Akubra Overload

[Chuck Bobuck]

Sounds cool Tone. I figure you know what you're doing. I know others are reading as well and just wanted to throw my experience out there.
Looking forward to seeing photos and getting your thoughts on the Squatter also.

 

[High Pockets]

Holy Smokes guys,.....my new Fed IV Deluxe got here from The Hattery in one week!

I really like this hat!

Now, it's not as dressy/classy as my Biltmore, but man what a tough work/bad-weather hat this is gonna be!! I had no idea the Fed IV's were almost as thick as my *man I hate this term* cowboy hats, and based on just the feel of the felt and how it worked under the steam I'd be willing to bet it works just like one them too!
I love a good "working hat", when it's raining outside and I mean pouring, I grab one of my Baily's or Stetson's to head off to work or even just out to the mailbox, knowing well and good that those hats are gonna be there to protect my noggin!

I fiddled with it for about an hour and had a great time messin' with it. I have no idea what I'm doing,.......but here goes:

 

[FurFeltFedora]

Nice job on the bash and once you start wearing Fed IVs it'll be hard to stop - there are 6 colours

 

[High Pockets]

Nice job on the bash and once you start wearing Fed IVs it'll be hard to stop - there are 6 colours

Don't I know it!!

I'll be havin' me a few more of these babies!! Real soon!

(Thanks for the compliment on the bash,....it was my first time ya know.)

 

[FurFeltFedora]

You did a good job on it. If it's your first bash be prepared for evolution. Over the last 6 months I've been tweaking my bashes to suit my style. I look back at some pics of when I got my first hats and I can see some nice differences. Don't be afraid to experiment

 

[Goose.]

Holy Smokes guys,.....my new Fed IV Deluxe got here from The Hattery in one week!
...
I really like this hat! ...
I fiddled with it for about an hour and had a great time messin' with it. I have no idea what I'm doing...

Looks to me like you knew exactly what you were doing. The top view of the crown...perfect. Mine are kind of "rustic". And, for me, I'd pinch the front a bit more. But that's just me. Your hat looks great! :eusa_clap

.

 

[High Pockets]

Thanks guys!

Goose,....your new avatar's got tears running down my cheeks.lol

 

[CRH]

Holy Smokes guys,.....my new Fed IV Deluxe got here from The Hattery in one week!

...

Simple and cool, and that makes it classic, High Pockets!

 

[CRH]

...Mine are kind of "rustic". ...

Rustic?

Looks to me like you take your hints more from you fingers than your mind...

Or you've been watching too much TCM, or you're just a natural.

:cool2:

 

[Chinaski]

Good Lord, High Pockets! If that's your first bash you are a friggin' natural! Nice work! :eusa_clap

 

[High Pockets]

Good Lord, High Pockets! If that's your first bash you are a friggin' natural! Nice work! :eusa_clap

Holy Smokes! Thanks man,........that makes me feel good,......and also makes me want to order a Fed IV in every color!!

What a hat!!!!!!:eusa_clap

 

[gtdean48]

The Chief of the Crease Police will be pleased. VERY nice job especially for first attempt.

....
I fiddled with it for about an hour and had a great time messin' with it. I have no idea what I'm doing,.......but here goes:

 

[jazzncocktails]

Nice first outing, HP! That teardrop looks FAR better than my first bash attempt on my Tawny Fawn Fed...and the Moonstone looks fantastic. Nice!

 

[MCrider]

I wish I could do a bash like that then claim that I don't know what I'm doing.

Excellent job!

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

PS: Where do I send my Fed to get that non-professional bash? Thanks to your "amateur" attempt, I'm going to have to go back and work on mine some more.

 

[Goose.]

...
Goose,....your new avatar's got tears running down my cheeks.lol

That's my twin sister before her partner had her trim her unibrow

Rustic?
Looks to me like you take your hints more from you fingers than your mind...
Or you've been watching too much TCM, or you're just a natural.
:cool2:

Thanks CRH. I do watch TCM...in fact, last night it was "Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair".

Dunno where I got the Cliff Notes on how to bash my Feds. I just looked here (FL) and goofed when I got my first one (Deluxe Dark Brown pictured).

But I look at HP's and FFF's crowns that are smooth as silk on the inner radius and am in awe. Impressive...in my opinion, as it seems with others here, both gents did a two thumbs up job :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[MississippiLong]

my squatter which i bought off one of our fine members arrived this afternoon. I'll be going to dinner with the wifey and then returning to take pics. It's fawn and it is beautiful!

 

[Chuck Bobuck]

FedIV

Carbon Grey Fed IV...

 

[FurFeltFedora]

Chuck that is a great bash, I love the pinch in the front and the way it seems to sweep back.

Goose, the trick to a smooth edge on the crease is once you've got it shaped, steam it in small sections until the felt is really soft, they run your finger lightly up and down it to smooth it out. Works great. Looks a bit kinky, but it works great

 

[Chinaski]

Holy Smokes! Thanks man,........that makes me feel good,......and also makes me want to order a Fed IV in every color!!

What a hat!!!!!!:eusa_clap

Hey High Pockets, if you're looking for someone to talk you out of ordering a Fed IV in every color you've come to the wrong place! You could have a fleet like Goose or Triple F! I vote for calling it a gaggle of Fed IV's once you have them.

 

[FurFeltFedora]

Akubra Campdraft in Taupe Fawn

Okay, so here it is. Not sure if the pics are up to the usual standard but I've been a bit under the weather that last few days so bear with me...

First off initial impressions - The felt is thinner than my Federation IVs and oddly, much stiffer. There was some serious steaming involved to work this hat. All my Federation IVs are size 60 (going a little large since the Feds are made a little small) so I was confident that based on experience, measurements, and my Akubra Traveller size 59 that 59 was the right size for me in a Campdraft. Well I was swimming in it when I first put it on. Hoever, I have noticed in the past that Akubras seem to tighten up once you start shaping them and sure enough by the time I was done the fit was much better and with a couple of small strips of foam in the sides to accommodate my LO head the Campdraft is fitting like the proverbial glove and I've got some leeway if there is any shrinkage. Moral of the story - Campdrafts seem to be sized fairly accurately.

There were some modifications that I had to make though. The wind trolley. Yes, the wind trolley. It had to go. Second modification - the ribbon. The free end of the ribbon on the left of the bow was too long and kept blowing back and looked silly. So I cut about an inch or so off and now it's fine. Other than those two little things, all good.

My main reason for trying a Campdraft and wandering close to the dark side that is The Thin Ribbon was to get a hat that was a little less formal than my Fed IVs. Now part of that formal look is the tight crease I use, but it's also the wide ribbon. Let me tell you, a Fed IV and a parka doesn't quite look right (at least not for me) but the Campdraft and parka seem good. Why am I obsessed with a hat that goes with a parka? I'm in Canada!!! Summer is just July, rest of the time it's that white $hit. So clearly, a hat that goes with a parka is a very important thing

Okay, on to the pics....

Oh yeah, one thing I have to say is that this is one of those colours that changes depending on the light source. It's a darker brown indoors, and more beige/brown in natural light.

It's not actually as uneven here as it looks in the picture, the camera was on a slight angle and increased the unevenness (I told you I wasn't feeling well).

And finally a comparrison to my Tawny Fawn Fed IV. The Akubra colour swatch says Taupe Fawn and Tawny Fawn are the same thing but not quite. The Taupe Fawn has a hint more of a mocha colour to it. Very close though.

And of course the whiteness that is me (notice how beige is looks in late evening light)...

Well Goose I hope this answers some of your questions and Chuck and the rest of the Thin Ribbon Society - am I in? Even if I did trim the ribbon and cut the wind trolley?


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Cross posted in the "Akubra Campdraft" thread