Fed IV Question

[scottyrocks]

Ah. I wondered if they worked weekends.
I got an update a little while ago that it just left New York, so hopefully tomorrow or Thursday!
Funny though, I thought coming from Sydney it would head to California.

Well, when you get it please let us see it, either here or in the 'I Love the Fed IV!' thread.

 

[Krash1974]

Well, when you get it please let us see it, either here or in the 'I Love the Fed IV!' thread.

You bet I will!

 

[Benzadmiral]

Here is a good shot of my Carbon Gray:



I don't wear it as often as I should. My Moonstone got customized by Henry the Hatter:

-- trimmed brim (a little too much, but now I like it) and a matching ribbon. A bit dressier than the Carbon Gray, I think.

Reading this thread, I find myself wanting a dark brown one. . . .

 

[scottyrocks]

A big LIKE for both!^

 

[Krash1974]

Here is a good shot of my Carbon Gray:

View attachment 105805

I don't wear it as often as I should. My Moonstone got customized by Henry the Hatter:

View attachment 105806 -- trimmed brim (a little too much, but now I like it) and a matching ribbon. A bit dressier than the Carbon Gray, I think.

Reading this thread, I find myself wanting a dark brown one. . . .

Those look great! Now, I've trimmed my wool hat and it turned out great, but how exactly did you trim those?

 

[Zombie_61]

Ah. I wondered if they worked weekends. I got an update a little while ago that it just left New York, so hopefully tomorrow or Thursday! Funny though, I thought coming from Sydney it would head to California.

I gave up long ago on trying to figure out how and why these carrier companies route their parcels the way they do. Most of the hats I've ordered from Australia came through customs at Los Angeles International Airport, but one entered the U.S. in Miami, then went somewhere in New York, then got a tour of Texas before finally making it's way to a local routing facility here in southern California.

 

[Krash1974]

I gave up long ago on trying to figure out how and why these carrier companies route their parcels the way they do. Most of the hats I've ordered from Australia came through customs at Los Angeles International Airport, but one entered the U.S. in Miami, then went somewhere in New York, then got a tour of Texas before finally making it's way to a local routing facility here in southern California.

Man, that makes no sense!
About 15 years ago I was fortunate enough to spend a couple of months in Los Angeles. I loved it, especially the weather. I live in humid-happy Alabama. Do you get to wear your Feds mostly year ‘round?

 

[Zombie_61]

...About 15 years ago I was fortunate enough to spend a couple of months in Los Angeles. I loved it, especially the weather. I live in humid-happy Alabama...

The summer weather here was better then; it's been slowly getting hotter and more humid year after year during the summer and fall months.

...Do you get to wear your Feds mostly year ‘round?

I can, but with the high humidity and temperatures over 100°F that I mentioned above, they can get uncomfortably sweaty. Last year I got my first straw hat, a Sunbody "Fedora" with dimensions that are similar to my Fed IVs, and it's a LOT more comfortable on those days.

 

[Krash1974]

The summer weather here was better then; it's been slowly getting hotter and more humid year after year during the summer and fall months.

I can, but with the high humidity and temperatures over 100°F that I mentioned above, they can get uncomfortably sweaty. Last year I got my first straw hat, a Sunbody "Fedora" with dimensions that are similar to my Fed IVs, and it's a LOT more comfortable on those days.

That’s a shame about the weather. In my recent research, I have been surprised at the variety and craftsmanship of straw hats. It’s a whole different world.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Those look great! Now, I've trimmed my wool hat and it turned out great, but how exactly did you trim those?

Oh, no, I didn't try that! The Carbon Gray is stock. The Moonstone was customized by Henry the Hatter in Detroit: new, slightly narrower ribbon in the matching gray, and instructions to trim the brim back to 2.5" front and back, and (I think) 2.25" on the sides, as it's a dimensional brim. Well, somebody got confused, and trimmed the whole brim back to 2.25"! At first I hated it, and they refunded my cost for that, but now I've come to like it as a sort of Thirties model.

On top of that, when I visited Meyer the Hatter here, I mentioned to Mr. Sam, the eldest Meyer, that the Moonstone hat was a little loose. Then I turned around and found he'd taped foam all along the sweatband inside. The hat was too tight until Moon advised me to just pull the foam out. I did; no more problems.

Even if you don't count traveling halfway around the world to get to me in the first place, this hat has had adventures!

 

[Krash1974]

Oh, no, I didn't try that! The Carbon Gray is stock. The Moonstone was customized by Henry the Hatter in Detroit: new, slightly narrower ribbon in the matching gray, and instructions to trim the brim back to 2.5" front and back, and (I think) 2.25" on the sides, as it's a dimensional brim. Well, somebody got confused, and trimmed the whole brim back to 2.25"! At first I hated it, and they refunded my cost for that, but now I've come to like it as a sort of Thirties model.

On top of that, when I visited Meyer the Hatter here, I mentioned to Mr. Sam, the eldest Meyer, that the Moonstone hat was a little loose. Then I turned around and found he'd taped foam all along the sweatband inside. The hat was too tight until Moon advised me to just pull the foam out. I did; no more problems.

Even if you don't include traveling halfway around the world to get to me in the first place, this hat has had adventures!

Good stories. The 2.25” looks great. Really, they both look great. I’d be proud, too!

 

[scottyrocks]

Oh, no, I didn't try that! The Carbon Gray is stock. The Moonstone was customized by Henry the Hatter in Detroit: new, slightly narrower ribbon in the matching gray, and instructions to trim the brim back to 2.5" front and back, and (I think) 2.25" on the sides, as it's a dimensional brim. Well, somebody got confused, and trimmed the whole brim back to 2.25"! At first I hated it, and they refunded my cost for that, but now I've come to like it as a sort of Thirties model.

Do you have a head shot? I'm thinking of getting a moonstone and cutting the brim down to either 2 1/2 or 2 3/8, leaving the ribbon as is. If I do that, and put in a crease like I just did to my brown IV, I think it'll make a decent Bogey-style hat.

 

[Krash1974]

That’s a shame about the weather. In my recent research, I have been surprised at the variety and craftsmanship of straw hats. It’s a whole different world.

I received my hat! Unfortunately, work is keeping me busy and I haven’t formed it yet but I thought I’d post a quick picture inspired by your “before” pic.

 

[Zombie_61]

Looks good so far Krash! How's the fit?

 

[scottyrocks]

View attachment 106102
I received my hat! Unfortunately, work is keeping me busy and I haven’t formed it yet but I thought I’d post a quick picture inspired by your “before” pic.

When I wrote 'let us see it,' I meant after it had been creased, but okay. haha

Do your hat a favor. Don't do a dry creasing. Steam it and push the creases in. That way you won't 'break' the felt. It'll move into position much easier and when it dries (within a minute) it will hold its shape with no issues.

 

[Krash1974]

Looks good so far Krash! How's the fit?

Thankya! You know, I fully expected it to go over my eyebrows after looking at your before and after photos of your Tawny Fawn. It’s a little big, but not by too much. I can’t wait to play with it!

 

[Krash1974]

When I wrote 'let us see it,' I meant after it had been creased, but okay. haha

Do your hat a favor. Don't do a dry creasing. Steam it and push the creases in. That way you won't 'break' the felt. It'll move into position much easier and when it dries (within a minute) it will hold its shape with no issues.

Thanks for the tip! Yeah, I just had to show it off, haha.
I gotta say, being accustomed to the floppyness of my wool hat, I’m surprised at how stiff this sucker is. Do they stay this stiff? Not complaining at all. Just wondering.

 

[scottyrocks]

Thanks for the tip! Yeah, I just had to show it off, haha.
I gotta say, being accustomed to the floppyness of my wool hat, I’m surprised at how stiff this sucker is. Do they stay this stiff? Not complaining at all. Just wondering.

No, it will loosen up with wear.

I've had my brown one since 2009, and it is definitely more malleable than when I got it, but I was pretty rough on it, especially in its first couple of years. I wore it for a couple of summers, being outdoors all day and sweating in it. It's been apart, reblocked, wetted, steamed, shaped, and caterpillar-rolled quite a few times.

Now, it won't ever be as malleable as an older vintage hat that just pushes into and keeps a shape (until you mess with it again), but it will become very comfy on after you've worn it a while. How long that while is depends on how much you wear it, and under what conditions.

 

[Zombie_61]

Thankya! You know, I fully expected it to go over my eyebrows after looking at your before and after photos of your Tawny Fawn. It’s a little big, but not by too much. I can’t wait to play with it!

Every time I've creased or re-creased one of my Akubras the fit has been different--sometimes a little tighter, sometimes a little looser, but they all seemed to fit just a little more snug after that first crease so don't be surprised if that happens.

...I gotta say, being accustomed to the floppyness of my wool hat, I’m surprised at how stiff this sucker is. Do they stay this stiff? Not complaining at all. Just wondering.

The stiffness of Akubra hats is legendary. In fact, it's one reason some people don't like them. It also seems to vary from hat to hat. When I received my Taupe Fawn Campdraft it was as stiff as my other Akubras combined; it actually took some effort to snap the front of the brim down, and it immediately snapped back up the first few times I tried. Your hat should soften over time as you "work" the felt by shaping and re-shaping it, but my Dark Brown Fed is nearly 10 years old--I've re-creased the crown and re-shaped the brim a few times--and it still isn't nearly as soft as the Cane's Creations (now Alley Kat Hat Co.) custom made for me by Tim Mahovich in 2014. Also, even relatively inexperienced hat wearers like me have noticed a difference between Akubra's regular/Imperial Grade and deluxe/Heritage Grade felts. I wouldn't describe their Heritage Grade felt as "stiffer", but it does somehow feel denser and/or more substantial.

 

[Krash1974]

Finally got her shaped like I like! After a long day, here she is!