Hat Too Tall

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

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AttyOzzy
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Hat Too Tall

Post by AttyOzzy »

Hi All,

I just ordered a hat from a well known, well-respected vendor (as are all the vendors in this community, and rightfully so). I understand that occasionally our members have found their crowns to appear taller than they were expecting. I do not make hats, I only wear them.

Therefore my ignorance as to hat production is equal to that of pants making, ketchup making, and wooden furniture making.

Nonetheless, my question is this (after great deliberation during my drive to and from work - and the local pizza place here in town):

If an Indy hat appears too tall upon arrival, would not a deeper center dent/bash cure the problem?

It seems to my eye that the original Raiders hat has rather substantial front humps in many scenes (pardon the "humps" but I do not know how else to describe the front view in hattery terms).

And I would also note that a few of my Indy hats - probably because they are so well designed and proportional to one's head side - occasionally seem to lack the "deepness" of the center bash that one might see in Raiders and the hats worn therein?

Note: I am only addressing Raiders hats. I love the other movies - but have not yet the funds to acquire those styles.

And P.S. - I don't think the Temple hat is all that tapered - once they get out of the ###### plane!

I Love this community and am happy to be apart.

As always, I welcome your input.


- AttyOzzy
AttyOzzy
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Re: Hat Too Tall

Post by AttyOzzy »

Oh - I didn't realize this site edited certain words.

For respectability sake - please know that my adjective for the "plane" began with a "d" and not an "f" or some other unfortunate epithet. Ty!

OA
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Mulceber
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Re: Hat Too Tall

Post by Mulceber »

Hi AttyOzzy - yes, you could deepen the center dent, but that almost invariably tends to produce more taper, which is almost a four-letter word among Indy hat lovers. The better thing to do, if the crown is too high, is wear it a few times (just to make sure you aren't just unused to taller crowns), and then, if it is indeed too tall, have it reblocked as a crystal skull hat, which is lower. Hope this helps!

-M
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Chewbacca Jones
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Re: Hat Too Tall

Post by Chewbacca Jones »

Yeah, it's common for properly proportioned Indy hats to seem a bit tall to those not used to it. It could be that. You could measure the crown, from the base to the top of the front pinch, to get an idea of what you have. Also, measure the width of the brim on the side. If the brim is too narrow, it could give the illusion of a taller crown.

The hat in Raiders does have a rather deep crease, but the specific block shape allows for it without tapering. The true block shape has been lost to time, so hatters have been left to reconstruct it through experimentation. Only recently has an original block been found, and in poor condition. But it has gotten us as close as we are likely to ever get.
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