I love the Fed IV!!

[Michiganiac]

You can pick up a new Jiffy Steamer for about $120-130. Or find a used one on eBay for a decent price.

We had one guy that used to use a Black and Decker industrial steamer. That sucker was serious business.

No more than what I do the kettle will work. Besides I'd rather spend the money on more hats or something

Quite right. 120-130 would (presently) cover MOST of the price of an Akubra.

Especially since my kettle can keep it's spout cap open.

 

[Frunobulax]

Yeah, well some of us dove into the deep end of the pool.

I mean, I really don't need all these hat boxes, either, or all those gift boxes, or the blocks and flanges, or the vintage ribbons.

But the Stratoliner pencil box, that, I needed.

 

[BobHufford]

I used a teakettle yesterday to straighten out a wonky brim on a Panama hat. But for those steaming sessions when more than one hat is involved I'm glad to have a real steamer. I've found two nice Jiffy J-4000 Pro Line steamers at auctions that were set up for steaming clothing (I keep one at the city house and one at the farm). One was $27 and one was $15 IIRC (and it was local so no shipping). I just bought a hat nozzle from Jiffy ($25) to convert them to hat steamers. I started out with a very old J1, but it has developed some electrical issue that I have not chased.

Once the hat collection starts to pile up you might want to keep an eye out.

 

[Zombie_61]

Those of you with hard water, any problems from steaming your hat with tap water?

The local whoeveritis' responsible for "running" the city I currently call home seem to believe tap water should contain a LOT of chemicals, so I've almost always used distilled water to shape my hats by spraying them until the felt is good and wet (but not soaked full thickness) so as not to run any risk of discoloration. But I have on occasion used tap water in a steamer with no negative effects to my hats.

 

[Cuvier]

I was wondering what a Fed IV would look like with some edge binding and/or a trolley button. Anyone have any pictures of that? I'm not finding much.

 

[Woodtroll]

I was wondering what a Fed IV would look like with some edge binding and/or a trolley button. Anyone have any pictures of that? I'm not finding much.

I think that would be pretty much a Camp Draft, except with a wider ribbon, if that helps.

 

[Cuvier]

I think that would be pretty much a Camp Draft, except with a wider ribbon, if that helps.

I thought the CD had a tapered crown, and dimensional brim as well as a different ribbon

 

[Woodtroll]

I've not owned a Fed IV, as the brim is smaller than I prefer, but I have several Camp Drafts. They may have a little taper, but I'd consider it pretty minimal, at least with my preferred teardrop crease. The Camp Draft's brim is not dimensional, but the Fed IV's is.

I was speaking in generalities when I said "that's about what it would look like"; I'm sorry about that. The way a hat looks depends on the hat size, too, so it's hard to be really specific about proportions, etc. if you're not comparing hats of exactly the same size. Here's the two hats as described by The Hattery, for easier comparison:

https://hatsdirect.com/products/federation-iv-open-crown

https://hatsdirect.com/products/campdraft-open-crown?_pos=1&_sid=438e42251&_ss=r

 

[Cuvier]

Ah, I see what you mean. I can see that. I went with the Fed IV for the lack of taper and I could get it in the color I wanted. I may talk to the local hatter and see if she can add some brim binding.

 

[jlee562]

It really depends on how wide you go with the binding, but with the ribbon width of the Fed, you're going to end up somewhere between a Stylemaster and a Whippet.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I thought the CD had a tapered crown, and dimensional brim as well as a different ribbon

The Campdraft does not have a dimensional brim and the crown has minimal taper. I’m not sure if the Campdraft or the Fed has more taper or it they are the same. I had a Campdraft with an aftermarket 1.5” wide ribbon that would approximate what you are going for. It looked good, but if you are adding the cost of the new ribbon and shipping (no one local for me) you are getting into the same price range as better hats than Akubra.

 

[Zombie_61]

The Campdraft does not have a dimensional brim and the crown has minimal taper. I’m not sure if the Campdraft or the Fed has more taper or it they are the same...

Okay, time to queue up the visual aids. My Campdrafts on top, my Fed IVs below:

To my eyes the Campdraft crowns are slightly more tapered than the Fed IVs, but you all can decide for yourselves.

 

[Cuvier]

I may have that binding added. I do like the looks of it and I won't have to drop a lot of money for a new hat. Thanks for the pictures and advice

 

[scottyrocks]

The perceived degree of taper depends very much on the way the hat is creased. A diamond usually results in the least amount of taper.

 

[Edward]

I thought the CD had a tapered crown, and dimensional brim as well as a different ribbon

The Campdraft does not have a dimensional brim and the crown has minimal taper. I’m not sure if the Campdraft or the Fed has more taper or it they are the same. I had a Campdraft with an aftermarket 1.5” wide ribbon that would approximate what you are going for. It looked good, but if you are adding the cost of the new ribbon and shipping (no one local for me) you are getting into the same price range as better hats than Akubra.

That jives with my experience. Bought my Campdraft Deluxe about twelve years ago, have had two MkIII & Two Mk IV Feds. FWIW, the difference between the Campdraft and the Fed crowns to my eye is about as marked as the difference between a MkIII & MkIV Fed, i.e. it's kinda there if you look for it, but you *really* have to look for it. For the most part, the dimensions, even including the brim shape difference, are close enough that I very much doubt anything short of a deliberate inspection of the two won't flag it.

The bigger differences, in my experience, are:

1] aside from the binding, the Campdraft brim is not a snap-brim. Mine arrived fixed up all the way around; I steamed it down at the front to resemble a snap brim in the 'down' position.

2] The thin ribbon gives the illusion - at least to my eye - of the crown being markedly taller than on the Federation.

3] As is often the case for a Western, I found the felt of the CD to be noticeably stiffer than the Fed when new.

Both are very wearable hats, both well worth owning. The Campdraft took a *little* more getting used to for me - a mix of that optical illusion re crown height, and the lighter colour - somehow that light sand colour (silverbelly) just seems a bit more.... in yer face... that a deep grey, black or mid-brown. YMMV, of course.

 

[Edward]

Okay, time to queue up the visual aids. My Campdrafts on top, my Fed IVs below:

To my eyes the Campdraft crowns are slightly more tapered than the Fed IVs, but you all can decide for yourselves.

That bluegrass green is a thing of true beauty. I need to get me one of those; would love to pair that with a big, boxy early 50s-style two-piece suit....

 

[scottyrocks]

I did another refurb on my brown Fed IV, mainly because it has begun too feel just a bit too tight on my head.

Pulled out and hand washed the liner, wet the hat and pulled it over one of my blocks. When that had sat a coupla days, I glued the liner back in with the hat still open crown and let it all set up. Then I creased it back similar to they way it was.

Each time I have done things like this to this hat it comes out looking noticeably different than before I began. Maybe not to the casual eye, but I see it, of course. I've had this hat 14 years.

 

[The Lost Cowboy]

I did another refurb on my brown Fed IV, mainly because it has begun too feel just a bit too tight on my head.

Pulled out and hand washed the liner, wet the hat and pulled it over one of my blocks. When that had sat a coupla days, I glued the liner back in with the hat still open crown and let it all set up. Then I creased it back similar to they way it was.

Each time I have done things like this to this hat it comes out looking noticeably different than before I began. Maybe not to the casual eye, but I see it, of course. I've had this hat 14 years.

Got a photo by chance? I’d love to see the result. I’ve got an old Fed I might try reblocking.

 

[scottyrocks]

Got a photo by chance? I’d love to see the result. I’ve got an old Fed I might try reblocking.

I'll try to find a before photo so I can position the after photo the same way.

 

[The Lost Cowboy]

I'll try to find a before photo so I can position the after photo the same way.

Thank you, Scotty, though if you don't find a satisfactory 'before' photo I hope you will still post an 'after' one.