Confused: hat creases

[frijoli]

Are hats like the Adam royals that are/were for sale the same? One with the creases added and one without?
If yes, are the creases just added by hand? I'm really confused here, and very new to fedoras.

Clay

 

[rmrdaddy]

This will be an important link for you:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=28658

You should really read ALL of them IMHO, but in this case check out the Hat Creases link.... http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=10272

 

[johnnyphi]

Open Crown vs. Pre-Blocked

Are hats like the Adam royals that are/were for sale the same? One with the creases added and one without?
If yes, are the creases just added by hand? I'm really confused here, and very new to fedoras.

Clay

Other members of the Lounge are far more knowledgeable about this question than I am, but I thought I'd share my experiences from a newbie's perspective.

I had the same questions when I was learning about my inventory. Many of the hats are "open crown." Meaning, they were not creased by the manufacturer.

I remember the first time the owner of Hirsch's took me upstairs to see his inventory. He opened a hat box and pulled out an open crown fedora.
Embarrassingly enough... I actually asked him if the hat was a derby!
Without even batting an eye (or laughing at me), he told me it was a fedora. Then, he proceeded to crease the hat perfectly in about 5 seconds!

He told me that in the old days, the hat would have been creased by the customer, or the customer could ask the sales person to crease the hat to their liking, after completing the sale.

Mr. C. showed me how to crease a couple more hats, and it was really very simple. When I first found the Lounge, I got the impression that creasing hats was a very delicate task, but he just pushed the top of the crown down and pinched the front. Presto!

Hats that are creased by the manufacturer are called "pre-blocked." The blocking process is not permanent, but it is difficult to reverse without the proper equipment. These hats can be re-creased, but it takes some moderate effort/skill to avoid damaging the hat. I wouldn't recommend doing it yourself, if you're a newbie. If you did want to re-block one of these hats, then I would recommend that you take it to a reputable hatter in your area.

 

[frijoli]

Excellent responses from both of you, and thanks!
I was baffled there for a while. That's a great link too because you get to see one hat in so many different styles.

Clay