Semi Reblock Of My Hat

[fenris]

Just wanted to share this...

My FedIV was slowly shrinking and tapering. I guess putting it through too much rain showers and the heat in my country has taken its toll on the poor thing. A few days ago, my mom noticed that it looked "smaller" than usual. This alarmed me, because she can hardly tell my hats apart. I guess it was really shrinking.

It was then I decided to do a semi-reblock using the foam block I made waaaayyyy back. I dunked the hat in a pail of water and poured water inside the crown to make sure it was properly wet and pliable.

Stretched it over the block and pushed and pulled the brim down to properly stretch the crown... I was a little cautious at first as I didn't want to have a repeat of my Christy's Adventurer accident (I pulled too hard and the felt in the brim break stretched too much and became very thin, losing the brim break).

Left it overnight to dry and ironed the brim as it had become all wonky from all my pushing and pulling on it.

Anyway, to make a long story short, I managed to sort of revive it from it's tapered appearance.

Sorry for the crappy cellphone pics. Still haven't gotten my digicam repaired.

Watcha guys think?


* I call it a semi-reblock because I didn't remove the sweatband. *

 

[randooch]

It looks taller and straighter, all right. Nice job.

 

[m0nk]

Looks great, I need a block.... my Fed IV needs some work.

 

[gtdean48]

It looks taller and straighter, all right. Nice job.

+1

 

[fedoralover]

I've had 6 Federations and they all shrunk up some even the Deluxe. However when my regular Federation tapered really bad like yours I sent it to a hatter and had him reblock it. I've had it absolutely drenched numerous times since then and it's never tapered or shrunk again. At least with the one I had, it seemed that after the initial shrinking and tapering the felt must have tightened up considerably. It is my outdoor hat here in Oregon so it gets a lot of rain and it still has not tapered since the first time.

fedoralover

 

[fenris]

This is actually a deluxe version. It's been in heavy downpours lots of times and was even accidentally left inside my car for a whole day... Imagine how hot the inside of the car was at noon. I'm surprised the taper wasn't worse.

 

[scottyrocks]

Nice job, fenris. The hat seems to have its old proportions back.

 

[bendingoak]

Fedoralover, was that Steve who re-blocked you fed?

 

[fenris]

Scottyrocks,
Remember I was having problems reviving the camel humps? All it took was this reblock to get 'em back in the hat.

Do any of you have any idea how many shrinkings/reblocks a FedIV Deluxe can take before it's impossible to stretch the felt back to it's original form?

 

[Brian Niebuhr]

Heck, I leave my Akubra in my hot car in the summer all the time. Shrinks down new ones nicely. After that, no harm done as long as it's not wet. These are hats that started out a size too big though. I will always buy them a size too big for that reason. It seems that after they shrink enough they stop shrinking and you end up with a hat that can go through anything.

 

[Lotsahats]

Nicely done, Fenris. Someday I might get the courage up to try something like this, so your great success here serves as an inspiration.

A

 

[fedoralover]

Fedoralover, was that Steve who re-blocked you fed?

Yes it was. He did it years ago before he got the Indy contract. The hat has seen a lot of wear and has a hole in the tip of the pinch, but it is my go to hat for out door bad weather wear. But it still has a pretty good shape to it.

fedoralover

 

[fedoralover]

Here's what a good reblock can do for a federation. I've had this hat for at least 6 or 7 years. It shrunk and tapered really bad not too long after I got it. I sent it to Steve Delk who had just started to get his Indy block to the right specs. I think he made a few modifications after this one, but it was pretty close. I've had this hat drenched all the way through numerous times here in Oregon. The felt has started to crack and it has a hole in the crown, but the block is still very square. Here's two pics. So for you federation owners, after the initial shrinkage I think the felt tightens up so that there is minimal tapering later. A reblock is definitely worth it.

fedoralover

 

[fenris]

Heck, I leave my Akubra in my hot car in the summer all the time. Shrinks down new ones nicely. After that, no harm done as long as it's not wet.

Yikes! I've only done it once and was scared it would shrink badly. Good thing it wasn't that bad. It took a few months for the taper to be noticeable.

 

[fenris]

Fedoralover,
Your hat's shape does look great. Never thought felt could crack like that.

 

[fedoralover]

Fedoralover,
Your hat's shape does look great. Never thought felt could crack like that.

Actually mine is still in great shape by Aussie standards. Check out this Akubra.

fedoralover

 

[fenris]

Actually mine is still in great shape by Aussie standards. Check out this Akubra.

fedoralover

Now that's beat up alright! No doubt about that.

 

[fenris]

I never posted a pic of the hat on the block. Here's what it looked like while it was on the block.