Akubra Overload

[Fed in a Fedora]

I spray it on at room temperature, but now you have me wondering if heating it up would help?

I think it has more to do with how the brim is flanged, whether or not the brim is bound, and the amount of stiffener applied to the hat. The brims on my Silverbelly and Bluegrass Green Campdrafts snapped down with no problems, but my Taupe Fawn Campdraft was ridiculously stiff and required a bit of effort just to get the front of the brim to snap down, then it would almost immediately snap right back up. After a few days of snapping it down and wearing it, it would finally stay down on it's own.

The brim on the Fed IV isn't flanged as deeply as it is on the Campdraft. On all three of my Fed IVs the brims were almost flat when I received them, and the brims developed a little curl/cupping on their own during the first few weeks of my wearing them. I mention this because none of my Fed IVs have that "snap down/snap up" quality that the brims on the Campdrafts have. So, depending on how you like your brims shaped, the relatively flat brim on the Fed IV can be easier to shape, or more difficult to shape.

I use distilled water because our city dumps a lot of chemicals in the tap water, and I'm concerned those chemicals might leave the felt discolored or stained after the water dries. If you don't have that problem where you live, tap water should be as good as distilled water.

Very good point. Our water is quite clean here and this is not a concern at all for us.

 

[nidan48]

My first 2 hats were Akubras, Squatter and Drover and back then David Morgan sold mostly open crown. There was no internet back then so I didn't have a clue how to break them in. A few years in they were still so stiff that I spent a half hour kicking them around, but it didn't help. (or hurt) I learned that they held the shape they were in after a soaking rain. The Squatter is about 30 now and it has softened up nicely and developed a certain confident flair. I would like to do that to my new Campdraft but I'm afraid I won't have the lifespan. The Squatter has the same brim as the CD, has maybe 1/4" less crown.

Maybe you're like me, maybe not. I did not and actually still do not crash a new crown with aggressive confidence. It takes a week or so to get the courage up to assertively mangle. Then as the hat and I get further acquainted I drag around the dents and creases and start finding the drama that some of those here can pop out right away.

 

[Bob Roberts]

Heating up some distilled water. Going to give it another try.

BTW, there's no problem in creating the form that I want with steam--it just doesn't stick after a day or two. The brim just wants to revert to the upward snap that it originally came with.

Get it close to the steam source and start to work and bend at the base of the brim outwards toward the end of the brim and get some heat goin on too.

 

[Fed in a Fedora]

My first 2 hats were Akubras, Squatter and Drover and back then David Morgan sold mostly open crown. There was no internet back then so I didn't have a clue how to break them in. A few years in they were still so stiff that I spent a half hour kicking them around, but it didn't help. (or hurt) I learned that they held the shape they were in after a soaking rain. The Squatter is about 30 now and it has softened up nicely and developed a certain confident flair. I would like to do that to my new Campdraft but I'm afraid I won't have the lifespan. The Squatter has the same brim as the CD, has maybe 1/4" less crown.

Maybe you're like me, maybe not. I did not and actually still do not crash a new crown with aggressive confidence. It takes a week or so to get the courage up to assertively mangle. Then as the hat and I get further acquainted I drag around the dents and creases and start finding the drama that some of those here can pop out right away.

Got one in the mail a few hours ago. Time to soak it and reshape it to what I want tonight.

 

[Fed in a Fedora]

Shown here just through the initial damp shaping. I had already put it on my HatShapers "custom made small plus 1/4" (their way of saying a true size 58) straight plastic dome after a warm shower. Pressed it down and got the old crease out for a while before starting a new crease. The top creases have since been evened out, but the camera is asleep for the night.

It is an Akubra. It does not need to be pampered. Make it yours.

 

[illumin8em]

Anyone know of a size 61 Silverbelly Camp Draft that's looking for new home? I'd be grateful for the assistance.

 

[moontheloon]

Shown here just through the initial damp shaping. I had already put it on my HatShapers "custom made small plus 1/4" (their way of saying a true size 58) straight plastic dome after a warm shower. Pressed it down and got the old crease out for a while before starting a new crease. The top creases have since been evened out, but the camera is asleep for the night.

It is an Akubra. It does not need to be pampered. Make it yours.

looks excellent !!

 

[RJR]

looks excellent !!

+1

 

[ConsiderMeMilesDavis]

View attachment 47585 in response to the above, I'm ONLY interested in looking good in my Akubra.

Kona, I've seen a bunch of your lids since joining The Lounge, and they always have my favorite brim treatment: perfectly uniform, not quite flat with a very subtle flange, etc. Mind sharing your secret(s) with us mere mortals?

 

[konadog]

Kona, I've seen a bunch of your lids since joining The Lounge, and they always have my favorite brim treatment: perfectly uniform, not quite flat with a very subtle flange, etc. Mind sharing your secret(s) with us mere mortals?

nothing too fancy on the Campdraft. i just grab the brim a 6 and 9 and drag fingers to 12 to make it flat.

 

[tropicalbob]

Anyone know of a size 61 Silverbelly Camp Draft that's looking for new home? I'd be grateful for the assistance.

If you don't mind waiting a few months, EA has them for about $89.00 right now. Has to be one of the best deals in the hat world.

 

[RJR]

If you don't mind waiting a few months, EA has them for about $89.00 right now. Has to be one of the best deals in the hat world.

Absolutely a super deal on a nice hat.

 

[Frunobulax]

Absolutely a super deal on a nice hat.

Ditto. Love my SBCD!!

 

[1mach1]

Ditto. Love my SBCD!!

+1

 

[Bob Roberts]

+2

 

[Eliesti]

About to buy a Campdraft. Just bought another hat so the wife will only allow one more hat for now. I was considering the moonstone Fed IV as my other hat is a brown Fed IV, but now I am thinking I should get a Campdraft instead. I was going to go with BGG, but also like the SB. What do you guys think? Or maybe I should get the moonstone CD or just stick with the Fed IV in moonstone since gray is versatile and I'm planning to wear the hat to both dress up and dress down (more to dress up though)?

Analysis paralysis. Why can't I make a decision?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RJR]

tough choice;my bet is you'll end up getting a CD and a moonstone FED IV.Depending on what you wear the BGCD is really versatile.

 

[tropicalbob]

I think what you've got is called "Akubra Paralysis." We've all had it, and most of us still suffer from it. Just when you think, "Well, the Fed IV is a dressier hat, you pause in front of the mirror wearing a jacket and tie and try it with a Campdraft. Then you realize you were completely wrong. Or were you? That's why you can't decide. The only answer is to eventually get them all.

 

[moontheloon]

About to buy a Campdraft. Just bought another hat so the wife will only allow one more hat for now. I was considering the moonstone Fed IV as my other hat is a brown Fed IV, but now I am thinking I should get a Campdraft instead. I was going to go with BGG, but also like the SB. What do you guys think? Or maybe I should get the moonstone CD or just stick with the Fed IV in moonstone since gray is versatile and I'm planning to wear the hat to both dress up and dress down (more to dress up though)?

Analysis paralysis. Why can't I make a decision?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

you will eventually own them all anyway ... so whichever color you pick for this hat will simply end up being a color you've had a bit longer than the rest

 

[rclark]

you will eventually own them all anyway ... so whichever color you pick for this hat will simply end up being a color you've had a bit longer than the rest

Ha! That is so true. I would start out with a SBCD but that's just my personal preference. Akubras are the highest quality modern production hat IMHO albeit with a bit of inconsistency in sizing and felt characteristics. I can live with that given the price point. Great hats.