Ask a question, get an answer

[William G.]

Welcome! I like the hat in your picture, it doesn’t look cheap.

I’m guessing you wouldn’t be happy with a wool hat long-term. I bought one before I found this place, and right out of the box it was miserable — it was a floppy, shapeless mess, and that was the way it looked brand new with all the tags still on it. My understanding is that wool hats don’t hold up well to rain, and you’re looking at chemical waterproofing and chemical stiffeners to shape them. If one ever loses shape, it’s also my understanding that it will have to be re-blocked.

As for vintage, the only vintage piece I’ve got is a ‘70s era Dobbs. I like it a lot. The felt is very thin and soft, I don’t think it would be durable for many outdoor activities, though. I do think you’d like Akubra, and depending on the style, used Akubras are fairly common — they’re basically the Australian version of Stetson, and I believe they made Steton’s Australian hats for many years. Check with eBay.com and Etsy.com for vintage hats, and keep in mind you can unroll cotton balls and put them under the sweatband to reduce a hat’s size if you end up with one that’s a little bit too large.

As for styles and whatnot, I wear an Akubra Snowy River that I shaped more like a cowboy hat whenever I’m out doing yard work. It saves my bald spot from getting burned, and the 3 inch brim is pretty close to an umbrella if it rains. That thing is thick and tough, and it takes a great shape with a little bit of steam. It has a very low crown, though. I got caught out in a light hailstorm a couple of years ago and it didn’t offer much protection at all. OUCH!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I'll have to give that a shot, in addition I'll take an overhead pic and use them both to attempt to make an accurate determination. I'll post pics when possible and solicit the boards take. Is there an industry standard offset (i.e. >2in. front to back/side to side) that constitutes LO v. standard?

That’s a good question that I don’t have an answer for. When it wear a standard oval the hat is either too tight to wear (westerns/stiff felt) or has to distort a bit to conform to my head (soft dress hats). When I go up in size to get the stiff hats to fit there is a large gap along the sides of my head above my ears. When I go back down in size but go to a long oval the hat still fits and the gap is less. After trial and error, I’ve decided that I’m an extra long oval. Long oval hats are far less common than standard ovals and extra long oval hats are even rarer.

Perhaps the best way to go is to visit a custom hatter that uses a conformer/conformateur to determine your size and shape. The hatter can also make you a bespoke band block in your size and shape.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Bcraig]

Thanks for all the information guys ,I really appreciate it.
I am scouring all the internet I can to look at different hats and styles.

I have even got to thinking about something,about 30 years ago I really enjoyed making my own Bows and arrows out of Hickory I had cut down.

One day I was deer hunting with an Indian flatbow I had made and killed a young about 15 pound bobcat.
I case skinned it and fleshed it the best I could and salted it down with regular old Morton Salt and did that 4 times until all the moisture was gone out of the hide. Then sewed up the eyes and hole from the arrow and made an extra bowstring and tied it to both of the hind legs and made an indian style arrow quiver to carry my arrows over my shoulder.

I put The meat on a smoker for a few hours and a Friend and I cut it up with a little Barbecue sauce and let me tell you it was great.

Anyway I got to thinking maybe I could take the Bobcat quiver and make a hat out of it.
I enjoy making things myself
I am looking for information on how to make a hat using this Bobcat hide ,

I wonder should I just buy me a hat and somehow attach the hide to it or build a hat from scratch?

I am thinking something along the lines of a Fedora with a 3 inch brim,a crown of about 5 inches or so with hardly any taper to the crown.

Appreciate the input
Craig

 

[Redfokker]

That’s a good question that I don’t have an answer for. When it wear a standard oval the hat is either too tight to wear (westerns/stiff felt) or has to distort a bit to conform to my head (soft dress hats). When I go up in size to get the stiff hats to fit there is a large gap along the sides of my head above my ears. When I go back down in size but go to a long oval the hat still fits and the gap is less. After trial and error, I’ve decided that I’m an extra long oval. Long oval hats are far less common than standard ovals and extra long oval hats are even rarer.

Perhaps the best way to go is to visit a custom hatter that uses a conformer/conformateur to determine your size and shape. The hatter can also make you a bespoke band block in your size and shape.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

When I first got involved with custom hats, I had Mike Miller at NW Hats in Eugene do a pattern of my noggin. I've been using that pattern to make my own blocks. I use both wood and pink insulation foam (1" and 2").

 

[Redfokker]

Frunobulax has hit the nail on the head, nothing much to add to that. Welcome to The Lounge. But let me extend a point, Fruno points out that there is a thread called: "Ask a question, get an answer," he adds that you weren't to know this, quite right. So don't go thinking that you might get criticised in the future if you start a thread on a topic that has been previously covered. A way to avoid that is by using Google, it's much more effective than The Lounge's own search facility.

For example, you might own a vintage or classic car, but you're not sure what threads, if any, have gone before on that subject. if you Google: Fedora Lounge Classic Cars, this lot comes up: https://www.google.com/search?q=fed...ome..69i57.10366j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
I do hope that you find that helpful and I look forward to seeing your posts. Again, welcome.

Yes, and you can look at a beautiful classic MG on that thread. Ah, dream car.

 

[Bcraig]

Yes, and you can look at a beautiful classic MG on that thread. Ah, dream car.

Hi
How can I post on the ask a question section of this Hats Forum?
The only thing I see when I go to the Ask a question is a Post made many years ago and I have to go to the very last post to see the most recent post.
I do not see anywhere to post a question.
Thanks
Craig

 

[BobHufford]

I am looking for information on how to make a hat using this Bobcat hide ,

I wonder should I just buy me a hat and somehow attach the hide to it or build a hat from scratch?

I am thinking something along the lines of a Fedora with a 3 inch brim,a crown of about 5 inches or so with hardly any taper to the crown.

I would think making a fedora from the hide itself would be possible. You might Google making a leather hat.

Is this what you're going for?

I'm guessing that you don't want to end up with either of these looks?

 

[Bcraig]

I would think making a fedora from the hide itself would be possible. You might Google making a leather hat.

Is this what you're going for?

I'm guessing that you don't want to end up with either of these looks?

 

[Bcraig]

Yes the first one !
Although the hat I envisioned looks better than that !!

 

[Bcraig]

First, welcome to the Lounge, bcraig. Second, formalities - poke around here a bit and get a feel for the site. The thread, "Ask a question, get an answer" is the place to ask general questions such as yours. No harm, no foul, but this keeps the site from getting cluttered with random short threads and also serves as one stop shopping for folks to see your queries.

Now, the important stuff - your questions. There are several guides on face shapes, etc to determine what suits you best; however, the best arbiter is your personal taste. Cruise through some of the threads, particularly "What Hat are you Wearing Today" to get a feel for what is out there and how a hat will look on different face shales, body types. Then ask yourself what look you're after. Most of us tend toward taller crowns, and wider brims, which you seem to be leaning toward. I think the hat you are wearing looks fine, but it's best if you can find a hatter where you can try on different styles and see the results in a mirror. If not that, then it's hit or miss until you're comfortable with the right hat for you. Let us know your location, and perhaps we can guide you to a proper hat shop.

Again, welcome to the Lounge. Keep looking and asking questions and we'll try to help where we can.

Sent directly from my mind to yours.

Thanks
I do not know how to insert a question in the Ask a question thread as I do not see a place where I can ask a question.
When I go to the ask a question thread all I see is a a post from 2009 first and then I have to go to the last page to see the most recent post,I do not see a place to post a question.
How I posted this was I clicked on the hats forum and then I saw a place where I could post a thread in the hats section.
I would appreciate some help in this matter
Thanks
Craig

 

[Frunobulax]

Thanks
I do not know how to insert a question in the Ask a question thread as I do not see a place where I can ask a question.
When I go to the ask a question thread all I see is a a post from 2009 first and then I have to go to the last page to see the most recent post,I do not see a place to post a question.
How I posted this was I clicked on the hats forum and then I saw a place where I could post a thread in the hats section.
I would appreciate some help in this matter
Thanks
Craig

Not certain how you're accessing the lounge, but in a browser, just scroll to the bottom of the page and use the Reply here box. It's no different than this thread. Perhaps I don't understand your problem, though.

 

[Bcraig]

Just trying to see if I got a hang for this website

 

[Bcraig]

I went to the ask a question thread and scrolled down to the bottom and saw a post a reply box then I clicked on it and left a message and it showed up ,I am evidently not used to the format as I though that I would see a box at the top that would say something like ask your question here and not a post a reply box.
Am I doing something wrong that the first thing I see when I go to ask a question in where the thread started back in 2009?
Thanks
I am using a firefox browser from my laptop

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I went to the ask a question thread and scrolled down to the bottom and saw a post a reply box then I clicked on it and left a message and it showed up ,I am evidently not used to the format as I though that I would see a box at the top that would say something like ask your question here and not a post a reply box.
Am I doing something wrong that the first thing I see when I go to ask a question in where the thread started back in 2009?
Thanks
I am using a firefox browser from my laptop

I access the Lounge via Tapatalk, but when I use an internet browser the oldest posts show up first. Not a big deal to click on the forward to the end. I really do prefer the Tapatalk application.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Bcraig]

Thanks

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Just trying to see if I got a hang for this website

All of these threads are just threads started by members, some of them long ago. They all work in the same way. The members run the forum and the Bartenders only step in when there’s a problem. Ideally, you’ll find an existing thread to post to as starting new threads where an existing one already exists is frowned on.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Bill Hughes]

I contacted Michael Gannon about this for another hat. The hat I bought was a 60 and I’m a 57.5. The brim width was 2 5/8”. This was his response.

”I can't say for sure how a the 7 1/2 would come out, I have never tried to resize a hat down that far. The one thing I can say for sure is the brim line will be moved down onto the brim so you will see a dark ring around the inner part of the brim on the hat if its blocked down that far.

I really focus on making new hats and don't do repairs/modifications etc so I don't have the experience to say how it will come out. I can probably make a wearable hat out of it but if you are expecting it to look like a brand new hat I just can't make that guarantee. I also can't say for sure what the final brim width would be, it will be wider than 2 5/8 but since I don't have a full uncut brim to work with I can't say exactly what the brim will end up being.”

So I contacted Art Fawcett. He said to give up on any idea of making the brim wider because the brim line would indeed show. So the brim stays the same. He said he would steam the crown and then dip in ice water to shrink it. He will replace the sweatband to fit me. So the crown may wind up being a bit taller. But the way I see it that’s what deep diamonds are for.

The hat is currently at VS Custom Hats.

I just got my hat from VS Custom Hats. Art Fawcett was able to take the size from 7 1/2 to just under 7 1/4. How he did it - I don't know. But the fit is perfect and no break line on the brim. It looks brand new. I will post pictures in the Art Fawcett VS Hall of Fame. I told Art I wanted the hat to be a "Art Fawcett" fedora when he was done.

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/art-fawcett-vs-hall-of-fame.13023/page-520#post-2501540

 

[Frunobulax]

I went to the ask a question thread and scrolled down to the bottom and saw a post a reply box then I clicked on it and left a message and it showed up ,I am evidently not used to the format as I though that I would see a box at the top that would say something like ask your question here and not a post a reply box.
Am I doing something wrong that the first thing I see when I go to ask a question in where the thread started back in 2009?
Thanks
I am using a firefox browser from my laptop

There's a "go to first unread" button at the top. The way I'm set up, both my browser and Tapatalk do that by default. Maybe there is something in site settings for this, I don't remember what

Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[Hat Masterson]

What does Akubra's "Regency Fawn" color look like again? I think it was on thiis thread once but I forget where & when...ah hell.

 

[belfastboy]

What does Akubra's "Regency Fawn" color look like again? I think it was on thiis thread once but I forget where & when...ah hell.

For what it is worth it is nice mid brown tone. If you google Akubra colour swatches you will get a colour chart that will show you side by side comparisons of the various Akubra fawn colours.....I think they offer 3.....all similar but do vary.