Tips for shaping a Fed 4 open crown please????

[bennyboyca]

Right, I ordered a tawny fawn fed 4 from hatsdirect.com on Thursday night and this morning it’s here!!!! As it’s an open crown, I’ve got to shape it myself, and like I’ve said before, I like the shape of Keith Richards’. Here is a link to a YouTube video of him wearing his showing the crown, the brim and the overall profile shape of it (if you skip to 2.57 you see the back/top view of the crown).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjNCEhVmLxo

Please can you give me any hints/ tips of how to shape it like this? As I’ve never shaped a hat before.

Thanks guys.

Benny.

 

[scottyrocks]

Although people will tell you it can be done dry, I have always found it easier to shape a hat using water from a spray bottle. Spray the crown until it is completely wet, but not soaked, and start to bend and push as necessary. You wont ruin it so look at the pics and videos of Richards and go for it.

A Fed IV is relatively thick for a fedora, so it may take some time before the hat starts to look as, er, 'mature' as Keith's, but you should be able to get the same basic shape, unless you use techniques referred to as 'distressing.' I like to let my hats age naturally, though, and dont accelerate the aging process.

 

[bendingoak]

I would try dry creasing the hat first. Work it slow, no need to put any hard creases in the hat. Using water will make it easy to do but it will also set the creases in and will be hard to change. Better to try it dry and slowly work the crease tweaking when needed. Keep working the crease over and over tweaking. Reinforce the crease when you feel you have gotten the creases you want. Be patient and take your time.

 

[jlee562]

Shaping a hat is really not that hard. The Fed IV is a bit stiff, but just keep working it. I would second John's suggestion to work it dry first. It will not turn out exactly like Keith's at first. That's fine, don't panic, your hat is brand new, Keith's is not.

Also, the Fed IV has a dimensional brim, doesn't look like Keith's does. The top of the crown has a weird, pseudo-teardrop/telescope thing going on....not my personal taste but hey, whatever floats your boat. But the brim on a Fed is larger than Keith's hat. So bear that in mind too.

 

[djd]

My Fed IV was the first hat I bashed my self and I was surprised at how easy it was. Put the top dent and front pinch in dry - taking a bit of time as John says. Used a bi of steam on the brim and that was it. I think you'll be surprised at how easy it is once you start

 

[Zombie_61]

Although people will tell you it can be done dry, I have always found it easier to shape a hat using water from a spray bottle. Spray the crown until it is completely wet, but not soaked, and start to bend and push as necessary.

Just a reminder--if you try this do NOT use tap water. Tap water often contains chemicals that can discolor your hat; distilled water is preferred.

BTW, good choice! And, of course, you are now required to post photos of your hat after you've shaped it to your liking. :cool2:

 

[The Good]

Just a reminder--if you try this do NOT use tap water. Tap water often contains chemicals that can discolor your hat; distilled water is preferred.

BTW, good choice! And, of course, you are now required to post photos of your hat after you've shaped it to your liking. :cool2:

Come to think of it, I've always used shower water to wet-crease my hats. Am I OK, or is this damaging too? I mean, my own Fed IV, as well as my vintage Stetson I wet once, are alright, felt wise. I thought the slightly "discolored" or uneven color look was normal for Akubra brand felt, though.

 

[Lefty]

You can get yourself some distilled water to adjust your little frou-frou chapeau, or you can take off your dress and shape your hat.

 

[Pompidou]

Come to think of it, I've always used shower water to wet-crease my hats. Am I OK, or is this damaging too? I mean, my own Fed IV, as well as my vintage Stetson I wet once, are alright, felt wise. I thought the slightly "discolored" or uneven color look was normal for Akubra brand felt, though.

I think any public water coming through pipes to your house is going to be the same, whether it runs to your kitchen sink, your refrigerator, your bathroom sink, your shower, toilet or washing machine. I can verify 1st hand that the chlorinated public water does distort hat color. After I had bought my Stetson Whippet, my dad loved it and I bought him the very same. I had to wash mine and when all was done and dry, my hat was a noticeably darker shade that hasn't changed to this day. I think my Vintage Silhouettes might also be darker after washing it, but I have no clear comparison.

 

[W4ASZ]

Given Mr. Richards' musical roots, may I suggest Muddy Waters ?

 

[Lefty]

I think my Vintage Silhouettes might also be darker after washing it, but I have no clear comparison.

How did you wash it?

 

[Pompidou]

How did you wash it?

What happened was, a can of Pepsi exploded in my face, so I ran my hat thoroughly under the faucet to get rid of the beads of soda before they could become a bigger problem. The next day, the hat was dry, so I brushed it counterclockwise.

 

[Zombie_61]

Given Mr. Richards' musical roots, may I suggest Muddy Waters ?

ound: Well done! :eusa_clap

Back to the subject of tap water, I think it depends on how the municipalities treat the water where you live. We have very hard water here, and lime deposits are a chronic problem. Using tap water infrequently may not cause any harm, but if you tend to re-shape your hats often I would think the cumulative effect would be detrimental in the long run. Of course, if you like your hats spotty and crusty...

 

[Sam Craig]

Gee,
If tap water is so hard on my hats, just think what it must do to my innerds. I gotta stop using the stuff and switch to Bolt or something else healthy!

For what it's worth, at least out here on the frontier, the same water comes into the house from the city pipes and then splits off to the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room .... all through the house.

Maybe it would be best to just curtail how often during the day you reshape the hat, no matter what media are used.

Sam