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Nobody Has Posted Their Fed IV Yet?

Marcus Brody

Familiar Face
Messages
68
Location
San Francisco
Isn't the side-to-side "reverse taper" just the result of the front-to-back taper? It's a zero sum game: If you put your hands inside a hat and push out at the sides, the front and back will come in.
Not necessarily. Some people achieve it by literally sitting on their hat. It's pretty likely that irregular dents in the hat caused it to appear that way.
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,111
Location
London, UK
Looking forward to seeing more photos of these. I love my previous-design Feds.... I'm hoping that they haven't lost the glorious high crown look now they're a little shorter...

I'm tempted to scrape together some extra hat money before the winter for at least a couple more. My favourite hats are definitely my Federations. I'm very excited about the moonstone grey - a midnight blue would be superb too.
 

fatwoul

Practically Family
Messages
923
Location
UK
Thanks for the kind words, everyone. I'm pretty pleased too. Now that I have some open crown pics recorded for posterity, I can go ahead (a-head? geddit?) and put a shape in. Thing is, I can't really decide...

kabuto said:
Isn't the side-to-side "reverse taper" just the result of the front-to-back taper? It's a zero sum game: If you put your hands inside a hat and push out at the sides, the front and back will come in.

As Brody said, yes and no.

I once thought as you do. Being long oval, I reasoned that if I bought hats that were regularly blocked, and then used my stretcher to reshape the base of the hat to my headshape, the result would be reverse taper higher up the crown, at the cost of some positive taper front and back.

I have found that taper front and back can be lessened in the crease, depending how its done, but that this is only really successful in a hat that naturally shows the signs of reverse taper before I start any work on it myself.

Also, although the sides of the hat are ever inclined to taper inwards (as they try to return to their original conical shape), the front and back taper is controlled by the shape - the back of the centre dent inhibits taper at the rear, and the creases of the pinch limit taper at the front.
 

Woodfluter

Practically Family
Messages
784
Location
Georgia
Got my Fed IV yesterday, took pics, been busy, need time to download. But have to say this for now:

Great hat! This is what they should have been making hats like for years!

In unblocked state, slight reverse taper as viewed from front. As viewed from side, straight and parallel silhouette at front and rear.

I was mighty afeared at first when I tried it on...they e-mailed me prior to shipping to say the old blocks they were using for the IV ran one-half size small. That sounded good for me, and I said send the 60, because I'm right in beteween 59 and 60. But on arrival it seemed way too big! On the large side of 60 cm! Egad.

Then I hit it with steam, hard and hot, more than I ever had before, right around the base of the crown. Then blowing with a hair dryer. Basically doing all the things they say not to do. Repeated three times. After blocking and thoroughly drying, it is a perfect fit. And no damage. Was careful not to overheat the sweatband.

The hat blocked really fast. In 10 minutes (a record for me) it was exactly where I wanted it. Used gentle steam on crown top and brim. Nothing else. I am exceedingly happy with this chapeau.

- Bill
 

fatwoul

Practically Family
Messages
923
Location
UK
Colby Jack said:
Fats...which one did you get?...The Deeeluxe or the regular?

Dlx. I kinda wish that I'd got a Heritage Fawn, just for a change, but I can afford a couple of others if I take to the one I have, in which case I'll get a Heritage Fawn and a Carbon.
 

fatwoul

Practically Family
Messages
923
Location
UK
fatwoul said:
Dlx. I kinda wish that I'd got a Heritage Fawn, just for a change, but I can afford a couple of others if I take to the one I have, in which case I'll get a Heritage Fawn and a Carbon.

Umm, yeah. I received a Heritage Fawn Dlx in the post today. :eek:

Guess you can tell I like the new Fed, huh? :D

I just realised I still haven't posted any pictures of the first one. I'll do that, because it might help me decide on a shape for the second one.
 

indycop

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,325
Location
Jacksonville, Florida
fatwoul said:
Umm, yeah. I received a Heritage Fawn Dlx in the post today. :eek:

Guess you can tell I like the new Fed, huh? :D

I just realised I still haven't posted any pictures of the first one. I'll do that, because it might help me decide on a shape for the second one.
:mad: I've been sitting here staring at the screen for weeks waiting for pics!!lol
 

Jerekson

One Too Many
Messages
1,620
Location
1935
Can anyone tell me if there are any differences between the colors of the Dlx. and standard browns? Like on the Fed III?
 

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