Improvements to my AB

[airforceindy]

As I've mentioned in the Indy thread, I recently received my first Adventurebilt. I wasn't really digging the center-dent look, and it lacked the stiffener to hold a good crease. So, much to my wife's horror ("What are you doing with your $300 hat!!!"), I put it in the kitchen sink, filled it with hot water, and let it soak until all the water had run out of it. Sufficiently saturated, I smoothed it into an open crown and proceeded to do my best (and first) diamond bash. Heck, with another Indy AB on the way, why not? Lemme know what you think...

PS: I think this'll be my entry for The Diamond Authority, too!

Regards, Andy

 

[RBH]

You are part of The Diamond Authority now my friend!
That looks great! That is what I like about the Adventurebilts, that have that 1930's look to them. With a center dent or c-crown [or diamond] it still looks great. I think it takes the diamond crease very well.
:eusa_clap You did good!! :eusa_clap

 

[indycop]

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[B R A N D X®]

Great work Andy.....looks perfect!

 

[AlanC]

You did a great job with the creasing, and it really does look sharp.

That said, I couldn't have brought myself to do that to an AB!

 

[Spellflower]

Nice job, AFI! I'm curious, though about the soaking bit. It seems that my better vintage hats can be creased easily without any moisture, and I've come to think of this as a hallmark of good felt. I know Steve uses some of the best felt available, so I'm a little surprised that it needed moisture to be reshaped. I've never held an AB in my hands, so I don't really know what they feel like, but I'd love to hear from AB owners as well as VS owners about their shapeability.

 

[Spellflower]

I couldn't have brought myself to do that to an AB!

Really? I thought that's what you were paying for with an AB- a hat that can stand up to adventure. It costs so much because it's made of quality materials by someone who cares about making a quality product. Paying for quality and then treating it as though it's a fragile object just doesn't make sense to me. If it can survive being kicked around, it should survive a simple reshaping. If it doesn't, it's really not worth the money.

 

[J.T.Marcus]

airforceindy, Beautiful job!!! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

One helpful hint. You can achieve the same results with COLD water. (That reduces the chance of shrinking the felt, and/or damaging the sweatband.) This was, by the way, an old cowboy trick which has actually been shown in a few movies. I seem to remember one where John Wayne buys a new hat, and walking down the boardwalk, stops at a rain barrel to give a good "dunking."

 

[airforceindy]

Nice job, AFI! I'm curious, though about the soaking bit. It seems that my better vintage hats can be creased easily without any moisture, and I've come to think of this as a hallmark of good felt. I know Steve uses some of the best felt available, so I'm a little surprised that it needed moisture to be reshaped. I've never held an AB in my hands, so I don't really know what they feel like, but I'd love to hear from AB owners as well as VS owners about their shapeability.

Spellflower,
I really can't speak to the quality of other beaver felts, as I simply don't have any experience with anything but the Adventurebilt. I DO know that this hat was made and sent with no stiffener in it, so that may have been a factor with it wanting to bounce back to it's original loose ToD bash. I had seen some posts from Steve and others talking about soaking and then re-bashing, so that is what I did. The felt held up wonderfully, with little or no shedding, and holds the diamond quite well, even without the stiffener.

JT,
I didn't even consider using cold water. I guess I just thought that if you usually use steam, then why not hot water? The sweatband did get a little bit bent out of shape, but nothing to complain about. Thanks for the suggestion, though, I'll definitely try that in the future!

Thank you all for the compliments!!!
Regards, Andy

 

[Boris K]

.

That really turned out great. You have an excellent looking diamond in that AB!

 

[bolthead]

Really? I thought that's what you were paying for with an AB- a hat that can stand up to adventure. It costs so much because it's made of quality materials by someone who cares about making a quality product. Paying for quality and then treating it as though it's a fragile object just doesn't make sense to me. If it can survive being kicked around, it should survive a simple reshaping. If it doesn't, it's really not worth the money.

I think I'd have to agree with you on this one. [huh]

 

[Spellflower]

Kind of reminds me of those people who buy Land Rovers and then swerve to avoid puddles. :eusa_doh:

 

[airforceindy]

Well, as much stuff as the good folks over at COW put their ABs through, you can bet your sweet butt I won't be giving mine a break! It's touted as being up for anything, and I aim to get the most out of it. I'll baby my VS, whenever i get around to getting one! Heck, for $275, it SHOULD hold up to anything short of a prairie fire!

 

[AlanC]

Really? I thought that's what you were paying for with an AB- a hat that can stand up to adventure.

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I meant I couldn't have brought myself to put anything but a center crease in it. It's the purist in me. [huh]

I will reiterate, though, that I do think it looks really nice now.

 

[Spellflower]

Oh...

 

[AlanC]

No problem. I can see why you thought I meant something else.

For the record, I wouldn't have soaked it like that, either, though. I generally just use a spritz bottle and massage the water in where I need it.

 

[airforceindy]

For the record, I wouldn't have soaked it like that, either, though. I generally just use a spritz bottle and massage the water in where I need it.

Just goes to show you, I'm still learning! [huh] At least it didn't turn into a disaster. Any other hat, I would not have tried that without asking an exhaustive string of questions. But, with the AB's reputation for takin' a lickin' and keepin' on tickin', I thought "What've I got to lose?"

When I get to the point in my hat hobby where I can say something like "what I USUALLY do is...", then I'll smack my forehead for a mistake.:eusa_doh: Meanwhile, I'm still pulling my Newbie Card![angel]

 

[RBH]

airforceindy, I seem to recall someone on Club Obi Wan or the IndyLounge having had Steve make them a hat with a c-crown.
I have to say your hat really looks great.

 

[NonEntity]

Beautiful job, simply beautiful. It matters not how you accomplish something, it's the result that counts, and you nailed it.

I would, however, remove the hat from the couch. Someone might sit on it, the hat, that is. On second thought, leave it there to be smashed. You can just apply your hot water dunking method again to reshape it perfectly!

 

[airforceindy]

RBH and NonEntity, thank you so much for the high praises! I'm quite flattered, especially as a newbie in the fine art of hat bashing. As for my somewhat controversial 'hot water dunking' method, perhaps I'll try something different next time (according to JT Marcus' advice), and try not to appall AlanC and Spellflower simultaneously with my audacity! Again, thank you!

Regards, Andy