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Akubra Overload

Messages
12,018
Location
East of Los Angeles
An interesting question that got brought up on Facebook. Why arnt there many vintage Akubras on the market. I don’t think I have come across one older then the 80’s and virtually no fedoras
Johnny
I think we sometimes forget that in Australia Akubras have historically been known as "work" hats and are used to provide protection from the elements, water animals, and so on. As such, they seem to be worn until they're no longer wearable before they're replaced, so there wouldn't be much left over for anyone to want.

I think we'd need to know their international prevalence at the time. Perhaps if you were to go through thrift stores in Oz you could find more. However, I can't think of a Member who lives in Australia - do we have any?
"Stuffsmith" comes immediately to mind, but he hasn't been around for quite some time because he's been busy tinkering and building up his cap business "The Well-Dressed Head".
 

DaveProc

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,119
Location
Rhode Island
I think we sometimes forget that in Australia Akubras have historically been known as "work" hats and are used to provide protection from the elements, water animals, and so on. As such, they seem to be worn until they're no longer wearable before they're replaced, so there wouldn't be much left over for anyone to want.

"Stuffsmith" comes immediately to mind, but he hasn't been around for quite some time because he's been busy tinkering and building up his cap business "The Well-Dressed Head".

It appears from their ads from 1930s through at least the late 1950s, the majority of their hats were dress hats more so than work hats. I find them advertised during this time period along side Stetson, Borsalino. etc dress hats
 
Messages
18,221
It appears from their ads from 1930s through at least the late 1950s, the majority of their hats were dress hats more so than work hats. I find them advertised during this time period along side Stetson, Borsalino. etc dress hats
If you want to see some well worn Akubra hats look thru the Woomera thread before those posters left us for obvious reasons.
 

DaveProc

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,119
Location
Rhode Island
If you want to see some well worn Akubra hats look thru the Woomera thread before those posters left us for obvious reasons.
I agree with the ruggedness of Akubras, what I am saying is that I disagree with the hats originally being primarily work hats.
If you want to see some well worn Akubra hats look thru the Woomera thread before those posters left us for obvious reasons.

I think Graham Keir Managing Director at Akubra better sums up what I was trying to say concerning the early hats being more dress hats than work hats. From August 1986 article from the Age Newspaper Melbourne

Screenshot_20210929-204451_Gallery.jpg


The_Age_Sat__Aug_23__1986_-2.jpg
 
Last edited:
Messages
18,221
I agree with the ruggedness of Akubras, what I am saying is that I disagree with the hats being primarily work hats. They


I think Graham Keir Managing Director at Akubra better sums up what I was trying to say concerning the early hats being more dress hats than work hats. From August 1986 article from the Age Newspaper Melbourne

View attachment 365233

View attachment 365236
Agreed. It may have been during the era of the Stetson licensing agreement that the emphasis shifted somewhat.
 

The Shoe

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,189
Location
Wakayama, Japan
I finally got around to shaping my Fed IV. I’m still new at this…I started off with a centre crease and a tight pinch at the front, trying to imitate some guy in the movies. I wasn’t happy with it and ended up going Diamond again (I gave my Campdraft a Diamond bash from the outset).
733A3C5B-1B59-4A42-BF84-C23EB620FA82.jpeg

I thought I was happy with it, took a few pics, but looking at the photos, I realized there were a couple of mountains -front and back.
3564E158-608E-4ACD-A50E-129F21FFF339.jpeg

More stream, and they smoothed out quite nicely.
F6721B9F-1E03-4EC3-9211-D7D7CFC253E3.jpeg
69F35B5B-B273-4FD0-9AD4-161BD3543FE7.jpeg
9DD17782-2300-416B-866D-5CCDE31BE05E.jpeg
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
I finally got around to shaping my Fed IV. I’m still new at this…I started off with a centre crease and a tight pinch at the front, trying to imitate some guy in the movies. I wasn’t happy with it and ended up going Diamond again (I gave my Campdraft a Diamond bash from the outset).
View attachment 365559
I thought I was happy with it, took a few pics, but looking at the photos, I realized there were a couple of mountains -front and back.
View attachment 365560
More stream, and they smoothed out quite nicely.
View attachment 365561 View attachment 365562 View attachment 365563


Looks good. You might try moving the pockets of the diamond back farther to see if you like it better. I generally prefer a long diamond where the front is 2/3 of the length and the back is only 1/3. I keep playing with creases until I just stumble into something I think looks good.

This is a tread that I look at often:

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/monster-bash-videos-show-us-how-you-bash.85436/
 

The Shoe

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,189
Location
Wakayama, Japan
Looks good. You might try moving the pockets of the diamond back farther to see if you like it better. I generally prefer a long diamond where the front is 2/3 of the length and the back is only 1/3. I keep playing with creases until I just stumble into something I think looks good.

This is a tread that I look at often:

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/monster-bash-videos-show-us-how-you-bash.85436/
I think I will do just that. Thanks for the link, also, though it’s bound to frustrate my wife…”If it’s not barbecue videos it’s bloody hat videos!”
 

The Shoe

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,189
Location
Wakayama, Japan
Looks good. You might try moving the pockets of the diamond back farther to see if you like it better. I generally prefer a long diamond where the front is 2/3 of the length and the back is only 1/3. I keep playing with creases until I just stumble into something I think looks good.

This is a tread that I look at often:

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/monster-bash-videos-show-us-how-you-bash.85436/
Well, I had the intention to do just that, but using a rolling pin as in one of the videos I saw, I was quite happy with the centre dent I had originally envisaged, so for now, that’s what it’s got.
953C41CC-0951-416B-8AD2-EEAAA2CA67CC.jpeg

While at it, I also saved one of Etsuko’s hats that she had stored poorly (nothing big - steam and brush did the trick) and redid my Campdraft.
1F92AFD4-F56E-4AB7-9CCE-BE3A1B21CA8C.jpeg
25772AD8-2106-4279-8849-04F653B71BA9.jpeg
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
Well, I had the intention to do just that, but using a rolling pin as in one of the videos I saw, I was quite happy with the centre dent I had originally envisaged, so for now, that’s what it’s got.
View attachment 366002
While at it, I also saved one of Etsuko’s hats that she had stored poorly (nothing big - steam and brush did the trick) and redid my Campdraft.
View attachment 366003 View attachment 366004


Looks great, Gary. It’s fun to keep tweaking them and every now and then completely changing it up.
 

SafetyThird

New in Town
Messages
3
Location
Devon, UK.
Hi all, been lurking on here for a little while and, after today's delivery, figured I could add to the thread. I've just received an Akubra Zephyr which will be a summer work hat and a style master in carbon gray as an around town hat.

I got into hats years ago but they were always work hats such as Tilley's of which I have several. Then I was bought a Herbert Johnson poet's hat, the original Indy fedora and fell in love with wearing hats but, as I live on a farm, I don't get a lot of opportunity to wear it, as it's such a smart hat. Along the way I've picked up a lovely Locke Panama which I bought for my wedding and then a more budget folding Panama for travel.

I wanted some more hats but good ones tend to be very expensive and cheap ones are rubbish quality. Then I discovered Akubra and fell down that little rabbit hole which lead me here and now I have my first couple of them and have been reading through this thread and the one on bashing hats and I'm guessing there'll be several more coming in the future.

And of course, there should be pictures.

IMG_0955.jpeg
IMG_0957.jpeg
IMG_0958.jpeg
IMG_0959.jpeg
 

johnnycanuck

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,008
Location
Alberta
Hi all, been lurking on here for a little while and, after today's delivery, figured I could add to the thread. I've just received an Akubra Zephyr which will be a summer work hat and a style master in carbon gray as an around town hat.

I got into hats years ago but they were always work hats such as Tilley's of which I have several. Then I was bought a Herbert Johnson poet's hat, the original Indy fedora and fell in love with wearing hats but, as I live on a farm, I don't get a lot of opportunity to wear it, as it's such a smart hat. Along the way I've picked up a lovely Locke Panama which I bought for my wedding and then a more budget folding Panama for travel.

I wanted some more hats but good ones tend to be very expensive and cheap ones are rubbish quality. Then I discovered Akubra and fell down that little rabbit hole which lead me here and now I have my first couple of them and have been reading through this thread and the one on bashing hats and I'm guessing there'll be several more coming in the future.

And of course, there should be pictures.

View attachment 368661 View attachment 368662 View attachment 368663 View attachment 368664
Welcome to the lounge. I have a collection of Akubras myself. Fantastic quality for price. You wear them well. Wear them in good health.
Johnny
 

DaveProc

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,119
Location
Rhode Island

StoryPNW

One Too Many
Messages
1,148
Location
Pacific Northwest
Got my Akubra Mexican yesterday, it was kinda crushed but I put a little steam to it and reshaped the crown. It's not perfect but I think I did a passable job. My dad is in town this weekend and has never had a fur felt hat so I gave it to him, it fits him better than me anyways. I'll try to get a good picture of him wearing it later. :)
20211127_151533.jpg 20211127_151516.jpg 20211127_124239.jpg
 

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