Fed IV Question

[Frunobulax]

Thanks, guys.

I know it's a combination of a few different factors for me, starting with being much more of a perfectionist with my own amateur efforts/outcomes than others' (vs. commissioning and expecting professional/custom results-- a whole other ball o' wax) regardless of the subject at hand.

Specific to the hat thing, I'm still learning what interplay of crown/brim dimension, crease, and my own features leads to what I want (how I hope to look and what actually Happens, heh), all of which is currently leading to extra fiddling.

But is also fun.

~ S.

That's why you must obtain all the hats - to figure out which you like the best.

That's my approach, anyway.

 

[RJR]

That's why you must obtain all the hats - to figure out which you like the best.

That's my approach, anyway.

 

[Krash1974]

Those are two of my all-time favorite actors, so I'll accept that as a serious compliment and thank you most sincerely. When I started re-creasing the Dark Brown Fed my only thought was to see if it would take a Diamond crease--any Diamond crease. But once it began to take shape, it reminded me of so many hats I'd seen in those movies from the 1930s and 40s that I decided to go with what, in my mind, was a "traditional" Diamond crease. So I'm very pleased that you recognized at least a little of that in the shape(s).

If by "heavy" you mean "good for cold weather", as much as I like my Wested jacket I tend to think of it as a leather windbreaker because it's too warm for me in temperatures above low-70s (°F) and not warm enough in temperatures below low-60s unless I wear something like a sweatshirt under it because it has no insulation beyond what the leather and thin lining provide. If you're referring to the jacket's actual weight, I've never weighed any of my jackets but it's probably slightly heavier than most other leather jackets I've worn. But it's so soft and comfortable that I really don't notice.

As long as you don't physically damage the felt by somehow cutting it or burning it, I think you'll be okay; Akubra has built a reputation for producing durable hats. They're not indestructible, of course, but like most fur felt hats a little care goes a long way.

First, I'm sorry to hear of your loss and you have my sympathies. I obviously don't know what your relationship with your father-in-law was like, but I'm hoping it was a good one and nothing like the stereotypical in-law relationships that most comedians joke about.

I think you'll find most (if not all) of the members here are very sympathetic and many have experienced the loss of a loved one, so there's no need to apologize.

All of my Feds have white liners, as do two of my three Campdrafts, so it's not at all unusual.

Thank you for your kind words. No, Gene was a great guy; I was lucky to have him as a father-in-law. He was a boat captain on the Gulf of Mexico, operated out of Houma, Louisiana. Among other duties, he ferried workers for the oil rigs. He worked two weeks on, two weeks off and told some crazy stories.

This Fed IV stands up well to Sam's abuse. She's crunched it, sat on it and leaned on it. At first I didn't think she liked it because I gave it so much attention. But the other day she picked it off the end table and put it on my head and went about playing with her Buzz Lightyear.

Sounds like your Wested is good for the same type of weather my Wilson's is. I'd like to get one soon to start building its character.

 

[Krash1974]

Sorry for this loss to you and your family Krash.

Thank you, sir. I appreciate that. He was a great guy.

 

[Krash1974]

No, that's okay. We get lots of sharing of personal info here. My condolences to you and your family.

Thank you so much.

 

[Rogera]

To me, its my own downside to open crown hats. If a hat comes pre-bashed, or with someone else's crease? Cool!

If I crease it myself...?

Fiddle...

fiddle...

fiddle.

{{tweak}}

~ S.

...And repeat

 

[Will70]

Pouring rain today so just a regular wool flatcap

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk

 

[scottyrocks]

Isn't this a Fed IV thread?

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I was wondering that too....



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Zombie_61]

So many threads, so many conversations, it's easy for new members to get lost temporarily. I'll get us back on course.

I have two (maybe three) flatcaps made from Pendleton wool, but after reading comments here and elsewhere about wool shrinking when it gets wet I've been reluctant to wear them in the rain. Fortunately, my Akubra Campdrafts and Fed IVs are excellent for keeping my head dry when it rains, so I have no need to risk my flatcaps.

See what I did there?

 

[scottyrocks]

 

[scottyrocks]

I'm putting this here because it has to do (somewhat) with Fed IV bashes. The hat I'm showing here is a Fed (no number), but it's close enough to the shape of the IV to be relevant.

I've been thinking about this ever since the first time I saw Benzadmiral's brim-trimmed moonstone Fed IV (it is shown earlier in this thread, as well as in other places at FL).

I have a Tawny Fawn Fed, that I thought was a IV but isn't, that has always looked a just a little wrong to me. To much brim and not enough crown. The reason for this is probably that it is not a Fed IV, but an earlier version of it, the original Federation.

If this hat is any indication, the original Fed is a very slightly smaller-crowned hat than the IV, and much smaller than the III, although the brims are all the same. To my eye, this makes the brim too wide for the proportions to look correct on the original Fed. Perhaps this was a reason for the updated III, then IV, which hasn't been redesigned in over 10 years.

I was thinking of selling it, and then decided, weeks ago, to give it a brim-trimming.

What pushed me over the edge to finally do it is my newest hat, my sage green Hufvud. I had Mikael make the brim a shade (about an eighth) under Raiders hat dimensions, and I am (still) thrilled with it.

I began to build a brim-cutting tool, but wasn't happy with the way it came out, so I used the old fashioned pencil-then-scissors route. I hold the pencil in such a way that the edge of one finger is at the edge of the brim. I go around the brim with the pencil point 1/8" in from the edge, and the line is consistent all the way around. Then a slow, careful cutting with a sharp scissors and presto.

I then brought the front pinch up a drop, and now the hat looks to me like it is supposed to. Those two eighth inch changes made a big difference.

The combination of 1/8" less brim and 1/8" more front pinch height has made the proportions more reasonable to my eye than before. The brim might benefit from another 1/8" off of it, but I'll actually wear it now and see how it goes.

 

[Cornshucker77]

I'm putting this here because it has to do (somewhat) with Fed IV bashes. The hat I'm showing here is a Fed (no number), but it's close enough to the shape of the IV to be relevant.

I've been thinking about this ever since the first time I saw Benzadmiral's brim-trimmed moonstone Fed IV (it is shown earlier in this thread, as well as in other places at FL).

I have a Tawny Fawn Fed, that I thought was a IV but isn't, that has always looked a just a little wrong to me. To much brim and not enough crown. The reason for this is probably that it is not a Fed IV, but an earlier version of it, the original Federation.

If this hat is any indication, the original Fed is a very slightly smaller-crowned hat than the IV, and much smaller than the III, although the brims are all the same. To my eye, this makes the brim too wide for the proportions to look correct on the original Fed. Perhaps this was a reason for the updated III, then IV, which hasn't been redesigned in over 10 years.

I was thinking of selling it, and then decided, weeks ago, to give it a brim-trimming.

What pushed me over the edge to finally do it is my newest hat, my sage green Hufvud. I had Mikael make the brim a shade (about an eighth) under Raiders hat dimensions, and I am (still) thrilled with it.

I began to build a brim-cutting tool, but wasn't happy with the way it came out, so I used the old fashioned pencil-then-scissors route. I hold the pencil in such a way that the edge of one finger is at the edge of the brim. I go around the brim with the pencil point 1/8" in from the edge, and the line is consistent all the way around. Then a slow, careful cutting with a sharp scissors and presto.

I then brought the front pinch up a drop, and now the hat looks to me like it is supposed to. Those two eighth inch changes made a big difference.

View attachment 179395 View attachment 179396

The combination of 1/8" less brim and 1/8" more front pinch height has made the proportions more reasonable to my eye than before. The brim might benefit from another 1/8" off of it, but I'll actually wear it now and see how it goes.

That's a great looking hat Scotty.

 

[scottyrocks]

That's a great looking hat Scotty.

Thank you, Scott.