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Dimensional brims

cybergentleman

A-List Customer
Messages
331
Location
New Jersey
crown shape and dimensional brim

I know many of you put a c-crown into your akubra feds, looks pretty good.

nonetheless, does anyone think the dimensional brim lends itself better to one crown bash over another?
 

Lefty

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,639
Location
O-HI-O
norse products

I found it here.
dedf77a9f5977ef8ae8098bbc26e02c8_h356w534_max.jpeg


also

soulland-fedora-02.jpg
 

crhIndyfan

New in Town
Messages
16
Hi guys, I appreciate this is an older thread but I was hoping someone might be able to explain for me the "math" behind this photo. The snapshot is from Marc Kitter of Adventurebilt fame, and I am curious as to how he measured out the lines in regard to trimming the brim - how the 2 7/8 front & back flows into the 2 5/8 sides. Any comments are appreciated :))
 

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Hi guys, I appreciate this is an older thread but I was hoping someone might be able to explain for me the "math" behind this photo. The snapshot is from Marc Kitter of Adventurebilt fame, and I am curious as to how he measured out the lines in regard to trimming the brim - how the 2 7/8 front & back flows into the 2 5/8 sides. Any comments are appreciated :))
I've never trimmed one but you're trimming 1/4" per side. I would start with a ellipse circumfrence calculator to get the arc of the circumfrence correct. Think of the circumfrence in quarters. Once I had that I would lay out the pattern on cardboard or poster board before trimming.
 

crhIndyfan

New in Town
Messages
16
I've never trimmed one but you're trimming 1/4" per side. I would start with a ellipse circumfrence calculator to get the arc of the circumfrence correct. Think of the circumfrence in quarters. Once I had that I would lay out the pattern on cardboard or poster board before trimming.
Hi Hurricane Jack, thanks for your answer. I really appreciate the information. This was exactly the kind of answer I was hoping for haha. Many thanks, Bud
 
Messages
18,293
Hi Hurricane Jack, thanks for your answer. I really appreciate the information. This was exactly the kind of answer I was hoping for haha. Many thanks, Bud
If you are attempting to do this yourself keep in mind you will need to maintain a small tolerance or curf on the plus side, because you will need to sand & smooth back to the finished circumference. I would think you would want to start with a 3" brim also, & not 2-7/8.

Perhaps these experts can tell you how they do it:

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/hat-making-learning-millinery.57311/page-14
 

crhIndyfan

New in Town
Messages
16
If you are attempting to do this yourself keep in mind you will need to maintain a small tolerance or curf on the plus side, because you will need to sand & smooth back to the finished circumference. I would think you would want to start with a 3" brim also, & not 2-7/8.

Perhaps these experts can tell you how they do it:

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/hat-making-learning-millinery.57311/page-14
Yeah, I had the 3 inch brim all round in mind. It makes sense to allow for error when it comes down to actually gauging the bloody thing with a Stanley knife haha. Thanks for the link, I'll give them a look
 

Claudio Pellerito

One of the Regulars
Messages
137
Yeah, I had the 3 inch brim all round in mind. It makes sense to allow for error when it comes down to actually gauging the bloody thing with a Stanley knife haha. Thanks for the link, I'll give them a look
You nailed it eventually? I have the same pics from Marc and I was asking myself the same question! More than the cut, it’s the math that worries me!!! Please help me
 

Rmccamey

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,942
Location
Central Texas
[What I've always thought to be true but, if fact, may not be!!!]

I'm sure the focus of this thread is soft felt fedoras, but I've always thought vintage bowlers were almost exclusively made with dimensional brims with the wider width on the sides. The front and rear curls (vertical nubs) are very short and take very little felt while the sides of the D'Orsay take more felt to make the heavy curl thus leaving the finished bowler with a wider brim on the front/back and a narrower brim on the sides.

Please correct me if I'm wrong (wouldn't be the first time!) I've never had the guts to deconstruct a vintage bowler to find out!

20240217_070644.jpg 20231023_084609.jpg 20231020_181812.jpg 20200817_155119.jpg
 

The Hatted Professor

New in Town
Messages
41
[What I've always thought to be true but, if fact, may not be!!!]

I'm sure the focus of this thread is soft felt fedoras, but I've always thought vintage bowlers were almost exclusively made with dimensional brims with the wider width on the sides. The front and rear curls (vertical nubs) are very short and take very little felt while the sides of the D'Orsay take more felt to make the heavy curl thus leaving the finished bowler with a wider brim on the front/back and a narrower brim on the sides.

Please correct me if I'm wrong (wouldn't be the first time!) I've never had the guts to deconstruct a vintage bowler to find out!
You're absolutely correct, as that's the only way to get the proper curl so that the sides and the back end up with the same visual width. And I did deconstruct a Derby to discover this. It one that was heavily damaged.
 

MikeP

New in Town
Messages
34
Location
Colorado
I think mostly style, but there was some function to it. For a tighter hand roll it seems to make it shape a little easier and give a lower profile to the brim. The hat in the picture has a 4 in. brim trimmed to 3 5/8 on the sides. This style of brim isn't very popular anymore (except with us old guys!) The wide flat shovel nose being popular with new generation. A good example of a brim trimmed in the front probably down to 3 inches is in the 1972 movie "Pocket Money" with Paul Newman and Lee Marvin. Early in the show Newman meets with his Uncle Herb played by Fred Graham. Uncle Herb is wearing a cowboy hat with brim trimmed quite a bit in the front, popular in the 70's. Marvin also wears a great Open Road! Hope this helps
B9A2409F-4482-479B-915C-AF22144DA96E.jpeg
 
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