I love the Fed IV!!

[Zombie_61]

...Modern hats "Are" wrong. And when people see you, they will ask where they can buy a hat like yours. You can explain it to them and refer them here and to sites that they can order from, and they will stare at you confused after describing how they went to all the clothing stores and couldn't find anything.

And if you happen to mention how much you paid for your hat, more often than not they'll look at you as if you've suddenly grown a second head and exclaim, "For a hat???" lol

 

[DesertDan]

Unless you're in the rodeo or other horse related circuits. What those folks spend on hats is pretty impressive even by our standards.

 

[Lotsahats]

Really, Dan? I haven't ever priced a fancy cowboy hat--are they pricey?

 

[DesertDan]

Check out some 100x Stetsons or 30x (+) Resistols

 

[gtdean48]

Really, Dan? I haven't ever priced a fancy cowboy hat--are they pricey?

100% natural beaver custom western like I have would run me over $600 to replace.
Nothing for fancy cowboy hats to be $800 - $1000...

Basic hats are rabbit felt = http://shortyshattery.com/ShortysInfo/Pricing

 

[Lotsahats]

Wow--I shouldn't be surprised, though!

 

[DesertDan]

Nothin' in the pony biz is inexpensive.

 

[xbeatles4x]

Well I have been wearing my fed 4 a lot lately and it is starting to feel great with some wear and those foam strips. My one concern is sometimes when i bend down. (Top of my head perpendicular to the floor) my hats starts to move and almost fall off. Is this normal?

 

[Rogera]

Sounds a little loose to me. Does out stay put in a breeze? I have found that with my best fitting hats I have to turn my head upside down for my hat to fall off

 

[Lotsahats]

And if you happen to mention how much you paid for your hat, more often than not they'll look at you as if you've suddenly grown a second head and exclaim, "For a hat???" lol

Just yesterday, I was wearing my VS, and some guys asked what I paid for it. I told 'me, and the one guy was really shocked, but the second guy said, "It was worth it!" That second guy might very well end up here one day.

A

 

[xbeatles4x]

yah it stays pretty good in a breeze. There have been a few gusts where I might have held it slightly because it was a pretty damn strong wind. I guess what I said did not make much sense. My head was completely upside down to pick up something and inspect something on my car.

It is also a new hat that I have not sweat that much in yet or been in a rainstorm yet.

 

[xbeatles4x]

Just yesterday, I was wearing my VS, and some guys asked what I paid for it. I told 'me, and the one guy was really shocked, but the second guy said, "It was worth it!" That second guy might very well end up here one day.

A

There was a guy in my technology class today that also liked hats. He has a straw or at least what I thought was straw. He inspected it today and it said toyo. Any way he liked my hat a lot but was flabbergasted when he looked up online how much it was. I suggested to him the camp draft from everything australian since it is significantly cheaper.

 

[Zombie_61]

I received my new Tawny Fawn Fed IV today, and the fit is...

Perfect! Trouble is, I don't know whether to shape the crown, or just cut eye holes in it.

But seriously, out of the box this hat fits pretty much the same as my first Fed IV did when it was new five years ago, and I expect this one will shrink down to a similar fit. Considering this and the measurement of 59.4 CM on my five-year-old Fed IV, when Hats Direct says the Fed IV runs .5 CM small I believe they mean after the sweatband has shrunk.

By the way, the above photo was taken outdoors (obviously) under gray, overcast skies, and under those lighting conditions the colors of the felt and the ribbon are reasonably accurate. Indoors, under more subdued lighting, I'd describe the color as a slightly warm mid-brown, and the color of the ribbon is similar to that of milk chocolate:

I apologize for the poor quality cell phone photo, but it captures the color more accurately than our digital camera does (probably because the flash on my cell phone isn't as bright). I'm not sure when I'll have the time to crease the crown, but I'll post more photos after that's done if anyone's interested.

 

[ManofKent]

Al - it will shrink down a bit just in the shaping, particularly if you use steam, if my experience is anything to go by

 

[xbeatles4x]

Ok so I dont feel as bad now. So it should shrink (significantly as much to .5cm correct?) . I have been wearing my fed 4 and it feels just a tinge too big. I am also a size 59.3/4 and bought a 60 from someone on here.

 

[gtdean48]

Every one of my new CD's out of the box in open crown shape went down over my ears like this.
Once I creased them, either teardrop or diamond, they fit just fine. A couple of wearings and they fit like customs....

 

[Cattus Petasatus]

Perfect! Trouble is, I don't know whether to shape the crown, or just cut eye holes in it.

Now where have I seen that look before?

http://i1321.photobucket.com/albums/u544/brownalford/dumb-donald-fat-albert_zps9f81d65e.jpg

 

[Zombie_61]

Al - it will shrink down a bit just in the shaping, particularly if you use steam, if my experience is anything to go by

Every one of my new CD's out of the box in open crown shape went down over my ears like this.
Once I creased them, either teardrop or diamond, they fit just fine. A couple of wearings and they fit like customs....

I was able to shape the crown last night--the same teardrop shape as my Campdraft--and that did snug it down a bit. As I wrote above, I went through the same thing with my first Fed IV five years ago, so I'm not worried about the fit.

I had forgotten about how flat the brims are on the Fed IV. I've been tinkering with my first one for five years, and I've only recently gotten the brim into a shape I can live with (and, to be honest, I think the brim had more to do with that than I did by shaping itself). My new one has only the slightest amount of curl to it, and every time I try to change the shape it simply goes back to it's original shape (or lack of). I think I need to do a search on "how to shape a hat brim".

Ok so I dont feel as bad now. So it should shrink (significantly as much to .5cm correct?) . I have been wearing my fed 4 and it feels just a tinge too big. I am also a size 59.3/4 and bought a 60 from someone on here.

As I reported in post #1253, the inner circumference of my five-year-old Fed IV measures 59.4 cm, so yours should have more shrinking to do (keep in mind, "should" was a four-letter word at my last place of employment ). In another thread (I can't recall which one) one of the members commented that he got his hat to shrink by wearing it while his hair was still damp after having taken a shower, so that's something you might try if all else fails.

 

[carranty]

Ok so I dont feel as bad now. So it should shrink (significantly as much to .5cm correct?) . I have been wearing my fed 4 and it feels just a tinge too big. I am also a size 59.3/4 and bought a 60 from someone on here.

As I reported in post #1253, the inner circumference of my five-year-old Fed IV measures 59.4 cm, so yours should have more shrinking to do (keep in mind, "should" was a four-letter word at my last place of employment ). In another thread (I can't recall which one) one of the members commented that he got his hat to shrink by wearing it while his hair was still damp after having taken a shower, so that's something you might try if all else fails.

If it were imperial fur I'd say it definitely will with no worries, but the Heritage fur is much more stubborn, and shrinks very little in my experience. Zombie is absolutely correct that wearing it with damp hair will help it along, but if you really want to shrink it I'd recommend working up a good sweat while wearing it. Wear it on a hike, or while on an exercise bike or something, the added heat seems to have a greater effect.

 

[Zombie_61]

Or he could leave it in the car on a hot day and really shrink it.

lol