FEDERATION IV PROBLEMS...

[Dean]

Hi All

New in town and my first post is a bit of a downer, unfortunately. I've been checking through older threads but can't find any help....

For Christmas I purchased my first Fedora from Hats Direct (in Oz), a dark brown Akubra Federation IV - I've always been a hat fan, but never owned a felt hat before.

I purchased the Akubra because they are shower / rain proof to a degree, which is quite handy here in Blighty. Sure enough, on first wear, the hat was caught in a light snow / drizzle shower for 5-10 minutes.

It wasn't force dried (it was barely damp), but now has lighter 'rust' discolouration wherever the rain hit - spots and marks. I've tried all of the cleaning methods suggested by Akubra (starting gently, but now with more elbow), but to no avail.

Whilst expressing some concern, Hats Direct (and Akubra) haven't offered any solutions at all - in fact, Akubra stated that this problem had occured before and said I should continue to try and clean. Hats Direct said that they would consult with Akubra, but some time passed and Akubra denied any contact.

The problem is - cleaning doesn't help (just makes the marks more uniform) and if I have to spend time cleaning after every rainfall, then I might just as well have bought a Christy's hat....interestingly, my wife's new Akubra Plainsman was in the same weather and is completely unmarked.

I notice that all other posts are very positive about the Fed' IV, so I seem to be the exception, but has anyone got any suggestions?

Keep up the good work!

Cheers - Deano.

 

[FurFeltFedora]

I've got half a dozen Fed IVs and I haven't encountered your issue. HOWEVER, one of the things I do with my hats to help break them in is uniformly mist them with some water (it helps to soften the felt). I wonder if you misted the whole hat and let it air dry would it even any marks out?

 

[daizawaguy]

Water marks can alarm at first, but water will cause a chemical reaction to many fabrics - grosgrain as well. Best action is to spread the water all over the hat, and you`ll find that over time all this evens out, and becomes a non issue. Cleaning will just cause another chemical reaction that may not neutralise water marks. A lot has to do with the dark color. Order another one (lighter), and a year or so down the road all will be forgotten...

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Welcome Dean.....

This is very basic.....have you brushed your hat with a hat brush??

Please post a picture?

Is this a Deluxe model??

 

[Dean]

Cheers for the prompt reply guys.

Yep - as per Akubra directions, I have tried brushing it with a felt clothes brush, rubbing with a damp cloth, steaming and rubbing with a scouring pad (that last one was direct from Brian Tucker at Akubra).

To be careful, I have tried each cleaning method on a different patch so I don't do anything drastic - only the damp cloth seems to work, but this just makes the discolouring more uniform. I think it will be very hard to get an all-over lighter colour - it will probably end up camoflaged!

Its not the Deluxe model. I will post some pic's as soon as I work out how......

Deano.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

I mean one of these little jewels.... What color hat??

 

[Dean]

This should be a pic' of the hat. I haven't used one of those brushes...

 

[Dean]

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Better pic' hopefully.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

^^^^

That is odd...did you send that pic to the dealer or manufacturer????

 

[Ian]

Sorry Dean if I'm missing something, but didn't you say it was a dark brown fed?

 

[scottyrocks]

Yes, that is odd.

I had gotten a mark like that on one of the camel humps months after purchasing the hat. I wear it literally every day, in all types of weather. I dont know if it was a discoloration or a stain, but I treated it like a stain.

What got it off was an oxi-clean solution, applied with a spray bottle, followed by a gentle scouring with one of those green plastic dish washing pads, followed by a gentle rinse with water from another spray bottle, and then left to dry overnight. Of course, ymmv.

 

[BellyTank]

Careful with that oxi-clean, Eugene...

Stains and discolourations, which one are we dealing with?

From the photo, it looks like a discolouration, a lighter patch.



B
T

 

[Dean]

I've sent pictures to Hats Direct twice, but got little in response, other than a suggestion that I clean it (again). As noted, they said that they would speak to Akubra direct but did not.

I telepehoned Akubra, who didn't seem terribly interested either, only suggesting cleaning (and admitting they had had some similar problems....)

I should point out that I've been very polite in my enquiries - Hats Direct were fanastic at the ordering and delivery stage (ordered Monday from Oz, delivered Saturday to UK!). I haven't asked for a new hat or refund (yet...?). But the after sales seems a bit lacking.....

It is the Dark Brown model. As I said, I really don't want a long-winded cleaning process everytime I get caught in the rain - I live in England! - I bought the Akubra because they are meant to be rain proof.

Thanks again guys - any suggestions?

Dean.

 

[bigbjorn]

If that's as bad as it looks, and if it truly was a "just walking in the rain" situation (ie not sprayed by a tarmac-laying lorry, slobbering St. Bernard, or rally car as it sailed past), I'm afraid you have no recourse but to send it back. Looks like a defect unlike anything I've yet seen.

 

[Dean]

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Just for info' - this is the wife's new Akubra Plainsman that was in the same rain shower - no marks at all. Obviously I can't prove it wasn't a St.Bernard driving a rally car (?), but it definately was a light rain / snow shower, 5-10 minutes on my head, followed by 5 minutes in my hand as we climbed into a car (we had dropped our car at the entrance of a side road at New Years so we didn't get snowed in).

I think the 2 way postage to Oz is a pain if they did agree it was a fault.

Dean.

 

[scottyrocks]

im not sure you can fairly compare the two. one is dark brown and one almost white, which has less color to begin with.

 

[Sam Craig]

Maybe a phone call would be worth the money

If the hat is improperly dyed, it could just keep causing problems and, let's face it, they are too expensive for a "make do" look

I have a Resistol western that I rebuilt into an Indy fedora, copying the Last Crusade look

Now, I bought this hat new in 1977 and it has been through every sort of weather ... during its western life.

When I was trimming, reshaping, remodeling ... everything... to convert it, I had to get it pretty wet a couple of times to get the felt to reshape

This hat has been wet, I don't know how many times

To this day, when it gets wet, it will drip brown dye and when you work it wet, your fingers will get brown

I mean, how much dye can possibly in one hat?

But even with all that, when it dries, it dries to a consistent dark brown color ... the same color it was in 1977

Long way of suggesting, if your NEW hat already has color problems, I'd call the factory, because you may have a bad hat.

Sam

 

[Dean]

I think I will contact Akubra by e-mail and send pics'. All a bit of a pain because I really like the hat (in fact I'm tempted to get a collection like FFF's) and all other comments have been high praise. My missus works in the movie business and we did a fair bit of research.

My apologies for starting off on bad foot.

Dean.

 

[theinterchange]

This is distressing news! If it were me, I'd pursue some sort of return or exchange, as this just ain't normal. You can clearly see the lighter colored area even with the harshness of camera flash.

Quite frankly, I'm surprised that HD hasn't done more to right the problem. I saw a thread on Club Obi-Wan yesterday about a chap who bought a Fed IV and upon receipt, the bow was coming off. So, I'm watching both cases of defect with great interest.

I wish you nothing but the best in getting satisfaction.

Randy

 

[Ian]

Sorry Dean, from the photo it looked to me like it was grey.

Can you see the inside of the felt round the liner? They aren't always glued all the way round, might be able to see if the mark is all the way through the felt and if it's worse on that side. I guess if the discoloration originated from the inside, then it might be easier to convince Hats Direct that it is a manufacturing fault and not something that you've done.

I've had my brown fed soaking and not had such a problem, not even had the slightest amount of dye leak out either.