Akubra Campdraft

[Neophyte]

Thank you very much. I'm guessing it's just the indoor lighting of my bathroom and the mirror. Outside, it looks great (I guess because the texture and shadows better represent the shape of the hat). Indoors, OTOH, the hat kinda looks like a solid, dome-shaped mass, because the lights are ahead of me and highlight the face of the hat, but not the lip of the crown.

I smoothed it out a bit. I'm liking the Campdraft very much, and the transition from wide ribbon (Squatter) to thin (Campdraft) was unnoticeable...which surprised me!

Methinks the Squatter may become my dress hat.

...Also, GTDean, you were right. The crown and brim are in perfect proportion, and at this time I've no desire to go Freddy Krueger on that hat lol .

 

[Mr E Train]

...Also, GTDean, you were right. The crown and brim are in perfect proportion, and at this time I've no desire to go Freddy Krueger on that hat lol .

Hallelujah!

 

[Spats McGee]

...I know I'm doing something wrong, but what it is I've no idea...

Not a thing, my good man, not a thing! No, it's not a perfectly-symmetrical, machine-shaped bash. Doesn't have to be. It's hand-bashed, and it looks good.

 

[gtdean48]

Hallelujah!

:arated: Like Mr E said above, when doing this serious of a crease, wet felt works better = wet it & work it! Creases evolve. The felt will guide you to where it wants to be...some to a teardrop, some to a diamond. Be one with the felt, Grasshopper....

 

[Neophyte]

Alright, so I've got it how I want it. I want to wet it now, and smooth out the creases.

So, should I dunk it in cold water, pour a tiny cup of water on it or just coat my hand in cold water and work it?

I'm guessing I'm using cold water, since someone earlier mentioned that hot water encourages taper...

...Well, I'll start in a bit.

Thank you all for the advice and encouagement.

 

[Mr E Train]

Get a bottle of distilled water from the grocery store and while you're there, get a brand new empty spray bottle. Just spray the crown enough to get it good and damp, not dripping wet, and do your thing.

 

[ScionPI2005]

Dang! That looks really good! I agree with Spats; I don't think you're doing anything wrong. I've only bashed one open-crown hat, but I can see how it's a fairly straightforward process that can only get better with time. It's something to have fun with and experiment with, and before you know it, you will be an expert!

 

[Neophyte]

Get a bottle of distilled water from the grocery store and while you're there, get a brand new empty spray bottle. Just spray the crown enough to get it good and damp, not dripping wet, and do your thing.

Alright, thanks for the advice. I've already got a source of distilled water, I just needed to figure out how to apply it...

 

[gtdean48]

Get a bottle of distilled water from the grocery store and while you're there, get a brand new empty spray bottle. Just spray the crown enough to get it good and damp, not dripping wet, and do your thing.

:arated:

 

[theinterchange]

:arated: Like Mr E said above, when doing this serious of a crease, wet felt works better = wet it & work it! Creases evolve. The felt will guide you to where it wants to be...some to a teardrop, some to a diamond. Be one with the felt, Grasshopper....

Grasshopper looks as if he's well on his way to, at the very least, being one with this felt. I really like what you've done, Neophyte!

Randy

P.S I tried my best to come up with a Kung Fu-esque comment but failed to.

 

[Neophyte]

Grasshopper looks as if he's well on his way to, at the very least, being one with this felt. I really like what you've done, Neophyte!

Randy

P.S I tried my best to come up with a Kung Fu-esque comment but failed to.

You did well, TheInterchange-san!

Thanks guys. Now leave me to my work, I've dark and dastardly deeds to do. I'll post pics tonight.

 

[RBH]

That Campdraft looks great on you!
You did a great job on the crease.
:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[Neophyte]

Wore my Campdraft to pick weeds today, and a big rain came in. When the hat got wet, the ribbon and binding turned a beautiful dark brown, and it looked amazing. I sure am gonna miss that when it dries :cry: .

Is it possible to have someone undo the binding, use a different color thread, and re-bind it? Or will someone have to trim off the bound edge and then add a bound edge?

 

[John in Covina]

Is it possible to have someone undo the binding, use a different color thread, and re-bind it? Or will someone have to trim off the bound edge and then add a bound edge?

Yes, there are threads about hat renovation and repair. While your hat is new what you are interested in doing often is done to an old hat to make it like new. Also that a peak at the Cowboy Conversion thread, there many DIY types jump into the renovation pool.

Some of the makers do renovation.

 

[gtdean48]

Wore my Campdraft to pick weeds today, and a big rain came in. When the hat got wet, the ribbon and binding turned a beautiful dark brown, and it looked amazing. I sure am gonna miss that when it dries :cry: .

Is it possible to have someone undo the binding, use a different color thread, and re-bind it? Or will someone have to trim off the bound edge and then add a bound edge?

Optimo has renovated a few vintage Stetson Open Roads for me & they do just that with the edge binding & the ribbon treatment. They removed the edge ribbon & replaced with a darker color on 1 of mine expertly!
I know Major Moore at Buckaroo Hatters is getting the right attachment to do the small 4 ligne ribbon edge binding, so he should be capable soon.
In other words, NO NEED to trim off the edge binding!!!!

 

[Neophyte]

Optimo has renovated a few vintage Stetson Open Roads for me & they do just that with the edge binding & the ribbon treatment. They removed the edge ribbon & replaced with a darker color on 1 of mine expertly!
I know Major Moore at Buckaroo Hatters is getting the right attachment to do the small 4 ligne ribbon edge binding, so he should be capable soon.
In other words, NO NEED to trim off the edge binding!!!!

Excellent, thank you for that information!

The color of the brim binding and ribbon is really the only thing I feel needs changing on this hat. When you have a ribbon this thin, it begs to be of a contrasting color (at least for me).

Oh yeah, and as soon as the hat finishes drying, I'll post some pics.

 

[gtdean48]

...
The color of the brim binding and ribbon is really the only thing I feel needs changing on this hat. When you have a ribbon this thin, it begs to be of a contrasting color (at least for me).
....

I sort of agree. I really like the subtlety of the matching ribbon colors, especially for a country hat. To go dressier, I like the contrasting ribbon treatment but the matching brim binding.
Here's the OR with the contrasting ribbon & binding =

And here is the Buckaroo FST custom with contrasting ribbon with matching binding just for an example (the flash maked binding more different than it is)...

 

[Neophyte]

Those look really nice!

I'm not so much into the country look, but I do appreciate the "country/city" hybrid that is a Campdraft with a teardrop, and eventually a contrasting ribbon color.

Thanks for showing those hats, they really helped me visualize what I want outta this lid.

 

[gtdean48]

...
I'm not so much into the country look, but I do appreciate the "country/city" hybrid that is a Campdraft with a teardrop, and eventually a contrasting ribbon color.
...

Thanks & my pleasure.
BTW, for me "country" hat = jeans, boots, leather jacket where "city" hat = slacks, sport coat, dress boots. I don't have many "city" hats...
I wear "country" hats with khakis & a sport coat & even suit & tie as well because I want to...

 

[Neophyte]

Thanks & my pleasure.
BTW, for me "country" hat = jeans, boots, leather jacket where "city" hat = slacks, sport coat, dress boots. I don't have many "city" hats...
I wear "country" hats with khakis & a sport coat & even suit & tie as well because I want to...

...I hadn't thought of it that way. For me, the only type of hat I'd really ever wanted to wear is a fedora. I've since come to think of the fedora not as a specific type of hat, but rather as a particular style of hat. I think of the Campdraft as a country/outback hat, but I've styled it with a bash common to fedoras. The brighter color and thin ribbon add to the effect. At least, that's my justification. I'm finding now that I like brimmed hats in general, although not the Western style.

I like my Campdraft very much. Once I shaped it, the walls and dome of the hat have conformed to my head shape so that the hat stays well above my ears, allowing for the "atti-tilt." It's also my most comfortable hat, though I don't know why.

Thanks to all those who helped me along on my hat decision. Now that I've a CD and a chopped-down Squatter, I think my next hat (a long time from now, God willing) will be a stingy brim, such as the Akubra Hampton or Whippet, in some shade of grey.