Raiders hat by a vintage block

In-depth discussion of the Fedora of Indiana Jones and all other hats appearing in the Indiana Jones movies

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Holt
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Raiders hat by a vintage block

Post by Holt »

I have been searching for 4 years now without any luck and just recently I finally found one from the early 1900. maby late 1800's


here it is...

just pulled it of the block and gave it a quick bash. I only had a 2 minute tango with it and it brings out a very awesome Raiders look. Very Raven bar / well of souls look and with alittle more heavy tweaking I am sure it brings out the best SOC look ever I think.


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Re: vintage hat block

Post by Adventure Dog »

Not only do you know how to make a hat have the right shape, you know how to photograph it!
The hat looks great, especially for a quick tango with it! I love those first two pictures! They really show off the nice "Seagull" shape of the top of the hat!
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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by iwantamorganreelbad1 »

:tup: Iwantamorganreelbad1 likes this.
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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by Indiana Bugs »

Beauty. I love the shape.
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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by Dr. Nebraska S. »

Eric, your skills with Indy hats never cease to amaze me! Well done! :clap: :clap: :clap:

:TOH: Best wishes,
NS
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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by Local Land Surveyor »

Nice, Holt. Very Nice. :tup:
Dittos what Nebraska said. You definitely have the eye for the Raiders hat bash style and what angles instantly work as a frame of reference. That appears to be a good block to work a hat on.

LLS
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pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by Dalexs »

Very nice.
Out of curiosity, are there any numbers stamped on the block?


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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by parttime »

Very nice! Well done :tup: :tup:

-Dusty
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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by binkmeisterRick »

Dalexs wrote:Very nice.
Out of curiosity, are there any numbers stamped on the block?


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666.

Oh, wait, those are the numbers on the back of his head. :lol:
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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by fifthchamber »

Great job mate..

That shape looks spot on for what I see in the scenes you mention...Impressive work! :TOH:
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pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by lantzn »

What brand of hat is that? I can't believe how nice it came out!
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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by akasha1963 »

Looks awesome. WIsh I could send you my hat to reblock.
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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by Bdgsi11 »

Man, that hat is beautiful! :notworthy: Excellent job, Holt. Your skills with these hats always amaze me every time. :TOH:
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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by darthbish »

NICE......
any chance of some pics of the block??
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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by Ian »

That's fantastic!! Well done dude!!..Mine's in the post to you.. ;)

Is that your Fed?

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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by APL »

That is cool, can we see the block and some specs? I'm interested to know more. Thanks!
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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by Holt »

Thanks guys! :TOH:

I think this block is nearly identical to what the raiders block was. it just looks so right from every angle. I am extremely picky with the blocks and have sent back a few that was not quite right to what I was looking for. like I said, 4 years, it's been a long road to get there but now I finally have it now.

I will post pictures of the block soon. Just came home from shooting a silent film. I'm tired. Anyways, the block is very old and it looks old. cracks everywhere.


pics soon :TOH:
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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by Holt »

lantzn wrote:What brand of hat is that? I can't believe how nice it came out!

Just my fed4 :TOH:
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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by kwad »

Holt,

You really have put that old Akubra through the ringer and it just keeps getting better looking! :tup:

-Kevin
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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by Solent MKIII »

Whoah! :o Excellent reblock! :clap: That sucker just screams Raven bar. Great job on finding the block - I think the wait was well worth it. Image
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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by darthbish »

Holt wrote:Thanks guys! :TOH:

I think this block is nearly identical to what the raiders block was. it just looks so right from every angle. I am extremely picky with the blocks and have sent back a few that was not quite right to what I was looking for. like I said, 4 years, it's been a long road to get there but now I finally have it now.

I will post pictures of the block soon. Just came home from shooting a silent film. I'm tired. Anyways, the block is very old and it looks old. cracks everywhere.


pics soon :TOH:
That'd be excellent….
I dunno about anyone else, but I find that there's often a bit of a 'cabal' like attitude to sharing details of blocks here, so a few a pics, and measurements would be GREAT Holt.
I'm sure many of us would appreciate them.
Thanks :)
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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by Holt »

an update..

I snapped a few more pictures of it. I have tweaked it some more but not much. I haven't had the time and quiet frankly I don't think it's needed. not with this block. I'll maby just see what time does with it..

EDIT

and the siluette of the fedora compared to mine. in this shot you really can the the reverse tapere of Indy's hat. (I flipped my picture to compare with Indy's)

Image
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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by Hollowpond »

Just seeing this now...GREAT job Eric!!!!! Look forward to seeing pics of the block. :TOH:
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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by Holt »

EDIT.

NEW PICTURES WILL COME.
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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by Ian »

Looks spot on especially on the first 2 shots. That block looks very straight sided. Did you tighten the ribbon for the reverse taper or is that just how it settles after removal from the block?
You've a very good eye dude!

Ian

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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by Chiliana Jones »

awesome Holt!
think about it: maybe it's THE hatblock that HJ used for the original raiders hat you got there. you'll never know ;)


regards


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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by Holt »

the thought has crossed my mind my friend ;)
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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by Holt »

Who knows. maby this is THE real thing? probbaly not but maby it's little brother?

remember, I did not bash it to look like a specfic scene hat. I just gave it a quick bash and it turned out like this...

EDIT
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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by APL »

Holt wrote:Who knows. maby this is THE real thing? probbaly not but maby it's little brother?

remember, I did not bash it to look like a specfic scene hat. I just gave it a quick bash and it turned out like this...

Image
Wow, I can't believe how spot on that is! Nice job!!
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Re: pulled my hat of a vintage hat block

Post by Holt »

Front view of the Raiders hat.

pretty awesome and spot on to me.


Image
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Re: A product of a vintage hat block

Post by Mitch LaRue »

Simply outstanding!
:notworthy:

Exceptional work, Holt!
:TOH:
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Re: A product of a vintage hat block

Post by Mulceber »

I think the real question here, Holt, is "when are you going to open your own hat shop?" You consistently produce perfect Raiders hats. -M
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Re: A product of a vintage hat block

Post by Holt »

lol. ;)
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Re: A product of a vintage hat block

Post by Pwrsrce »

Ok...I know I'm the new guy...(guilty as charged)...

But that is AMAZING!

The likeness to the screen used hat is pretty uncanny. Very nice!

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Re: A product of a vintage hat block

Post by IndyFan71 »

This thread reminded me of a question I'd forgotten to ask in the past when I was trying to look for a block to reform my own tapered lid. Out of both curiousity and ignorance, is there an unwritten rule that folks shouldn't share thier block information or make a mold to share with the community?

It seems a boon to share in this hobby, but I can understand the money side as well. What's the "unwritten" on the subject?

Thanks,

Indyfan71
Last edited by IndyFan71 on Thu Oct 27, 2011 9:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: A product of a vintage hat block

Post by Mulceber »

I think people typically don't share it, but that's only because most of the people who have these hat blocks are in the hatmaking business, and so it would be giving away a trade secret.
Holt wrote:lol. ;)
You act like I'm joking. ;) iirc, you're in Europe, aren't you Holt? There'd definitely be a market for you there, as it seems like the only Indy Hats Europeans regularly have access to are Advintage, AB Deluxe and the Fed IV...not to mention HJ :rolling:

Something to think about. I'm no expert, but I think you could definitely make a business out of it if you wanted. -M
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Re: A product of a vintage hat block

Post by darthbish »

Mulceber wrote:I think people typically don't share it, but that's only because most of the people who have these hat blocks are in the hatmaking business, and so it would be giving away a trade secret.-M
All the more reason why it's nice to see some pics from Holt :) ..(although some bigger ones and measurements would be great too)..

I, and I'm sure a few others, would love to have a go at making their own Block, and lets be realistic here....I doubt anyone of us would be lurking around just waiting for that ideal photo, so we could give up our dayjobs, go to all the effort/time/expense/RISK etc of starting out own business and RULE the hatmaking world.......with one style of hat :[

I would never expect the guys from Adventurbilt or Penman Hats to show their block....They've put a lot of work into their creations and they're rightly theirs, but a find like this should be shared for everyone to see...IMHO that is. :TOH:
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Re: Raiders hat by a vintage block

Post by Forrest For the Trees »

Astonishing results! Where did you find the block, Holt?
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Re: Raiders hat by a vintage block

Post by Indiana Greg »

#52 block? did'ja leave the sweat & ribbon in place? GREAT JOB!
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Re: Raiders hat by a vintage block

Post by Holt »

the latest..

gave it alittle spin and voila!

Image
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Re: Raiders hat by a vintage block

Post by Indiana Bugs »

Outstanding!
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Re: Raiders hat by a vintage block

Post by Bdgsi11 »

Looks great! Love the camel humps. :tup: how were you able to form them, if ya don't mind me asking?
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Re: Raiders hat by a vintage block

Post by Holt »

no of course not. but the answer is simple,.. it's the block. it gives that extra Raiders magic and if you tweak it right it brings it out. I tried to get the same 'humps' with christies hat or the fed when I first got it and I couldn't bring it out like this...
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Re: Raiders hat by a vintage block

Post by Bdgsi11 »

I absolutely love it! Great job, holt for sourcing such a brilliantly accurate block! :TOH:
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Re: Raiders hat by a vintage block

Post by darthbish »

Holt wrote:no of course not. but the answer is simple,.. it's the block. it gives that extra Raiders magic and if you tweak it right it brings it out. I tried to get the same 'humps' with christies hat or the fed when I first got it and I couldn't bring it out like this...
That's great :)

Any pics/details??
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Re: Raiders hat by a vintage block

Post by Holt »

here is alittle better picture of the gear and the hat.

(picture flipped back to normal)
Image
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Re: Raiders hat by a vintage block

Post by Ian »

Amazing dude. It looks nothing like a fed to me at all.
How hard did you work this to get it to a completely different shape? Looks like you just used the fed as a raw body. Again, amazing work dude. :clap:

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Last edited by Ian on Mon Oct 17, 2011 4:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Raiders hat by a vintage block

Post by Holt »

thanks.

it's just what I did. took one of my old feds. soaked it. took of the ribbon and use it only as a raw body to make a new hat out of it. then I turned it, bashed it and tweaked the details.

I'm really thinking of doing this to HJ's little brother. the hornet.
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Re: Raiders hat by a vintage block

Post by Ian »

You reckon the felt would take it?

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Re: Raiders hat by a vintage block

Post by Holt »

I hope so..

I have an old one laying around in my closet somewhere....
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