Akubra Overload

[Zombie_61]

An interesting question that got brought up on Facebook. Why arnt there many vintage Akubras on the market. I don’t think I have come across one older then the 80’s and virtually no fedoras
Johnny

I think we sometimes forget that in Australia Akubras have historically been known as "work" hats and are used to provide protection from the elements, water animals, and so on. As such, they seem to be worn until they're no longer wearable before they're replaced, so there wouldn't be much left over for anyone to want.

I think we'd need to know their international prevalence at the time. Perhaps if you were to go through thrift stores in Oz you could find more. However, I can't think of a Member who lives in Australia - do we have any?

"Stuffsmith" comes immediately to mind, but he hasn't been around for quite some time because he's been busy tinkering and building up his cap business "The Well-Dressed Head".

 

[DaveProc]

I think we sometimes forget that in Australia Akubras have historically been known as "work" hats and are used to provide protection from the elements, water animals, and so on. As such, they seem to be worn until they're no longer wearable before they're replaced, so there wouldn't be much left over for anyone to want.

"Stuffsmith" comes immediately to mind, but he hasn't been around for quite some time because he's been busy tinkering and building up his cap business "The Well-Dressed Head".

It appears from their ads from 1930s through at least the late 1950s, the majority of their hats were dress hats more so than work hats. I find them advertised during this time period along side Stetson, Borsalino. etc dress hats

 

[Hurricane Jack]

It appears from their ads from 1930s through at least the late 1950s, the majority of their hats were dress hats more so than work hats. I find them advertised during this time period along side Stetson, Borsalino. etc dress hats

If you want to see some well worn Akubra hats look thru the Woomera thread before those posters left us for obvious reasons.

 

[DaveProc]

If you want to see some well worn Akubra hats look thru the Woomera thread before those posters left us for obvious reasons.

I agree with the ruggedness of Akubras, what I am saying is that I disagree with the hats originally being primarily work hats.

If you want to see some well worn Akubra hats look thru the Woomera thread before those posters left us for obvious reasons.

I think Graham Keir Managing Director at Akubra better sums up what I was trying to say concerning the early hats being more dress hats than work hats. From August 1986 article from the Age Newspaper Melbourne

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I agree with the ruggedness of Akubras, what I am saying is that I disagree with the hats being primarily work hats. They


I think Graham Keir Managing Director at Akubra better sums up what I was trying to say concerning the early hats being more dress hats than work hats. From August 1986 article from the Age Newspaper Melbourne

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Agreed. It may have been during the era of the Stetson licensing agreement that the emphasis shifted somewhat.

 

[Zombie_61]

It appears from their ads from 1930s through at least the late 1950s, the majority of their hats were dress hats more so than work hats. I find them advertised during this time period along side Stetson, Borsalino. etc dress hats

Well then, I was wrong. Thank you most sincerely for correcting me!

 

[The Shoe]

I finally got around to shaping my Fed IV. I’m still new at this…I started off with a centre crease and a tight pinch at the front, trying to imitate some guy in the movies. I wasn’t happy with it and ended up going Diamond again (I gave my Campdraft a Diamond bash from the outset).

I thought I was happy with it, took a few pics, but looking at the photos, I realized there were a couple of mountains -front and back.

More stream, and they smoothed out quite nicely.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I finally got around to shaping my Fed IV. I’m still new at this…I started off with a centre crease and a tight pinch at the front, trying to imitate some guy in the movies. I wasn’t happy with it and ended up going Diamond again (I gave my Campdraft a Diamond bash from the outset).
View attachment 365559
I thought I was happy with it, took a few pics, but looking at the photos, I realized there were a couple of mountains -front and back.
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More stream, and they smoothed out quite nicely.
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Looks good. You might try moving the pockets of the diamond back farther to see if you like it better. I generally prefer a long diamond where the front is 2/3 of the length and the back is only 1/3. I keep playing with creases until I just stumble into something I think looks good.

This is a tread that I look at often:

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/monster-bash-videos-show-us-how-you-bash.85436/

 

[The Shoe]

Looks good. You might try moving the pockets of the diamond back farther to see if you like it better. I generally prefer a long diamond where the front is 2/3 of the length and the back is only 1/3. I keep playing with creases until I just stumble into something I think looks good.

This is a tread that I look at often:

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/monster-bash-videos-show-us-how-you-bash.85436/

I think I will do just that. Thanks for the link, also, though it’s bound to frustrate my wife…”If it’s not barbecue videos it’s bloody hat videos!”

 

[The Shoe]

Looks good. You might try moving the pockets of the diamond back farther to see if you like it better. I generally prefer a long diamond where the front is 2/3 of the length and the back is only 1/3. I keep playing with creases until I just stumble into something I think looks good.

This is a tread that I look at often:

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/monster-bash-videos-show-us-how-you-bash.85436/

Well, I had the intention to do just that, but using a rolling pin as in one of the videos I saw, I was quite happy with the centre dent I had originally envisaged, so for now, that’s what it’s got.

While at it, I also saved one of Etsuko’s hats that she had stored poorly (nothing big - steam and brush did the trick) and redid my Campdraft.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Well, I had the intention to do just that, but using a rolling pin as in one of the videos I saw, I was quite happy with the centre dent I had originally envisaged, so for now, that’s what it’s got.
View attachment 366002
While at it, I also saved one of Etsuko’s hats that she had stored poorly (nothing big - steam and brush did the trick) and redid my Campdraft.
View attachment 366003 View attachment 366004

Looks great, Gary. It’s fun to keep tweaking them and every now and then completely changing it up.

 

[SafetyThird]

Hi all, been lurking on here for a little while and, after today's delivery, figured I could add to the thread. I've just received an Akubra Zephyr which will be a summer work hat and a style master in carbon gray as an around town hat.

I got into hats years ago but they were always work hats such as Tilley's of which I have several. Then I was bought a Herbert Johnson poet's hat, the original Indy fedora and fell in love with wearing hats but, as I live on a farm, I don't get a lot of opportunity to wear it, as it's such a smart hat. Along the way I've picked up a lovely Locke Panama which I bought for my wedding and then a more budget folding Panama for travel.

I wanted some more hats but good ones tend to be very expensive and cheap ones are rubbish quality. Then I discovered Akubra and fell down that little rabbit hole which lead me here and now I have my first couple of them and have been reading through this thread and the one on bashing hats and I'm guessing there'll be several more coming in the future.

And of course, there should be pictures.

 

[The Shoe]

Welcome to the lounge!

 

[johnnycanuck]

Hi all, been lurking on here for a little while and, after today's delivery, figured I could add to the thread. I've just received an Akubra Zephyr which will be a summer work hat and a style master in carbon gray as an around town hat.

I got into hats years ago but they were always work hats such as Tilley's of which I have several. Then I was bought a Herbert Johnson poet's hat, the original Indy fedora and fell in love with wearing hats but, as I live on a farm, I don't get a lot of opportunity to wear it, as it's such a smart hat. Along the way I've picked up a lovely Locke Panama which I bought for my wedding and then a more budget folding Panama for travel.

I wanted some more hats but good ones tend to be very expensive and cheap ones are rubbish quality. Then I discovered Akubra and fell down that little rabbit hole which lead me here and now I have my first couple of them and have been reading through this thread and the one on bashing hats and I'm guessing there'll be several more coming in the future.

And of course, there should be pictures.

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Welcome to the lounge. I have a collection of Akubras myself. Fantastic quality for price. You wear them well. Wear them in good health.
Johnny

 

[StoryPNW]

Hey all, I just snagged an old Akubra Mexican off of ebay and am waiting for it to be delivered so I'm anxiously researching them while I wait. I can't find many pictures of them though, I was wondering what kind of bash it originally had, this one also seems to have a leather hat band, was that the way they came?

Thanks!

 

[DaveProc]

Hey all, I just snagged an old Akubra Mexican off of ebay and am waiting for it to be delivered so I'm anxiously researching them while I wait. I can't find many pictures of them though, I was wondering what kind of bash it originally had, this one also seems to have a leather hat band, was that the way they came?
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Thanks!

Looks like a Drover and may have been open crown.

 

[StoryPNW]

The fine folks at Akubra sent me some info on my new hat, hopefully I get it soon. They said it is likely from the 70s and sent me some catalogue pages to show me what it looked like.

 

[Streak]

After lots of great advise here helping me choose my first Akubra, I just received my second one. I did a quick writeup here
https://www.fortvic.com/2021/11/27/the-hattery/

 

[StoryPNW]

Got my Akubra Mexican yesterday, it was kinda crushed but I put a little steam to it and reshaped the crown. It's not perfect but I think I did a passable job. My dad is in town this weekend and has never had a fur felt hat so I gave it to him, it fits him better than me anyways. I'll try to get a good picture of him wearing it later.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Anyone have an Akubra Grazier? I think it was an R.M. Williams exclusive.