For the Historians: C Crown v. Teardrop

[SheikhDaoud]

Here's a question for the historians (and forgive me if this has been answered in the past but I'm too lazy to do research): which is the more classic (i.e., older) bash for a Fedora -- the C Crown or the Teardrop (or, as I scientifically call it, the Borsalino)? Where did each of them originate?

 

[Dinerman]

aren't they the same thing?

 

[J.S.Udontknowme]

I thought they were the same. Glad you asked. I'll watch this and learn something.

 

[Feraud]

Try this link for more information.

 

[Dinerman]

One problem I've been having with getting one of my hats into a teardrop corwn- I can't seem to get the "teardrop" popup in the middle. I got the perfect c crown edge, but any attempt to do the popup messes up the rest. I guess that'ssomething you have to do on a block, not just with your hands.

 

[thefedorastore]

One problem I've been having with getting one of my hats into a teardrop corwn- I can't seem to get the "teardrop" popup in the middle. I got the perfect c crown edge, but any attempt to do the popup messes up the rest. I guess that'ssomething you have to do on a block, not just with your hands.

My suggestion (which works for me) is to make the "C" crown deeper, and then while soft from steam, use your index finger and gently push the pop-up area. Also, for more defined lines around the pop-up, pinch the "c" or teardrop into a tight crease where the pop-up center meets the crease. Let me know how it goes. We can block it, but it's always more fun and rewarding to do a nice "hand-job".

 

[Dinerman]

thanks!
I'll see what I can do with it sometime later today.

 

[Dinerman]

and here we go!



here's what i've done with my old knox 15.
6inch crown (unbashed) 3 inch brim. It's a big hat.
Finally got the bash right.
when I got it, it was lumpy, and had an open crown (sort of). It looked like no one had worn it in a long time, and it had been stored in a closet with other stuff leaning on it maybe?

 

[thefedorastore]

Very nice job. Were you able to push the center up? A little hair spray on the center when you push it up will help hold it there if it does't want to stay.
D

 

[Dinerman]

I got it a bit up. not too much, but then again, with a crown that tall, it doesn't need to be up that much

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

My Akubra Federation Deluxe, my first attempt at shaping a hat a few months ago:

 

[Wild Root]

There is a slight difference between the C and the Tear drop. Ask Art, he could show you the differences.

As for me, I just punt in a diamond type of block... I have done a "C" to some of my hats... but, they don't have the bump in the middle. I have two Stetson’s that do have the bump in the middle... they were there since the 40's... didn't need to do any work on them... just left them the way they were.

For most of my other earlier styled hats, I like a nice center crease.

=WR=

 

[Baron Kurtz]

i do the same as Root (though i tend towards the centre dent with slight front pinch rather than diamond). I have a Penney's Marathon with the original teardrop. As with the one Root described, it needs no work. My other Marathon has a C-crown.

bk

 

[Wild Root]

i do the same as Root (though i tend towards the centre dent with slight front pinch rather than diamond).

I go for the diamond for more 40's stlyed hats but, all my 30's hats have the centre dent with slight front pinch. I like that a lot even with the brim all the way down around for that early 30's look.

=WR=

 

[MattC]

C or tear without the pop up

My impression is that the "pop up" in a C or teardrop was mostly something you saw in preblocked hats. Hats that were hand creased usually didn't have it (see Bogart in the Falcon). I think the hand creased look is classic.

I think the difference between a C and a teardrop is, looking at the hat from above, that at the start of the semi-circle in the back, there is usually a sort of a break in the line on each side--a clear start to the "C"--so it sort of looks like a C with a triangle butted against it (from above), while the teardrop has a smooth line from the front into and through the C semi circle.

Art will know.

 

[deanglen]

Try this bash:

Howard Hughes apparently did: