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Akubra Overload

1967Cougar390

Practically Family
Messages
789
Location
South Carolina
Well the USPS deliver my Fed IV’s today. So much for delivery tracking and updates. :( Hopefully they will get delivered tomorrow. The bad part of that is I work a 24 hour shift at the fire department.

Steven
 

Rumad

One Too Many
Messages
1,536
Mine didn’t give me an estimated delivery date. It just showed up. The box was torn to hell but the hat was perfectly fine. Good luck man.
 
Messages
12,018
Location
East of Los Angeles
...I've often wondered if Akubra makes their hats a bit large knowing that wearers in Australia's heat are going to sweat and that the bands will necessarily shrink. Something to ask the ladies at Hats Direct next time I call there.
The folks at Akubra absolutely know the sweatbands on their hats will shrink, and size them accordingly. Don't forget, they've been making hats for a little over 100 years.
 

Rumad

One Too Many
Messages
1,536
So, last update. I didn’t like how wrinkled the sweat was with all the shims behind it. Last night at eleven I took them out, folded the sweat out and sprayed it with distilled water. I wet it pretty good. I left it out overnight to dry. This morning at seven-ish it was dry. I folder the sweat back in and popped it on my head. Eight hours later it fits as well as any round hat ever fit on my long oval head. I’m amazed, I love it and I’m wearing it all day today. Now I’ve just got to figure a way to ‘long oval’ it. Anyway, BIG thanks to @Zombie_61 and bob roberts for the tips. And thanks to everyone that chimed in.
 

Just A Hat Rack

Practically Family
Messages
619
Location
Buckeye Nation
Mine is fitting like a 7 5/8. With the spacer it’s still a tad on the loose side. And I have gaps on both side of my head.
I was going to say that if it's still loose even with the spacers, it may actually be too big. I've heard of issues with Akubra sizing popping up from time to time. It seems as though you have it worked out. It may take a few times steaming and shaping to get the bash as you would like. Good luck!
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
So, last update. I didn’t like how wrinkled the sweat was with all the shims behind it. Last night at eleven I took them out, folded the sweat out and sprayed it with distilled water. I wet it pretty good. I left it out overnight to dry. This morning at seven-ish it was dry. I folder the sweat back in and popped it on my head. Eight hours later it fits as well as any round hat ever fit on my long oval head. I’m amazed, I love it and I’m wearing it all day today. Now I’ve just got to figure a way to ‘long oval’ it. Anyway, BIG thanks to @Zombie_61 and bob roberts for the tips. And thanks to everyone that chimed in.

You might consider buying a long oval band block. I use my band block a lot more than my hat/crown block.
 

Rumad

One Too Many
Messages
1,536
You might consider buying a long oval band block. I use my band block a lot more than my hat/crown block.
I should you’re right, but this one worked out well. I steamed up the brim and base of the crown and plopped it onto my head. Left it there to cool completely, then steamed it again and fixed up the brim. She’s a beauty. Absolutely perfect.
I was going to say that if it's still loose even with the spacers, it may actually be too big. I've heard of issues with Akubra sizing popping up from time to time. It seems as though you have it worked out. It may take a few times steaming and shaping to get the bash as you would like. Good luck!

You might consider buying a long oval band block. I use my band block a lot more than my hat/crown block.
 

Wyldkarma

One Too Many
Messages
1,805
Location
Austin, TX
1st Akubra of the year, it's a warm and muggy Austin day so out comes the Balmoral.
88420542_10158231731594448_7995247067939209216_n.jpg
88207432_10158231731629448_5830914215992360960_n.jpg
 

Rumad

One Too Many
Messages
1,536
Your box and mine must have been on the same delivery shipment. My daughter picked up the package because my wife was at work. She said the box is torn on the bottom but from what she could tell the hat in that box looked fine.

Steven
Well, I don’t know about you but I’m not a box collector anyway. I’ll survive. Glad they’re ok though. I’ll attach a pic, you can check if it looks like the same knucklehead took them off the ship.
26075F31-CD98-4E93-887E-DAAFE7FBDD35.jpeg
 

1967Cougar390

Practically Family
Messages
789
Location
South Carolina
Well I opened one of my Fed IV’s today. The box was damaged by the shipment but the hat was in excellent condition. I’m very pleased with Akubra’s quality for the price. The Tawny Fawn is lighter in color than my Regency Fawn Sydney. If I have one complaint on the Fed IV I opened, I wish it had more flange in the brim. It’s almost flat. I’m sure I can coax it to the shape I want with some steam when I bash the crown.

Here are some pictures.

4C37B407-7ECE-4DF8-BAAE-69B7CE6C97C0.jpeg
A61105C4-375D-4B5B-93E3-642DD5A19F9E.jpeg
82AFB251-19E0-4661-B718-DCED858BE189.jpeg


I’m very happy with the Fed IV. I will post pictures after I add my crown crease. I’m thinking of another diamond but I might change to something else.

Steven
 

Rumad

One Too Many
Messages
1,536
Well I opened one of my Fed IV’s today. The box was damaged by the shipment but the hat was in excellent condition. I’m very pleased with Akubra’s quality for the price. The Tawny Fawn is lighter in color than my Regency Fawn Sydney. If I have one complaint on the Fed IV I opened, I wish it had more flange in the brim. It’s almost flat. I’m sure I can coax it to the shape I want with some steam when I bash the crown.

Here are some pictures.

View attachment 217922 View attachment 217923 View attachment 217924

I’m very happy with the Fed IV. I will post pictures after I add my crown crease. I’m thinking of another diamond but I might change to something else.

Steven
Nice! Glad it came out of the box safely! I usually remove flange, but if I were to add it I’d use steam and a CLEAN frying pan. Wear in good health, and post more pics later!
 
Messages
19,427
Location
Funkytown, USA
Well I opened one of my Fed IV’s today. The box was damaged by the shipment but the hat was in excellent condition. I’m very pleased with Akubra’s quality for the price. The Tawny Fawn is lighter in color than my Regency Fawn Sydney. If I have one complaint on the Fed IV I opened, I wish it had more flange in the brim. It’s almost flat. I’m sure I can coax it to the shape I want with some steam when I bash the crown.

Here are some pictures.

View attachment 217922 View attachment 217923 View attachment 217924

I’m very happy with the Fed IV. I will post pictures after I add my crown crease. I’m thinking of another diamond but I might change to something else.

Steven

Those are nice looking hats. I keep saying I don't need any more Akubras, but one of those in Moonstone...
 

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