FED IV Crown too tall

[Loneguitar]

I purchased a Fed IV almost 2 years ago. I never wear it because I feel like the crown is too high for my head style. Anyone else have this issue? Maybe it is because there isn't any taper to the sides? I am a big guy (6'3 210) and I thought I would be able to pull it off, but I'm thinking at this point I may be better off to seel it or trade for a Stylemaster or similar. Any suggestions?

 

[belfastboy]

I purchased a Fed IV almost 2 years ago. I never wear it because I feel like the crown is too high for my head style. Anyone else have this issue? Maybe it is because there isn't any taper to the sides? I am a big guy (6'3 210) and I thought I would be able to pull it off, but I'm thinking at this point I may be better off to seel it or trade for a Stylemaster or similar. Any suggestions?

Steam is your friend. Spritz with water, steam it well and deepen the bash and thus lowering the crown.

Give it a tear drop bash with a taper towards the rear and you can alter the entire profile of the hat. Play with it....decent felt is malleable like wet clay and very forgiving.

 

[daizawaguy]

It really depends what you are looking for - I battled for ages with high crowns and larger brims until I found my style - but as suggested, play around with it to see if you can lower the crown a bit. Also, you may have to resign yourself to wearing that hat with Jeans, and perhaps get a Stylemaster as a slightly more formal hats - though there will be many who say that it can be worn formally too - it really depends on what clothes you wear and your personal style. I'd keep it - its a particular hat style, and you may eventually find its place in your wardrobe. But it will have defined the type of hat that fits your style for sure - its a classic 1950s style, but sure does not fit everyone in all settings. Good luck with your hats adventures...

 

[Silver-Wolf]

As already mentioned above if you don't like the look with the crown so higher just deepen the bash or change to a style such as tear drop, or diamond that will lower the crown and use up more felt. There's no right or wrong IMHO, just play with it till you are happy with the look, that's the real beauty of a open crown.

edit: I just used this image in another thread suggesting how a different styling of a hat can make it look and fit differently. If you look at the diamond creased hat it's sitting higher on the hat-block than the one next to it yet is still lower in crown height.

And you can deepen a crease as much as you want in most styles till YOUR happy with it.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I purchased a Fed IV almost 2 years ago. I never wear it because I feel like the crown is too high for my head style. Anyone else have this issue? Maybe it is because there isn't any taper to the sides? I am a big guy (6'3 210) and I thought I would be able to pull it off, but I'm thinking at this point I may be better off to seel it or trade for a Stylemaster or similar. Any suggestions?

If it’s a size 62cm I’d suggest selling it dirt cheap and buying a new hat.

As the others have said, you can change the height of the crown drastically by how you crease/bash it. You might also come to find that the taller crown begins to look “right” with more exposure to it. My preference has changed over time to taller crowns, but my wife still likes me best in lower crowns and modest brims.

fingers crossed it’s a size 62!

Brent

 

[Scooterz]

If its not a 62 then look up Zombie_61's posts he as several feds with lower crowns that you would probably like. I have done a few hats similar to his style and like the lower crown. I have gotten used to higher crowns too. The lower crown may require you to make a little dome in the top to make room for the top of your head. I use a ball or the back of my hand to make that little dome. Spritzing distilled water works best for me to get the felt to shape the way I want. Just let it dry on its own, no heat. You too can do this, although if its a 58 you might want to sell it cheap....

 

[Silver-Wolf]

Just noticed Kevin (JJ's hats, most of us know of him I'm sure) just posted a video yesterday of his how-to lower a crown aka why crown heights don't matter etc... Funny as we'd just all been talking about adjusting crown heights

 

[Zombie_61]

Just noticed Kevin (JJ's hats, most of us know of him I'm sure) just posted a video yesterday of his how-to lower a crown aka why crown heights don't matter etc... Funny as we'd just all been talking about adjusting crown heights

Actually, crown heights DO matter quite a lot. If you have a hat with a shorter open crown, you don't have much material to work with when you're creasing it. But a hat with a taller open crown gives you more material and offers more choices--lower, taller, anywhere in-between, simple, stylized, and so on. Most hats with short crowns won't even fit on my head properly; I apparently have a taller head than I ever thought before I started wearing hats.

 

[Silver-Wolf]

Actually, crown heights DO matter quite a lot. If you have a hat with a shorter open crown, you don't have much material to work with when you're creasing it. But a hat with a taller open crown gives you more material and offers more choices--lower, taller, anywhere in-between, simple, stylized, and so on. Most hats with short crowns won't even fit on my head properly; I apparently have a taller head than I ever thought before I started wearing hats.

100% agreed, was Kevin's wording not mine but I get what he means as in it can never be too high as we're suggesting. Least I think that's what he meant, didn't watch the vids lol.

I'm of the same mind as you and for the same reason, I too find low crowns an issue. I have a high point on my head towards the back right where most hats lower at the very back. I often have trouble with short crowns and even more so when a center crease is used

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Just noticed Kevin (JJ's hats, most of us know of him I'm sure) just posted a video yesterday of his how-to lower a crown aka why crown heights don't matter etc... Funny as we'd just all been talking about adjusting crown heights

I agree with Kevin that fedora crowns can’t be too high as they can always be lowered. The problem is that they can be too sort because you quickly run out of tricks to accentuate the height. You can give it a very shallow crease etc., but there just isn’t a way to substantially add to the crown height. I like a full six inches on fedoras and a bit more on westerns.

 

[Loneguitar]

It is a work in progress but I think it is getting there. Hopefully I will get it shaped up this weekend.