I love the Fed IV!!

[scottyrocks]

An important part of not damaging felt is to not mess with it dry.

 

[The Lost Cowboy]

An important part of not damaging felt is to not mess with it dry.

In my experience what you’re saying might be a general rule of thumb but there seem to be a lot of exceptions to it.

For example, the spidering in this Fed IV happened with steam and I have numerous vintage lids that will do anything I want without steam and show no signs of damage.

Akubra felt spiders easily - it’s just something I’ve come to accept for the most part.

 

[scottyrocks]

In my experience what you’re saying might be a general rule of thumb but there seem to be a lot of exceptions to it.

For example, the spidering in this Fed IV happened with steam and I have numerous vintage lids that will do anything I want without steam and show no signs of damage.

Akubra felt spiders easily - it’s just something I’ve come to accept for the most part.

Besides, massaging the spidering out of this Fed IV works fine when its dry and steam might actually make the felt too soft to allow the kind of finger movement that’s needed.

I generally use a spray bottle when shaping/tweaking hats. I have 4 Feds with no spidering.

 

[Zombie_61]

I generally use a spray bottle when shaping/tweaking hats. I have 4 Feds with no spidering.

Same here, filled with distilled water because I have no idea what kinds of harmful chemicals the city is putting in the tap water. Soak the felt, shape it, set it aside brim down in an area of the house where the temperature is reasonably stable. Check the shape once in a while just to be sure it's holding, but otherwise leave it alone until it dries.

 

[The Lost Cowboy]

I generally use a spray bottle when shaping/tweaking hats. I have 4 Feds with no spidering.

I’m not sure how to respond to that and this is my second attempt to do so..

If that technique works for you, then I’m happy for you. But it doesn’t change the fact that Akubra felt looks and feels strikingly inferior to vintage felt and in my original post (the one that started this discussion) all I meant to say was that the “inferior” character used to bother me but I have developed a new-found appreciation for Akubra felt, particularly the heritage flavor.

As part of that appreciation, the slight (very slight, but still visible on inspection) spidering that I get when I steam the hats just doesn’t bother me anymore and I am actually very pleased with the Akubra quality. I am very very happy to have a sturdy, replaceable, weather-resistant and yet good-looking collection of working and bumming around hats. I had truly become frustrated with ruining irreplaceable, vintage sweatbands, liners and felts.

Also of note is that one of the greatest pleasures I have working with felt is steaming it and feeling the stiff material melt like butter in my fingers. I get the most pleasure in that regard out of my 1950s Stetson 20s and 3xes, but I also get it from Akubras. I personally wouldn’t care to trade that experience for a water bottle, but that’s just me.

Here is my new-to-me Fed IV. Does it look more purple to anybody else than it does brown? Anybody else get that with their heritage brown? Again, I’m not complaining - I am very pleased with the color.

Best to you.

 

[scottyrocks]

Oh, I'll certainly agree with you regarding the feel of vintage felt vs Akubra felt.

But I do get a similar degree of satisfaction using water. The felt is so easy to manipulate when it's wet. And unlike steaming, I have all kinds of time to get it right.

I usually do this at night so that the hat is wearable in the morning. I love waking up to a freshly, perfectly creased hat.

 

[StoryPNW]

Autumn weather is here and I got to wear my Fed IV while taking the pup for a walk this evening.

 

[hambone71]

Autumn weather is here and I got to wear my Fed IV while taking the pup for a walk this evening.

View attachment 547487 View attachment 547488

Great looking Fed but we need to see the pup, too.

 

[GuitarGuy99]

Just got this Fed iv in black. I might have to lower the crown because it's a bit tall for getting in and out of the car!

 

[GuitarGuy99]

Just got this Fed iv in black. I might have to lower the crown because it's a bit tall for getting in and out of the car! I really like the hat a lot, but it is stiff. I'm pretty sure that in case of emergency I could use it as a weapon, sort of like Odd Job in Gold Finger.

 

[G MAN]

I finally got to wear my new Fed IV for the first time today.
The felt is a lot stiffer then my Heritage Fawn Fed IV Deluxe but I'm sure it will soften up in time.

 

[Art Hat1]

Took my brown Fed IV with me to Mt Rainer a few weeks ago!

 

[StoryPNW]

View attachment 554330

Took my brown Fed IV with me to Mt Rainer a few weeks ago!

Great pictures!

 

[Art Hat1]

Great pictures!

Thank you very much, all the credit goes to the Mrs!

 

[Vintage Gent]

Hello to everyone from Santiago de Chile. I have been reading this forum for quite some time, but finally decided to register.

A couple of days ago I received confirmation that the Dark Brown Fed IV deluxe is back in stock. I’m really looking forward to get it, hopefully before Christmas.

I will be my first rabbit felt hat, as so far I own two locally produced wool fedoras and a panama from a classic hat store in Chile.

I intend to share pictures when it arrives and after I bash it.

 

[scottyrocks]

Hello to everyone from Santiago de Chile. I have been reading this forum for quite some time, but finally decided to register.

A couple of days ago I received confirmation that the Dark Brown Fed IV deluxe is back in stock. I’m really looking forward to get it, hopefully before Christmas.

I will be my first rabbit felt hat, as so far I own two locally produced wool fedoras and a panama from a classic hat store in Chile.

I intend to share pictures when it arrives and after I bash it.

Welcome and congrats.

Be sure to either steam or spray it before messing with the felt. You'll do less long-term damage that way.

 

[Vintage Gent]

Welcome and congrats.

Be sure to either steam or spray it before messing with the felt. You'll do less long-term damage that way.

Thank you very much for your advice. I intend to steam it, just the necessary bit to shape it slowly.

 

[Vintage Gent]

Hello again! My Fed IV Deluxe arrived just in time, two days before Christmas.

It was incredibly stiff, I was surprised. Some members here have talked about this but certainly I didn't expect it to have so much stiffener. I'm not complaining, just surprised. It fits really good, just a little bit loose so it can shrink, but already fits great and I'm in no need of foam straps on this one.

Yesterday I could finally work on the bash, using steam. This is how it went.

I would like to thank all of you, gentlemen, because your comments in this thread made me finally go for this hat. It feels great, looks great and it's sturdy and durable, yet comfortable to wear even in the Chilean summer. A great hat for people like me, who are on a budget, yet looking to spend wisely.

I hope you've had a very good Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

 

[Art Hat1]

Hello again! My Fed IV Deluxe arrived just in time, two days before Christmas.
View attachment 574241

It was incredibly stiff, I was surprised. Some members here have talked about this but certainly I didn't expect it to have so much stiffener. I'm not complaining, just surprised. It fits really good, just a little bit loose so it can shrink, but already fits great and I'm in no need of foam straps on this one.

View attachment 574249
View attachment 574252

Yesterday I could finally work on the bash, using steam. This is how it went.

View attachment 574254 View attachment 574255 View attachment 574256


I would like to thank all of you, gentlemen, because your comments in this thread made me finally go for this hat. It feels great, looks great and it's sturdy and durable, yet comfortable to wear even in the Chilean summer. A great hat for people like me, who are on a budget, yet looking to spend wisely.

View attachment 574257 View attachment 574258
View attachment 574260

I hope you've had a very good Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

Looks fantastic! My Fed 4 has been with me three years now and it’s softened up well and molded to my head very nicely. You may consider snipping out the plastic cap covering the top of the liner, it’ll wear much more comfortably in the heat if you do!

 

[Vintage Gent]

Looks fantastic! My Fed 4 has been with me three years now and it’s softened up well and molded to my head very nicely. You may consider snipping out the plastic cap covering the top of the liner, it’ll wear much more comfortably in the heat if you do!

Thank you for your kind words! I’ll consider removing the plastic cap. Any advice on doing it without damaging the liner?

I’m really happy with my new hat, my first rabbit. One can really feel the difference against wool felt.