Crooked Hat Band

[D.W. Suratt]

I have decided to reshape my DM Adventurer, and as I was doing so realized for the first time that the sweat band is sewn in off center. I dont know why I never noticed this before. The hat as everyone here knows has the dimensional brim, being shorter on the sides. When you look at the hat from the exact front of the brim to the rear the tag and center of the band is about a 1/4 off to the right. I had bashed the hat in line with the center of the hat using the tag as a reference point. Maybe this is why the hat has never looked quite right to me. Has anyone else ever experienced this on a hat.

 

[indycop]

Lots of indy folks offcenter them on purpose. I can't explain the process though.

 

[kaosharper1]

I think it comes from an observation that the Raiders hat was worn like that giving the brim its unique swoop. Probably Ford wore it that way to give it a tighter fit and keep it on, but the COW group like the way it looks.

 

[warbird]

Yes, they refer to it as 'the turn'. And when you order a hat from Steve Delk he usually will ask if you want the hat with the turn in it. The whole hat is off center by an 1/8" or something like that. I don't recall the specifics. Where's Michaelson, he could tell you ALL about it.

 

[Deputy Jedi]

I think that is the notorious "turn" I have read so much about. If I understand it correctly, the side dents are put in the hat off center. When the hat is put squarely on the head, it brings the bow forward of the ear and the swoop results from the off-center fit.

 

[Not-Bogart13]

Speaking for the Indiana Jones set; the "turn" is the theory that either by accident or design, the Raiders hat was worn (and bashed) slightly askew in most scenes, and causes the distinctly warped brim seen in only that film. I have my doubts, but that's what the turn is. To get it, you put the hat on unbashed, turn it slightly, then bash so that the pinch lines up with the new "front".

D.W. - As to the off-center sweatband, most of my hats are that way. I had the same lesson-learning experience early on, and I no longer use that as a guide for the center of the hat. I now bash in front of a mirror, using my nose as a guide. This is also probably not true center, but it will look that way to the naked eye.

 

[D.W. Suratt]

From these post I guess it must be a pretty common occurrence. I'm trying to to get the hat shaped sort of like the Stetson Temple. I'll post pics when it's done.

 

[Woodfluter]

D.W., FWIW I've seen the back of the sweatband be mis-aligned with the oval of the hat several times. It is even a tiny bit off on a few of my good vintage hats.

Worst case: An Akubra Kiandra I got for cheap on eBay. When it arrived, found out why the owner was selling. Someone had shaped the hat to match the seam at back, which was way far off, and to get it to line up with his face, the poor owner stuck a whole bunch of foam under the right front and left back quarters of the sweat, trying to crank it around. But of course it would never fit right that way. I removed the foam, steamed out the creases, re-creased it correctly, trimmed the brim down and voila, my favorite rough-use western.

To get things centered, just put the hat on your head, grab the brim and wiggle it side to side until it settles in, aligned with the oval shape of your head. That's what matters. That's how you'll wear it, unless you like to copy that movie "swoop"!

- Bill

 

[D.W. Suratt]

Rebash

I've completed the crown rebash, I've still got to do the brim. so how close did I get to the Steston Temple

Temple

Adveturer

Temple

Adventurer

Adventurer

 

[warbird]

Excellent job!

 

[Not-Bogart13]

Dead-on, I would say. Bravo!

 

[D.W. Suratt]

Thanks guys. I think this bash looks a lot better on it then the one I had. I also have been wanting a Stetson so this will hold me over until I can afford one.