Hey! I have a Federation IV at last!

[dschonn]

I ordered this from Hatsdirect a day or two more than a month ago, and it got here today. The delay was due to a lack of hats in stock when I ordered (I blame it on the favorable exchange rate coupled with the holiday break at the Akubra factory), and the postal service in the US taking its own sweet time getting me the hat. It took 16 days to get here from Australia, which is fairly long from what I hear (or rather, read on the internet).

I took some pictures, and they're all on Flickr, but I won't post all of them here, because some of them show what has already been shown on countless other threads here.

I popped it on my head before mucking with it, to make sure it fit. I tried to look serious, but the hat looks too silly this way. I can't look convincingly intense.

The fit was pretty much perfect, with perhaps a little more room than absolutely necessary, which is grand because I hear (again, I read here and on Club Obi Wan) that this hat will shrink a bit with wear.

I pulled the front of the brim down, and after a few minutes of working at it, it even almost stayed down.

Then I bashed in the top. I actually did this after a lot of working the felt, denting it and re-denting all over the crown, putting in a porkpie crease I didn't intend to keep, popping it out, putting in another, deeper porkpie bash, popping that out, and generally manhandling the felt to soften it and give it character. But for the real style I wanted, I put it on my head and pushed it down so it touched my head, thusly:

Here's the result:

I then attempted to put in some side dents.

They didn't stay the way I want them, but I'll get them eventually. Here I am with the dents in.

And here is the side view.

I have since worked it a bit so the profile is more interesting. There's more rake, and the line along the top is ever so slightly curved like a ~.

So, how's it look on me? Is the height right? Does the brim need a trim? Are my aesthetics pathetic? Opinions, please.

 

[nickn5]

My first reaction is the obvious I suppose: 'nice hat'. Because it is!

But being more constructive, I'd suggest that the crease you've given it, while being very well done, lowers the crown height a bit too much for your face, and it looked better when the crown was higher. Maybe try a shallower simple centre crease to retain crown height?

Without the beard your face would obviously not look as long and the lower crown would suit better then.

But with that all said, any crown height and any hat looks better than no hat, I reckon! Nicely done anyway and congrats on your purchase.

N.

 

[kiltie]

Svengali-esque:

third pic from the bottom. I was afraid to look at it too long.
That looks pretty darn nice. How do you like the finish ( assuming it's a regular )? Even though they're on the stiff side, the finish looks a lot nicer than a few other similar quality Akubras I have.
I guess the stiffness is meant to emulate the Adventurebilt, since those guys had a hand in the developement. Anybody know better? In any event, it looks like the "right" hat.

 

[Lefty]

Agreed on crown height. That's also the most interesting way of putting in a pinch that I've seen.

On a lighter note:
Scrolling through photos 2-5, it looks like you're either dancing or controlling aircraft.

 

[dschonn]

I just played with it for a while. I see what you all mean about the crown height, but I'm not certain what to do about it. I find I do like the look of a quasi-Indiana Jones crease, but I have an irrational prejudice against it because although I do like those movies and they probably had an influence on my hat wearing, I want this hat to be more reminiscent of William Powell or Humphrey Bogart than Harrison Ford. I might just do the center dent and front pinch and trust my usual lack of leather jacket to deliver me from "Hey, Indy!" comments. It will help that the hat is grey.

Perhaps I'll get a Fed III in tawny fawn (apparently there remains at least one in my size) to do the deep, messy c-crown business.

Kiltie, the finish is quite nice, in my rather uninformed opinion. My other hats are either wool, not fedoras, or both, but I have held other fur felts before--new ones in a store and vintage hats that belong to friends--and I can see how the felt could be smoother. It's slightly fuzzy on the brim, not so much on the crown. Otherwise, I don't have a good idea of how the felt might compare to a Deluxe (they don't sell the deluxe in this color, or I might have gotten one). The sweatband on this is amazing and my mind boggles when I try to imagine a better one.

 

[MattJH]

The presentation ruled.

To my eye, it looks perfect just the way it is, honestly, but I know that you'll wring and maul it plenty before you're satisfied. I think it fits you totally.

 

[Michaelshane]

And please don't trim the brim........

 

[indycop]

And please don't trim the brim........

Nothing wrong with a little brim trim. [huh]

 

[carter]

You do not need to trim the brim. I'd make the crown a tad higher at the front peak but that's your decision. Nice job and it fits you well.

 

[Goose.]

You do not need to trim the brim. I'd make the crown a tad higher at the front peak but that's your decision. Nice job and it fits you well.

Yep. Don't change a thing on the brim...and the crown looks ok to me...but I like SPAM too. So what do I know?
I do know that it looks just fantastic.
Congratulations!!!! :eusa_clap

 

[Fletch]

I popped it on my head before mucking with it, to make sure it fit. I tried to look serious, but the hat looks too silly this way. I can't look convincingly intense.

It works for me.

 

[Fletch]

My first reaction is the obvious I suppose: 'nice hat'. Because it is!

But being more constructive, I'd suggest that the crease you've given it, while being very well done, lowers the crown height a bit too much for your face, and it looked better when the crown was higher. Maybe try a shallower simple centre crease to retain crown height?

I agree on all the above. The shorter crown also makes the brim look wider than it really is - just a matter of proportion.

You're very close to a personal look here, tho. Keep messing about and you'll find it.

 

[Pduck]

It works for me.

THAT is funny! :eusa_clap

 

[handlebar bart]

I also think the crown could be a bit taller. The same bash could be done but just a touch shallower and maybe with some rake to it to give it alittle character from the side. The brim looks great as is. All in all looks like a great hat for you:eusa_clap

 

[jpbales]

I agree with above suggestions of raising the crown a tad. The way you bashed it by pulling it down to your head, to me, made it too deep. I think the crown on that sucker is big enough that it probably shouldn't touch your head unless you put a really deep bash in it. On mine, I took a center crease then used my index and ring fingers to turn it into a diamondish bash as seen in the pic below:

The center crease gives you two round-looking humps on top but the diamond gives it a more square front profile

here's the comparison pics I took. It's a small difference, but it's noticeable, especially after you start getting used to it:
with a center crease

since I've had it in a diamond for a while, it was hard making it pop back up to the way it was when all I had was the center dent, so it doesn't look quite as high as yours may if you try it out.

with the diamond

Have fun with your Fed!! It's a great hat!

 

[jpbales]

It works for me.

ha ha ha lol

 

[Woodfluter]

I sort of agree about the crown height, but that's my personal bias, and I reserve the right to be inconsistent myself! Honestly, it looks very good on you and I'm sure you will mess around some more with it to much avail and with no harm done. I have one Fed III and three Fed IV's (all deluxe) and they thrive on abuse and re-working - truly. Just get more soft and vintage-like with handling.

One tip: Get a-hold of a teakettle and steam it gently. A little moisture but not too much heat. That way it will soften enough to hold the shapes you give it and you can re-steam it later and change with no harm done, unless you go for really tight pinches and the like, which might take some pressing to eradicate.

You look like me, only more years ago than I care to mention...I shaved my beard because of my wife (who already looks much younger even if not) and because it started to come in the wrong shade of white. You have a great hat there!

And Fletch...you are too much! Made me laugh till I cried.

- Bill

 

[KY Gentleman]

I like what you did with it.
I am beginning to be more in favor of a dry bashed, not-so-symetrical look.
Not saying that your hat is not symetrical but a personal one of a kind shape seems more authentic. (To me anyway. I mean to say that your hat looks nice and especially if you like it that way).

 

[Tampahound]

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap Well played! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[jpbales]

I like what you did with it.
I am beginning to be more in favor of a dry bashed, not-so-symetrical look.
Not saying that your hat is not symetrical but a personal one of a kind shape seems more authentic. (To me anyway. I mean to say that your hat looks nice and especially if you like it that way).

yeah, dry bashes are nice

but sometimes they do need a tad bit of steam

i also like the one-of-a-kind look a bash can get you, while I've heard others say that they like the way a factory-blocked bash looks perfect and pristine. I like my hats to look like mine.