the crown, that is. The vintage blocks all have this in common. But my early blocks did not. At the time I did not have a collection of vintage blocks to refer to, and made my first couple of blocks, by the seat of my pants. And they were better than other blocks on various hats at the time but exagerrated somewhat. As time passed I started taking out the exagerrations, and ended up with what I use today. Only took bout 10 years to arrive here.

But, and this is the funny part. When I look at the Raiders hat today, in the film, I don't see the same hat I saw 15 years ago. The journey, this quest, either took me farther away from my original goal, or it has lead me to the wrong path. When I see the Raiders hat today, it just seems so obvious that this hat used the traditional "morphing from a regular oval to a round oval" in its blockshape. This of course means there HAS to be a little front and back taper in the block. To what degree is the question, as vintage blocks vary in the amount used in this area. But I think one can get pretty close to it, and close enough as to be impossible to tell the difference.

In vintage blocks, you see many different types. I have tended to only buy ones that look to yield Indy fedoras. Bit I also bought a set that had taper, and quite a bit of it, to use for the Bogie Fedora, and then also the Fedora fedora as seen in the LC. The same block will yield both hats, except the Bogie has to be blocked at 6 inches instead of the 5 3/8 for the Fedora lid.

Regarding the Poet block, these days I see it as a block with a small amount of taper on the sides, and it starts aways up on the block, instead of down low. It was flatter on top rather than rounded, or domey. And it had front and back taper, but not to any great degree.

Marc wrote:Looks great my friend!

However one has to put into consideration WHO is working with the crown, that is gained with this block. Not many people can get a rather non accurate crown shape to yield a super accurate crown when crease but you're CERTAINLY among these few.

So, with all credit due for the block, most of my respect goes out to the man who creases the crown and makes it look accurate afterwards

Take care,

Marc

Well my friend, it seems no matter which block I use, all of my hat always look the same, so you may have something there! Add to that that I have seen some hats here that I made, in which the creases got changed, and most times I cringe. I think how our hats look relies upon the customer. Some of us just have a gift for creasing them nicely, and some of us don't. Sorry guys, I don't mean this is a bad way. It is just the way it is. Heck, I have seen some guys take a particular hat that even I could not get rid of the taper, to make them look accurate, yet they pulled it off. It still drives me nuts. And thanks my friend for the compliment.

Steve, I think you could use an old fence post and be able to work your magic. Looks beautiful.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

Jeff's got it right!


That's what makes you such an Artist, Steve!

Every time I see one of Steve's lids, I just want it.....even thought it might not be in my size..

Fantastic looking lid and very Raiders.....I'd love to see it on a noodle though...

Ian

Ian wrote:Every time I see one of Steve's lids, I just want it.....even thought it might not be in my size..

Fantastic looking lid and very Raiders.....I'd love to see it on a noodle though...

Ian

Yes, that is the best way to see one, on a head. I doubt though my customers would appreciate me wearing their hats. Once I start to look a bit more healthy again, I will post some pics of my own hats on this ugly head of mine. I have steered away from that since the illness, but I should get my young school girl looks back soon. Regards, Fedora

You do, let me know how you did it!


Regard! Michaelson

Michaelson wrote:You do, let me know how you did it!


Regard! Michaelson

I think plastic surgery may be in order. Then I can always have a surprised look on my face.

....or as I keep telling my wife, I just need an 'Edgar suit' adjustment to the back of my head as seen in the film 'Men In Black'!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXYqqF91 ... re=related

Regards! Michaelson

Fedora wrote:

Ian wrote:Every time I see one of Steve's lids, I just want it.....even thought it might not be in my size..

Fantastic looking lid and very Raiders.....I'd love to see it on a noodle though...

Ian

Yes, that is the best way to see one, on a head. I doubt though my customers would appreciate me wearing their hats. Once I start to look a bit more healthy again, I will post some pics of my own hats on this ugly head of mine. I have steered away from that since the illness, but I should get my young school girl looks back soon. Regards, Fedora

Tell you what. Just cos it's you, I'll let you send them all to me first and I'll model them for you.

Ian

Michaelson wrote:....or as I keep telling my wife, I just need an 'Edgar suit' adjustment to the back of my head as seen in the film 'Men In Black'!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXYqqF91 ... re=related

Regards! Michaelson

As long as you dont start asking for sugar water.

(Squish!) Oh, I'm sorry. Was that your auntie? Then that must be your uncle over there! (Squish!)

Steve, I'm always impressed by what you pull off any block, be it an Indy styled fedora or otherwise. I'm starting to believe every vintage block should pass by you first!

Steve,

Sorry brother, I don't know how I missed this one. I agree with Marc. I think your creasing skills are a heck of a lot better than you take credit for. I think I could spend a few days just watching you crease a hat. I still look at the hats I have bought from you over the years and can see the little changes. Think to myself " why did he decide to do that differently." your attention to detail is fanatastic my friend. I doubt most notice but I do.

There are a couple of people who can really do a great Cairo bash on one label of hat. Much better than I can do but you my friend can get a great raiders bash out of almost any hat. You adjust to what you have to work with and do it on a daily bases. Bravo my friend. The true master of the Raiders hat.