Ordered a Fed IV

[easportsracer13]

So after much consideration and deliberation, today I ordered a new Federation...hey that rythmes. I got the mid gray. Hats Direct has confirmed. So this is my first fedora. Are there any links around on how to bash this Fed? I've never done it before. I'm looking to go with a C crown tear drop style. Thinking Bogart in Maltese. Since I'm a noob should I just have the guy down the street at the hat shop form it?

 

[gtdean48]

.... Since I'm a noob should I just have the guy down the street at the hat shop form it?

Heck no! Crease it yourself & if you can't get it how you want it, push back out to open crown, then take it to the hat shop guy.

 

[easportsracer13]

Any how to threads around?

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Welcome to the Lounge

Courtesy of MattJH


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[gtdean48]

Any how to threads around?

Look in this list of important threads sticky...
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=28658

 

[Chuck Bobuck]

I did something like this...

 

[Bassman]

I felt the same trepidation with my first open crown fedora but don't worry.
You don't need any water or steam or anything. Bash it many ways. Just don't make any creases too sharp until you're sure that's where you want them.

 

[Edw8ri]

I've head my Fed IV for may be a month. It is my first open crown. Mine has a center crease for two reasons. First, I could do a center crease. Second, I could not do anything else. So there you go. Good luck. Have fun. I did.

 

[AlterEgo]

It's impossible to hang here and not get a Fed IV or Campdraft or both, so welcome to The Club.

You do not say which felt you got, standard or premium. I can't speak for the Imperial Quality standard Federation IV, but my Heritage Collection premium Fed IV Deluxe is perhaps the most malleable fedora of all time. I simply wear it in the rain until it is really, really wet, then come inside, sling the excess water off, go to work with hands and imagination, hang it from a blunt knob so that it dangles freely, and let it dry at room temperature.

There is much on Fedora Lounge on the topic of bashing open crown hats if you just search around, but after perusing those threads, you must actually dive in and do it yourself. Don't hold back, because you are not going to damage this hat--even the brim is flat, so distorting the holy hell out of it will not hurt it or the fit as will hats with factory snap or roll when finagled.

I've put about every bash known to man- and monkey-kind in mine. In fact, I've creased it in ways that I don't really care for, knowing that I'll have to re-do it, but it's good practice that will enable me to better help nervous Nellies.

This is a long-winded way of saying bash it yourself!

 

[easportsracer13]

I got the standard felt.

 

[gwold]

Doing it once builds confidence

I was pretty nervous about creasing my Fed IV (std) when I got it last month. But without a hatter nearby, I went ahead & did it anyway. I used steam from a tea kettle to help out. I've been really happy with the result, even though I did not try anything fancy, and I'm figuring on trying a new shape soon.

 

[chum]

What they said! Just do it! I finally got mine(also standard) soaked with distilled water and did a bash. After wearing it for a couple of weeks I popped it back to open crown, soaked it again and tried another bash! It worked out fine!