Akubra Overload

[ShadowXY]

I wore it with my hair up to add some padding in back. Kind of nice to have one if you want to wear a hair accessory under the hat I guess unintentional but it's such a nice hat.

I found one with dimensions closer to my hat size.

Looks like 6.25 X 7.5 inch = 13.75 so a small 7/56?

Had an idea how to get the hat size of the boss in circumference. The hat Jack on the shark got up to 21 7/8 inch.

I set the hatjack into the Boss with a flexible measure tape & got the circumference of 23 inches so it's 1 inch more circumference than a Sz 7.

I've requested a return on the L X W but now I have the circumference I can confidently size the hat as 23 in or full 7 1/4 / Sz 58 which likely was a 59 snugged down a half size over time or even more.

Hat is a full 7 1/4 or Sz 58 at this time & likelihood of it shrinking down to a size 7 by shrinking & heat now doesn't seem like a good chance or wise.

I'll send the new info as the seller has not responded & has until July 11th before the bay steps in.

 

[ShadowXY]

6.75 + 8 = 14.75/2 = 7.375
Size 7-3/8

You were really close & it might have shrunken a bit that day I wore it in the heat & sweated.

It's currently a Sz 7 1/4+ / 23 inch circumfrence. (bet originally a 59 or 60)

I found a pretty good way to keep the tape held against the hat to get a accurate measure.

 

[RickP]

Ive sucessfully enlarged a few Akubras 2 full sizes over the years... obviously take it slow, but theyre pretty tough hats and hard to mess up. Personally if Im trying to go that much larger, I remove the leather sweatband before stretching. Sometimes you can add a leather spacer piece to open up the sweatband and reuse it if in new condition. If theres any indication of strain on the sweat stitches or dry leather, Id say go ahead and make up a nice new sweatband that fits you well, and then stretch the hat until it fits in without causing wrinkles in the sweatband sides. $15-20 is on a new one is worth it. Learning how to sew in a sweatband is a good skill to have!

 

[ShadowXY]

Ive sucessfully enlarged a few Akubras 2 full sizes over the years... obviously take it slow, but theyre pretty tough hats and hard to mess up. Personally if Im trying to go that much larger, I remove the leather sweatband before stretching. Sometimes you can add a leather spacer piece to open up the sweatband and reuse it if in new condition. If theres any indication of strain on the sweat stitches or dry leather, Id say go ahead and make up a nice new sweatband that fits you well, and then stretch the hat until it fits in without causing wrinkles in the sweatband sides. $15-20 is on a new one is worth it. Learning how to sew in a sweatband is a good skill to have!

I can sew somewhat but never really sewed leather. I suppose you have to pin it in place on the liner inside out & I have a old Singer Fashionmate I could try to fire up or do it by hand. Not really more than 2 feet of sewing.

Never thought about replacing a sweatband but it's good to know as leather dries out especially on a 30 years old hat,

I should have used the small Hat Jack first but I only had a Medium at the time which come in at about 21 7/8 all the way down. I only think I took it back to it's original 55 by one size. Oh well next time I have a small hat Jack so I can tune up the band in smaller increments...

Thanks

 

[RickP]

I can sew somewhat but never really sewed leather. I suppose you have to pin it in place on the liner inside out & I have a old Singer Fashionmate I could try to fire up or do it by hand. Not really more than 2 feet of sewing.

Never thought about replacing a sweatband but it's good to know as leather dries out especially on a 30 years old hat,

I should have used the small Hat Jack first but I only had a Medium at the time which come in at about 21 7/8 all the way down. I only think I took it back to it's original 55 by one size. Oh well next time I have a small hat Jack so I can tune up the band in smaller increments...

Thanks

Sewing a new sweatband isnt hard .. just a bit labor intensive. if you fit the sweatband to your head first, and then do any stretching on the crown so it just drops into place, its pretty simple. Biggest lesson I learned is to tack it into place with a basting stitch right where the reeded edge meets the crown opening, so it doesnt walk around on you. Baste it in place, then fold the liner out and sew the reed tape in on the inside. It takes a few hats to learn how to get sweatband stitches straight and even, but just remember that once sewn in place the hatband will cover up any wonky stitching... youll be the only one that knows. Search around on here and there are some decent postings about how to sew a sweatband in. Just pick up some john James millnery needles and be ready to ***** your fingers a few times (maybe make your first hat or two a brown or black and not a silverbelly so you dont have to learn spot removal and hat cleaning too lol)

Id LOVE to pick up one of the old singers with the 30 degree head for sewing sweatbands ( I do leatherwork so I can think of all sorts of projects I could use it on, but at a minimum of $1500 its a pretty low priority right now. You COULD do it with any decent cylinder arm machine, but a straight head maching can really get away from you pretty quickly.It really needs the angled head. I did one by machine and went back to hand sewing. My first hand sew took about 4 hours and involved a fair bit of blood, but once i put on reading glasses and started using a thimble and needle nose pliers, I can do one start to finish in an hour now.

There are several etsy sellers that make sweatbands already sized, but im midway in between 58/59 so I just buy the "blanks that are finished and have the reed and reed tape sewn in ( just need to trim, size, and sew the ends together... my little singer heavy duty does just fine in thin sweatband leather for sewing a zig zag across the ends)

Good luck and have fun.. I have confidence in you

 

[TheEnglishSwede]

Time for me to sneak out of the brotherhood of Borsalino owners, last week I found a cattleman for sale, I missed out on one a few months back so I jumped on this as soon as I saw it.

My original plan was that this would eventually replace my aging yard hat, but I was taken aback upon receiving it as it looks totally unworn, a little dust on the crown, but that that will brush off easily. I think that I shall have too keep looking for something else for the yard.

Is it possible to date Akubra hats ? On the website it looks like the latest hats do not have a paper manufacturer label anymore, and instead it is now printed - when did this change come about ?







/Mike

 

[ShadowXY]

Territory is here Sz 56 in an Khaki (Olive) or Eucalypt Color. Not sure what color it is but the hat fits & looks great for a big brim.
It's similar to the Tablelands but wider brim & it's more brownish olive than the Tablelands Olive Brown which is really much more of a greenish tone. Hard to see in photos (last is Tableland). I'm still going with the hopefully Eucalypt. Doesn't look as dark as Khaki.

Did great have three nice Abubra's that fit. Drover is last photo.

Territory came in a big box which should hopefully be big enough to ship the Boss with it's Outback box back. I like the Boss but it's way too big & was sized wrong by the seller. Amount of padding needed to work the hat would stretch the leather sweatband & end up making it worse.

Have to decide what to do with the Shark. Brim & hat is just too short for my head. The bigger hats balance my strong jawline.

Replacing the large Boss with a round tag 56. Seems to be in excellent condition & a black hat is always useful although I am enamored with my Tablelands, Territory & Dover. Shark not so much.
Likely 25 years old but not as old as the ones with the no red color in the lining like my shark which might be 80's.

 

[Dan718]

Replacing the large Boss with a round tag 56. Seems to be in excellent condition & a black hat is always useful although I am enamored with my Tablelands, Territory & Dover. Shark not so much.
Likely 25 years old but not as old as the ones with the no red color in the lining like my shark which might be 80's.

My favorite hat was made in about 1957 or so. If the hats on good condition that’s all that matters I think.

 

[ShadowXY]

My favorite hat was made in about 1957 or so. If the hats on good condition that’s all that matters I think.

I like the older hats as in most cases the felt is better but the leather degrades over time so getting a hat that is older increases the chances that the leather is less than ideal.

David Morgan is selling a sand Boss now for $330. The brass stud details on the new ones are much narrower than the older ones. They are cutting corners.

Look at the modern Boss vs a 30 year old Boss The Sand new Boss studs are at least half the thickness of the old.
Old studs must be at least 7-8 mm wide & the new look about 4-5mm

https://davidmorgan.com/products/the-boss

 

[Dan718]

I like the older hats as in most cases the felt is better but the leather degrades over time so getting a hat that is older means increases the chances that the leather is less than ideal.

David Morgan is selling a sand Boss now for $330. The brass stud details on the new ones are much narrower than the older ones. They are cutting corners.

Look at the modern Boss vs a 30 year old Boss

https://davidmorgan.com/products/the-boss

That’s true, the leather is a touch older and was looking rather dry when I got it. A bit of mink oil sorted it out nicely but I could see it being replaced at some point, but right now it’s a rigid comfortable mold Stetson OR and I’d feel like I was committing a crime if I replaced it premium.

 

[ShadowXY]

Time for me to sneak out of the brotherhood of Borsalino owners, last week I found a cattleman for sale, I missed out on one a few months back so I jumped on this as soon as I saw it.

My original plan was that this would eventually replace my aging yard hat, but I was taken aback upon receiving it as it looks totally unworn, a little dust on the crown, but that that will brush off easily. I think that I shall have too keep looking for something else for the yard.

Is it possible to date Akubra hats ? On the website it looks like the latest hats do not have a paper manufacturer label anymore, and instead it is now printed - when did this change come about ?

View attachment 798885

View attachment 798887

View attachment 798886

/Mike

Noticed that too. I'd say it's recent as I have looked at websites with new hats & I never saw it before. It actually looks very well finished. The label can come off & gets old & dirty.

 

[ShadowXY]

That’s true, the leather is a touch older and was looking rather dry when I got it. A bit of mink oil sorted it out nicely but I could see it being replaced at some point, but right now it’s a rigid comfortable mold Stetson OR and I’d feel like I was committing a crime if I replaced it premium.

There is always a trade off. Very old vintage hats are not meant to be daily use beaters. There is always a compromise in a 75 year old hat. Heck even a 30 year old hat. depending upon how it was stored & cared for. Dry heat can really age the leather as well as being stored in unheated warehouse of storage. It's like buying a vintage guitar. The real collectors & ones who really care for them will store them in a protected ideal humidity enviroment. Too humind & wood swells too dry & it shrinks & cracks.

 

[Dan718]

There is always a trade off. Very old vintage hats are not meant to be daily use beaters. There is always a compromise in a 75 year old hat. Heck even a 30 year old hat. depending upon how it was stored & cared for. Dry heat can really age the leather as well as being stored in unheated warehouse of storage. It's like buying a vintage guitar. The real collectors & ones who really care for them will store them in a protected ideal humidity enviroment. Too humind & wood swells too dry & it shrinks & cracks.

I can’t say I treat it that gently, it’s been rained on a few times in recent weeks and has become my daily wear through the summer, except for field work where it’s likely to get dirty or soaked. I switch to an Akubra for anything that might need something a bit more reinforced rather than refined. Once the autumn comes in I’ll probably wear the style master or Fed4 a bit more often.

 

[ShadowXY]

I can’t say I treat it that gently, it’s been rained on a few times in recent weeks and has become my daily wear through the summer, except for field work where it’s likely to get dirty or soaked. I switch to an Akubra for anything that might need something a bit more reinforced rather than refined. Once the autumn comes in I’ll probably wear the style master or Fed4 a bit more often.

I soaked the top of my shark & the underside of the brim & when it dried it came out like new. Akubras are really strong. I was amazed & it's why I don't mind getting more of them even though I only have one head & not sure when I will be able to wear all my hats!

Eying up another one that's a decent price but I shy away from smaller brims & 3 inch to me is small as I mainly want sun protection.

Well, I succumbed to the Boomerang. $45 plus shipping. Seems to be in Exc Cond for another 30 yo hat. Call me crazy...crazy for Akubra.
It's an older not often seen 3 inch brim but I've heard it was reintroduced as the Kiandra.

 

[Dan718]

I soaked the top of my shark & the underside of the brim & when it dried it came out like new. Akubras are really strong. I was amazed & it's why I don't mind getting more of them even though I only have one head & not sure when I will be able to wear all my hats!

Eying up another one that's a decent price but I shy away from smaller brims & 3 inch to me is small as I mainly want sun protection.

Same, I’m gravitating towards slightly wider brims for the summer especially. My OR has about a 7cm brim, the Campdraft slightly more, that’s the minimum on the sun but I’ve not yet gotten to the point where I want a mobile solar eclipse, but in that case I’d grab a cattleman or tablelands most likely.

 

[ShadowXY]

Same, I’m gravitating towards slightly wider brims for the summer especially. My OR has about a 7cm brim, the Campdraft slightly more, that’s the minimum on the sun but I’ve not yet gotten to the point where I want a mobile solar eclipse, but in that case I’d grab a cattleman or tablelands most likely.

This is So Cal...Sun esp summer can be painfully brutal but this is more of a winter hat.
Wait. we really have no true winter.

I have a tablelands & territory in the olive brown green khaki colors & I have a taupish fawn Dover. Black Boss & Boomerang on the way. Not so sure about the Boss anymore. I really like the more pinch fronts.

I need to stop looking. This is an addiction!

 

[Dan718]

I need to stop looking. This is an addiction!

TBH is is the truth of it. I feel I’ve overspent on hats this year to be fair. I may indulge over the winter but I’m not allowing myself to look.

 

[ShadowXY]

TBH is is the truth of it. I feel I’ve overspent on hats this year to be fair. I may indulge over the winter but I’m not allowing myself to look.

TBH, I was watching the Boomerang for almost a year. It was listed as a Cattleman. I noticed there was no bound edge on the brim so I thought the brim was cut. I even messaged the seller that the hat had an unbound rim & something was not right. Then on the edge of one photo upon magnification I could make out Boomerang. Brim is about 3 inches & that's on the small side for me so it stayed in my cart for months. Then it started to come into my mind. but the shipping was high. Last night I opened the shipping details & found Fed Ex shipping also offered for $12 less so I bought it. Heck it's a round size badge Abubra is exc condition except for some dust for it's over a quarter century age. Really can't go wrong with a iron clad black hat & 3 inch is still a decent brim.

Looking back seems the Boomerang was named the Kiandra around 2008 so Boomerangs are all at least about 20 years old. Square tags came out about 2000 so that's how I judge the age.

Guess it wanted to be mine???

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Rain showers were beginning to move out this morning but I still wore my planters hat cloned from an Akubra Territory.

 

[ShadowXY]

TBH, I was watching the Boomerang for almost a year. It was listed as a Cattleman. I noticed there was no bound edge on the brim so I thought the brim was cut. I even messaged the seller that the hat had an unbound rim & something was not right. Then on the edge of one photo upon magnification I could make out Boomerang. Brim is about 3 inches & that's on the small side for me so it stayed in my cart for months. Then it started to come into my mind. but the shipping was high. Last night I opened the shipping details & found Fed Ex shipping also offered for $12 less so I bought it. Heck it's a round size badge Abubra is exc condition except for some dust for it's over a quarter century age. Really can't go wrong with a iron clad black hat & 3 inch is still a decent brim.

Looking back seems the Boomerang was named the Kiandra around 2008 so Boomerangs are all at least about 20 years old. Square tags came out about 2000 so that's how I judge the age.

Guess it wanted to be mine???

Boomerang is in. Fed Ex tried to deliver on Sunday without updating the Tuesday expected.
Well, it got here today & it's a fine thick felt hat in Exc Condition. It's like new! Was dusty so I vac'd it. Took a light damp fiber cloth to the sweatband & over the body, conditioned the sweat band which is fine & I love it. It's like a 3 inch Fedora!

Boss will be delivered later by USPS. Today is Abubra day!