Club Obi Wan

Well, there's been quite a "custom" craze going on lately. I just wanted to share with everyone my current project. I have to forewarn Michaleson first though. This is not for the "vintage faithful".

My Fed Deluxe, due to Akubra's poor block at the time is basically a Raiders of the Last Temple. Whatever look I try to achieve, it mimicks all 3 movies at the same time. I keep trying for Raiders, but block and felt (thickness) won't let me achieve it for my head/face.

I bought a vintage JC Penny, which apparently is a Stetson Soveriegn. And I believe it too!!! The felt is the best felt I have felt! (Whew!) This will be my absolute Raiders hat if all works out well.

A new block and brim set are on there way to me, so I decided to take the hat apart. It's a 6 7/8 and I'm a 7 1/8 - 7 1/4. To this point, I can recall many people mentioning they have done this. With before and after shots. I wanted to show the process. For kicks and learning for gearheads who haven't tried this before.

Here's Part 1 - The Destruction

The Fed vs. the JCP
http://home.comcast.net/~mgl17/fedd_jcp ... ompare.JPG

Look at how thin the felt is!!!
http://home.comcast.net/~mgl17/fedd_jcp ... ompare.jpg

Classic construction. The sweatband is sewn with approximatley 300 stitches around the crown!!!
http://home.comcast.net/~mgl17/jcp_inside.jpg

Close your eyes Michaelson!!!
http://home.comcast.net/~mgl17/jcp_destruction.jpg

Instead of Akubra glue. The liner is sewn in!
http://home.comcast.net/~mgl17/jcp_liner.jpg

The next part will be to block, sew the sweatband in there and make a new silk liner.

Skip

You're doing a rebuild. No problem here. It's these crazy distressing practices that bothers me.... Regards. Michaelson

It's a rebuild and recreate as well, Michaelson. I thought you might appreciate a classic like this one.

I forgot to mention specs.

It's 6 7/8 with 2 7/8" brim. Plenty for my face.

Oh, for anybody checking out the the color, it is a light tan. I chose this hat on purpose when I bought it. And I stated, this'll be my Raiders fed.

Here's a hint ... it won't be light tan for much longer ...


Regards,

Skip

P.S. 3kbucks I'll be turning and burning!!! No wire though.

A word of warning. The large amount of stitching that is used to attach the sweatband to the hat becomes a dotted line on the felt. So, when you stretch this over the block, be really careful, and cross you fingers. I had one hat tear along this dotted line. Thats what perforated lines are good for. I wish someone had of told me ahead of time. Fedora

Hey Skip.

I couldn't help but notice that there is a cat very close to your hats in the first picture :evil: You may want to keep an eye on him - I understand they can wreak havoc with fedoras.

Good luck with your project. How do you intend to change the color?

I am curious as to how you are going to dye or color the hat.

I have flagged this thread for posts.

Good Luck,
Pyro

Fedora. Thank you so much for the tip. This'll be the first hat I've tried that's this classic.

rick5150, I try my best to keep those guys away. They love the smell or something.

Pyro. I have dyed using natural dye and other brands on regular fabric. All with success. I have a few tests right now on different fabrics and felts. RIT is one thing I haven't used before. Dalexs and I have to have a powwow. I hear he's a RIT guru.

I just snapped a few pics with the hat turned in its raw form. It's got some snap, in it. Check out the Raiders brim action!

http://home.comcast.net/~mgl17/jcp_angle.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~mgl17/jcp_front.jpg

This ones for 3Kbucks
http://home.comcast.net/~mgl17/jcp_front_down.jpg

I can't wait to block the crown. From the side it's got some original taper. it also needs to get a smidgen taller.


Regards,

Skip

Interesting project.

Good luck and may the force be with you (I know - wrong forum but anyway).

Regards,

Marc

Nice! That does have a great Raiders brim. Can't wait to see the finished product. Kudos!

This shall be an amazing transformation, I am very interested to see how the color turns out!

Nice work and good luck!

Regards,

Farn

Make sure to mark which way is front and back. In my experience, with out the sweatband in there, it difficult to tell

py.

Thanks for the support Marc, Farnham and IndyBlues!

Pyro, I remember reading a post where or yourself Fedora lost track of the front? Is that true? Thankfully, whoever the hatter was put a red mark on the back of the hat.





If it wasn't for your or Fedora, I think I would have made that very same oversight. I guess that probably happened to all the old school hatters too! Judging by what I found with the red line!


Regards,

Skip

Skip...

If you're coming to my party on the 20th you're going to have to bring the results.

You're doing a rebuild. No problem here. It's these crazy distressing practices that bothers me....

*AHEM!*

Skip, I am very interested in how this turns out. I happen to have a GORGEOUS vintage tan borsalino that I wanted to transform in the exact same way, with a dye and reblock. I was thinking RIT dye. What stops me from going through with it, though, is the fact that the sweatband is indeed sewn in BEAUTIFULLY. I have changed sweatbands on akubras before, but I could never recreate the artistry of this sewing, and I don't want the end result to look shoddy. The hat does need a reblock at the very least, as it has a *slight* taper even after 60 years or so. Even a reblock, though, requires taking the band out, and I would dread having to stitch it in. I could try my best, and I am sure that I could put it in, but it just wouldn't look as perfect as before...so I'm still waffling about this one.

-John

You heard me, whipwarrior. Regards. Michaelson

Renderking Fisk wrote:Skip...

If you're coming to my party on the 20th you're going to have to bring the results.

If I get my block and brim in time. I'll also be sure to bring my Fed Deluxe. It is the best fedora I've owned in 10 years.

Hopefully, it dyes nicely. We'll see what happens? 8-[ Like JohnNdy just posted, I'm sure more than a few of us have thought about it. I just figured, ... why not?

Regards,

Skip

I have a stetson sovereign size 7 1/4 I got years ago. I really like that hat and reshaped it myself for a more Raiders look. I've been wearing my Fed deluxe lately and am waiting for my Keppler to arrive I ordered the end of June. That hat looks like it'll be a winner, best of luck.
Lindiana

rick5150 wrote:Hey Skip.

I couldn't help but notice that there is a cat very close to your hats in the first picture :evil: You may want to keep an eye on him - I understand they can wreak havoc with fedoras.

Good luck with your project. How do you intend to change the color?

I forgot to comment on how sharp rick's eyes are.

Let's play a game ... Can anyone else spot the cat?

Click Here!

Skip

P.S. His name is Marcus. My other cat's name is Indy. You can guess I have a loving/accepting wife. She knew when we got them that one of them was going to be Indy. Marcus is the clueless one.
I'l post pics of them tommorrow.

Officer...that cat bares a striking resesemblence to the cat that shredded my Hat!!! It was black and white and had a pink nose...

Skip.. this project is great. Trying to salvage my Fed D. will be helped watching the process. I've got nothing to lose eh... Just curious...You said you're a 6 7/8, is that British or American? It wouldn't be 56 cm would it?

Warm Regards
Kilgour Trout

Kilgour, thanks for the positive feedback. I hope the FedD is somewhat salvageable. It depends if it's your outdoors/beater hat. But too much rugged character doesn't make a sharp formal dress hat.

Here's Indy & Marcus ...



They're cute as can be, but Marcus is the terror of the family. Into everything!!!

And I'll be sure to keep them away from the fedoras!

Skip

Yeah, I'm the terror of my family and best kept away from hats!

Marcus Petrius wrote:Yeah, I'm the terror of my family and best kept away from hats!

Marcus, if you visit, there could be a space-time continuum issue.

Something about "the same matter can't occupy the same space", or some jargon.


Skip

Skip, that is a GREAT photo; great lighting and the like an cute as a button too.

You should enter that in a few competitions, see how ya do!

Regards,

Farn

Farnham54 wrote:Skip, that is a GREAT photo; great lighting and the like an cute as a button too.

You should enter that in a few competitions, see how ya do!

Regards,

Farn

Thanks Farnham! I'm an idiot savant when it comes to photographs and Photoshop. It's weird how I get everything to work. It's kinda like someone that knows where everything is in town, ... but doesn't know the street names.

Unlike some of the graphic artists we have here who actually "know" what they're doing, I feel my way through. It's still very fun, though!


Regards,

Skip

How is the project coming Skip? Got any more pics? thanks Fedora

Fedora wrote:How is the project coming Skip? Got any more pics? thanks Fedora

Between the massive amount of snow, taking care of the boy and teaching a computer security class, it's been on a small delay to get to the craft store.

Due to my crazy work schedule. I am on pause till this weekend. The new block and brim set should hopefully be in by then too!!! I've got some sample felt ready to go and a couple of big ol' buckets.

I'll post the sample felts wet then dry to see the color first. I'll do a poll with you all to see which colors look best. I can't wait!!!!!

Skip

P.S. I'm glad you (Fedora) and Pyro are having another "block" thread. This'll help big time. I was able to get a block and a brim set!!! I can't imagine blocking wet felt without a brim (flange?).