Help me pick a bash

[Duck]

I received this Resistol cowboy hat today and I am going to convert it to a fedora. The hat appears brand new, open crown, and never bashed. It is a 6" open crown very straight sided with a 4" brim. I plan on cutting the brim down to 2 3/4" and keeping the thin ribbon for now. These are the sellers photos for my before shots.

The hat is jet black, I know, I know, there are several here that do not care for a black, but I have always liked black hats.
Now the question. What bash should I put in the hat? Center dent, C-crown, diamond, or any others?
Tell me what you think!!

 

[L HATLEY]

re worked resistol

Hey Duck... try a C crown and with the narrow brim and turn it down..

 

[Dinerman]

centerdent with wide spaced pinches

 

[fatwoul]

...It is a 6" open crown very straight sided with a 4" brim. I plan on cutting the brim down to 2 3/4" and keeping the thin ribbon for now...

...Now the question. What bash should I put in the hat? Center dent, C-crown, diamond, or any others?
Tell me what you think!!

2 3/4 - 2 7/8 dimensional brim, fairly deep centre dent, but with a 5 1/2 tall fairly tight pinch at the front, rear of centre dent held in place with a little crease at the back of the crown, 1 1/2 to 2 inch ribbon in midnight charcoal (black). Or you could just listen to these non-indy people...lol

Sorry, those straight sides got me carried away.

Seriously, the first thing I think I'd do is wear it until it fit well. I know that means wearing it while it looks kinda like a comic-book preacher, but I broke my Fed Dlx in before I shaped it, and that's what I plan to do with all my hats. I'm not saying wear it outside, but forego etiquette for a short while and wear it about the house in the warm weather. My reasoning is that if you shape a hat brand new, and then wear it, your headshape might distort it from the shape you intended when you worked on it. If you break it in first, the hat will take on your shape, and then if you work on it, the shape you get will be the shape other people see when you wear it. That, and it gives you lots more time to really decide what you want the hat to be like.

I love looking at a totally new untouched hat. There's so much potential.

 

[Duck]

2 3/4 - 2 7/8 dimensional brim, fairly deep centre dent, but with a 5 1/2 tall fairly tight pinch at the front, rear of centre dent held in place with a little crease at the back of the crown, 1 1/2 to 2 inch ribbon in midnight charcoal (black). Or you could just listen to these non-indy people...lol

Sorry, those straight sides got me carried away.

Fatwoul, I was thinking Raiders bash, too, for the very same reason!!lol I am not brave enough to try a dimensional cut, though.

 

[bolthead]

Nothing wrong with the bash in your Avatar dude, can't go wrong there......

 

[fatwoul]

Fatwoul, I was thinking Raiders bash, too, for the very same reason!!lol I am not brave enough to try a dimensional cut, though.

I don't blame you - I'm not either. The only dimensional cut I've ever done was a bit of a bodge, and the trim I have done to my Fed Dlx was cheating because I just followed the existing edge, do its still dimensional, but not through my own skill.

If I was in your position, I'd go with the 2 3/4 brim all the way around - the dimensional difference isn't always perceptable anyway, especially, it would seem, on darker hats, where the felt carries more visual weight, and sometimes reflect less light, making their shapes less clear anyway.

Personally, I think a Raiders-esque on that hat would look really good, and it's certainly an easier bash than some. If you really want to keep that thin ribbon, then I do know of another bash that I think would work really well on this hat:

Go to Art's site, and enter his client created gallery. Have a look at his hat #1217061 in that gallery. It's the fourth one up from the bottom; high sides, very angular, diamond crown. I think that's probably my favourite hat on VS. Anyway, if you decide against Raiders, that's another route to try, IMO.

 

[AlanC]

Is it true that Indy's travel hat was black? Oh, wait--wrong forum...

 

[RBH]

A tight pinch with a center dent or a loose pinch with a diamond bash, I think either would be good.

 

[Jerekson]

With a black hat I would always recommend the center dent. Black felt doesn't pick up detailing on angular creases very well - therefore, all you're hard work to acheive the perfect diamond crease will go unnoticed! At least, that's what I've concluded from my experience.

Center dent with a somewhat loose front pinch. Work the dents to make them really deep under the crown.

 

[deanglen]

First suggestion. a center dent, deep and tight, almost pyramidic with side dents. Second suggestion, center dent, less deep, less tight, no side or front dents. Third suggestion, a center dent, rather shallow and side front dents, depth determined by your judgement, a bash similar to Dinerman's idea.

dean

 

[Mug]

Nice hat!
Like Dean's first choice, I would go for something a little unique. Although my choice would be a "Cross" bash if you cut the brim. I saw it in a post detailing it and the "Arrow" bash, I think it was from a German book a member had found in a Library. You could probably find the post with a search.
If I owned it, I think I would keep the brim as is and put in a 1920's civilian style Montana Peak. One that looks more like a fedora from the front.

 

[Duck]

Here is the Bash!!

Here is the finished project. Color is right on the last pic.

5 1/2" crown Bashed
2 7/8 Brim

 

[fatwoul]

What can I say? Great job. From the second picture, it kinda looks like a Toht bash. Kinda. Well, that's who it made me think of, but maybe that's because it's black. Definitely not because I think you're a crazy Gestapo fella!

I really like the ribbon, too. Exactly the right width for the crown, and neatly done. Your own work? It looks almost exactly like a black Federation ribbon. Did you use that ribbon, or copy the design?

One thing - is the hat a little small? Does it need a tiny bit of stretching? I only ask because based on your last picture, it seems to be sitting quite high on your head? It might be the angle of the photo.

Anyway, great hat. I can't believe it came from the one at the start of this thread.

 

[surely]

nice work duck, very tasty

 

[Duck]

I really like the ribbon, too. Exactly the right width for the crown, and neatly done. Your own work? It looks almost exactly like a black Federation ribbon. Did you use that ribbon, or copy the design?

Yep, my work. I guess it was a pic of a Fed that gave me the idea. It is grosgrain ribbon from Hobby Lobby.

One thing - is the hat a little small? Does it need a tiny bit of stretching? I only ask because based on your last picture, it seems to be sitting quite high on your head? It might be the angle of the photo.

No, it fits great. It must be the angle of the pic that makes it look that way. All the Resistol hats that I have owned, are some of the most comfortable hats to wear. The sweat conforms to you head shape very quickly.

 

[fatwoul]

Yep, my work. I guess it was a pic of a Fed that gave me the idea. It is grosgrain ribbon from Hobby Lobby...

Do they sell online? I'd like to get hold of some grosgrain in different colours.

...No, it fits great. It must be the angle of the pic that makes it look that way. All the Resistol hats that I have owned, are some of the most comfortable hats to wear. The sweat conforms to you head shape very quickly.

Ah good OK just wondered. So is that what the "self conforming" stuff on resistol boxes is all about? Cool.

As soon as I originally saw your resistol on this thread, I went cruising the Bay for an open crown resistol. I found one, but it was 7 1/8.

I think I might have to do some serious hat shopping when I visit the US.

 

[Duck]

Do they sell online? I'd like to get hold of some grosgrain in different colours

No online sales, only in stores. It is just plain black sewing ribbon, that you should be able to find locally.

 

[fatwoul]

No online sales, only in stores. It is just plain black sewing ribbon, that you should be able to find locally.

Ha you'd think so wouldn't you? I sent my sister on a mission for some grosgrain not long ago, and all she managed to find was some brown. It's white a nice brown, but that was it as far as colour choices. lol

 

[J.T.Marcus]

Duck, Outstanding results! Isn't this fun? Keep up the good work, and keep sharing the results with us. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap