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Akubra Overload

G MAN

One of the Regulars
Messages
208
Location
Nobleton Ontario
I'm going to try and wear all of my hats this fall.
I have some hats I haven't worn in years, yet I keep looking for new ones.
Is it a sickness? Why am I always looking for my next hat?
Oh well, look who I'm asking, this place is where my problem started.
Cheers

Banjo Paterson​

IMG_0423.jpg
 

BlackSmp

New in Town
Messages
48
Location
Sweden
I'm going to try and wear all of my hats this fall.
I have some hats I haven't worn in years, yet I keep looking for new ones.
Is it a sickness? Why am I always looking for my next hat?
Oh well, look who I'm asking, this place is where my problem started.
Cheers

Banjo Paterson​

View attachment 457837
Yeah, I'm just in the beginning but keeps looking for new hats :)
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
I’ve been wearing lots of Akubras to start the felt season.
Black 1960s Stylemaster,
View attachment 457904
Brown Fed IV,
View attachment 457905
Cattleman and Snowy River,
View attachment 457906
My new acorn fawn Stylemaster (and Etsuko’s light sand Leisure Time),
View attachment 457907
and the Snowy River again.
View attachment 457908


Your vintage black Stylemaster looks to be of more generous proportions that the current version. It actually looks larger than the Fed IV to me. Maybe just angles?
 

The Shoe

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,188
Location
Wakayama, Japan
Your vintage black Stylemaster looks to be of more generous proportions that the current version. It actually looks larger than the Fed IV to me. Maybe just angles?
Angles and bashes, I believe.
A few side-by-sides and measurements:
The Fed IV is significantly taller in the crown than either Stylemaster.
47F337BA-2CBD-49D2-967D-6F763372CE0B.jpeg

Fed IV
83BEBC84-CF4F-4011-85E1-FDA6A0A6F438.jpeg

Vintage Stylemaster
7C3B05FC-A3CB-48D5-A6EF-F4E45E3FFCE4.jpeg

The modern Stylemaster is taller than the vintage
A9224E7B-5D91-4030-A138-A2F94C3742B3.jpeg

But this is likely due to the shallower bash.
Modern
12BB21BA-74E4-466C-8CAC-96EBCDC7631F.jpeg

Vintage
D91B0C0F-C9B4-4B12-B2D0-7B4F3384B729.jpeg

Side-by side
8932074B-9BCC-49FC-B09C-896491447B7C.jpeg

6 cm brim on the modern
5804ECCB-4F05-44C6-B97C-A645A06D72FC.jpeg

More like 6½ on the vintage
37E7D06C-77ED-41ED-A17F-D8B3277DA93D.jpeg

7cm on the Fed IV
EAE189C6-05CF-451A-8DE0-FF85197D57B2.jpeg

That’s my 10 pics. I want to add one more, so another post coming up.
 
Last edited:

The Shoe

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,188
Location
Wakayama, Japan
Your vintage black Stylemaster looks to be of more generous proportions that the current version. It actually looks larger than the Fed IV to me. Maybe just angles?
One final thought is that the vintage has only very slight, almost unnoticeable front pinches. I’ve been considering trying to put some deeper ones in, though I’m not sure how the very thin, soft felt would hold. Anyhow, the lack of a noticeable pinch may also contribute to an overall bulkier look to the hat.
 

LEOSTARK

New in Town
Messages
49
I see The Hattery has restocked heritage fawn FedIVs. Has there been any comment on the quality of the product after they resumed production? I sent The Hattery with the same question.
 
Messages
18,221
Nice. I’ve been trying to get my side indentations (if that is the correct English word) as visible as yours but never been able to them as good as yours.

What is the trick? :)
Thank you for the compliment! The depth somewhat depends on the style of crease you want. The depth can be achieved if your crease has a gentle roll for the crease shoulder. If you are wanting a diamond crease with a razor sharp thin shoulder then you will usually be sacrificing depth, depending on the felt.

7384A91C-B36E-43A8-99AE-47B82272F8FE.jpeg


As far as setting the depth use plenty of steam & I use a big stainless steel salad spoon to press it in & hold until the steam cools. Then work small areas at a time to achieve the shape you want. Aluminum spoons can mark lighter colors of felt so be sure to use stainless steel.
 

Scooterz

Practically Family
Messages
847
Location
The Great Plains
Nice. I’ve been trying to get my side indentations (if that is the correct English word) as visible as yours but never been able to them as good as yours.

What is the trick? :)
My Akubra hats are almost all thicker and less moldable than some of my other felt hats. They are also all a little different from each other. I get better results by spraying them with cold distilled water to shape them than I do using steam. But I just have a little jiffy steamer. I usually have to spray them and shape them a little and do it again (maybe three times) after they dry to get them to take deeper side dents. Jack is right about it also depends on the overall shape you are going for and overall crown height you have to work with.
 

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