I love the Fed IV!!

[scottyrocks]

If I may ask how did you shape your brim to be like that? I really love it. Specifically the photo with your jacket. I’m trying to get an Indy Raiders style, but my front brim looks to appear sharper and pointy like a sharp U rather wide one like yours and appears that the right side of the brim is crooked/wavy. I’ve been trying to fix it and get it wide/even and so far kept having the same problem or gotta have the brim very down, pretty sure I screwed up the start process haha. Love the hat, don’t like my mistake can anyone help if they can?

That's when the hat was 4 3/4" at the front, and center-dented.

As for the brim, as mentioned above, it was a combination of time, a lot of mutchering, and the shape of my head. (Like Canuck, my head is a long oval, the result being that my brims tend to develop exaggerated curl.) Let's also not forget wearing it throughout most of the year, including summers, outdoors where the heat and humidity, in combination with crushing, pushing, and curling, not to mention the occasional downpour, result in brim shapes I like, as well as hats that look like they have been worn, because they have been worn.

I am also not shy about schpritzing them down with water at night and going a little postal on them, exaggerating the features so that when they dry by the next morning they have some sharp lines and swoopy curves where I consider them appropriate.

What I don't do, especially with a brim, is focus too much energy on one spot, as it appears you may have done at the very front of your hat. I would spray that entire brim down with water, put the hat on my head, and alternately push up and then roll the sides and front until I got the overall shape I was after. Sometimes exaggerated effort on the sides, moving towards the front, and back again, yield a great look in the front without having to work the front directly. It's kind of an art that may take a little time to develop to get the results you want. And the best part is that if you eff it up you can do it again until you get the look you want.

All that being said, almost none of this works with a hat that doesn't have a raw edge - iow, a bound brim of any type.

 

[TeaAdventuringPanda]

That's when the hat was 4 3/4" at the front, and center-dented.

As far the brim, as mentioned above, it was a combination of time, a lot of mutchering, and the shape of my head. (Like Canuck, my head is a long oval, the result being that my brims tend to develop exaggerated curl.) Let's also not forget wearing it throughout most of the year, including summers, outdoors where the heat and humidity, in combination with crushing, pushing, and curling, not to mention the occasional downpour, result in brim shapes I like, as well as hats that look like they have been won, because they have been worn.

I am also not shy about schpritzing them down with water at night and going a little postal on them, exaggerating the features so that when they dry by the next morning they have some sharp lines and swoopy curves where I consider them appropriate.

What I don't do, especially with a brim, is focus too much energy on one spot, as it appears you may have done at the very front of your hat. I would spray that entire brim down with water, put the hat on my head, and alternately push up and then roll the sides and front until I got the overall shape I was after. Sometimes exaggerated effort on the sides, moving towards the towards the front, and back again, yield a great look in the front without having to work the front directly. It's kind of an art that may take a little time to develop to get the results you want. And the best part is that if you eff it up you can do it again until you get the look you want.

All that being said, almost none of this works with a hat that doesn't have a raw edge - iow, a bound brim of any type.

I do agree and why I also picked the Akubra. Its an art, not only for a good price too, but also an adventure in itself of shaping the hat the way you want it from the start and even till the end. I greatly appreciate the help and info! Gonna start working on my hat with your guys' info! Appreciate it tons

 

[scottyrocks]

I recreased my carbon gray yesterday. Wanted to change the diamond to an 'organic' center dent.

 

[StoryPNW]

I joined the Fed IV owner's club today, it was delivered all the way from down under. Unboxed it and bashed it, I love it!

 

[Scooterz]

I joined the Fed IV owner's club today, it was delivered all the way from down under. Unboxed it and bashed it, I love it!
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Wearing it in the snow is a perfect way to break in an Akubra. Congratulations. Really nice bash too.

 

[StoryPNW]

Wearing it in the snow is a perfect way to break in an Akubra. Congratulations. Really nice bash too.

Thank you sir! I think my bashing is starting to improve, still need more practice though, better buy more hats.

 

[Art Hat1]

I joined the Fed IV owner's club today, it was delivered all the way from down under. Unboxed it and bashed it, I love it!
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Looking good, congratulations!

 

[scottyrocks]

I joined the Fed IV owner's club today, it was delivered all the way from down under. Unboxed it and bashed it, I love it!
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How is the fit?

 

[StoryPNW]

How is the fit?

I order size 60 in Akubras and it fits as expected, Akubras are quite round oval so it will take some time to get a good long oval shape to it but between wear time and my hat jack I'll get it there. Otherwise I find it very comfortable.

If I'm honest I expected a little lighter felt but with some steam it took shape just fine and it feels like it will last forever. My initial reaction is very positive, I'm very happy with it and think it will get a lot of wear time.

 

[StoryPNW]

Looking good, congratulations!

Thank you!

 

[Art Hat1]

I order size 60 in Akubras and it fits as expected, Akubras are quite round oval so it will take some time to get a good long oval shape to it but between wear time and my hat jack I'll get it there. Otherwise I find it very comfortable.

If I'm honest I expected a little lighter felt but with some steam it took shape just fine and it feels like it will last forever. My initial reaction is very positive, I'm very happy with it and think it will get a lot of wear time.

Honestly, just wear the heck out of it in rain, snow and heat and it’ll be a perfect fit in no time. Mine’s two years old now and it’s been through Florida summer and a Colorado snow storm and feels like a custom fit now. I would highly recommend taking some sharp scissors and snipping out the plastic cap on the top of the liner, it’ll feel a lot more comfortable in the hot months if you do.

 

[StoryPNW]

Honestly, just wear the heck out of it in rain, snow and heat and it’ll be a perfect fit in no time. Mine’s two years old now and it’s been through Florida summer and a Colorado snow storm and feels like a custom fit now. I would highly recommend taking some sharp scissors and snipping out the plastic cap on the top of the liner, it’ll feel a lot more comfortable in the hot months if you do.

Interesting, I never thought of the liner tip as making a hat seem warmer but that makes sense.
I agree about wearing it and letting it mold to my head shape, but the hat jack certainly doesn't hurt. I have an Akubra Stockman that is my work hat and after a year of wearing it in all weather except for blazing hot it fits like a glove.

 

[Zombie_61]

Honestly, just wear the heck out of it in rain, snow and heat and it’ll be a perfect fit in no time. Mine’s two years old now and it’s been through Florida summer and a Colorado snow storm and feels like a custom fit now...

^ This. I got my first Akubra, a Fed IV (standard) in dark brown, in August of 2008. As you can see in the photos below...

...it hadn't changed much in it's first decade of service, and it's still just as good nearly five years later. I haven't worn it in a while so it could use a good brushing and a little steam to refine it's shape, but otherwise it's as good as new. Not the "best" hat ever made, but still good quality and takes a licking.

 

[Who?]

Not the "best" hat ever made, but still good quality and takes a licking.

A succinct general description of Akubra hats.

 

[Art Hat1]

Not the “best” hats ever made but certainly an excellent product and a solid company!

 

[scottyrocks]

I own a few dozen hats - vintage, new, customs, and machine made - and my most comfortable hats are my Akubras. Therefore, they get the most wear. My oldest Feds are from 2009. The other two are not much newer.

I, too, am a LO. I just wore my Feds until they conformed to my head, which didn't take long. No stretching or hat jacks were necessary.

 

[Art Hat1]

If you all would forgive a bad photo taken in front of a mirror…, a Fed IV Deluxe in Moonstone from just before clocking in this morning!

 

[Art Hat1]

Felt ruggedly Canadian today in the way into work!

 

[G MAN]

Feeling ruggedly Canadian everyday.

 

[Wolfwood]

It's been about 9 years since I posted here last (time flies!) and I can no longer remember how long I've had this hat, but I guess about 15 years or very soon so. I tend to switch between hats (Fed IV deluxe in the profile photo here, I see), but since winter is the longest season around here, the brown Fed IV gets the most use.