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Is the "Perfect" bash important?

Sam Craig

One Too Many
Messages
1,356
Location
Great Bend, Kansas
This was a great thread and it was fun reading through it again ..... Maybe there should be a Best of the Lounge section?

I especially appreciated Lefty's addition from a couple years ago of the slanted Stetson ad.

I remember when I encountered that years ago and studied it. I never did come up with an example that made any sense. I guess I just don't have what it takes to pull off the slanted crown look.

What hard lessons and wasted vintage hats have taught me is to be very cautious with the crowns, especially in front. If you can keep that area safe, you can do almost anything to the shape.
Once you break the felt, it's never the same.

Anyway, great thread.

Sam
 

Rodkins

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,444
Location
Orlando
The perfect crease is always important; however, only you can decide what your perfect crease is for each hat. Most of my hats have a lopsided and somewhat asymmetrical perfect crease. ;)
 
Messages
10,524
Location
DnD Ranch, Cherokee County, GA
Hand blocking should look like just that = it was done by hand.... not some machine pressed sterile looking mold.
I think that is why the Aussies came up with the term "bash", hinting to a shaping by human hands....JMHO
 

Rodkins

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,444
Location
Orlando
Hand blocking should look like just that = it was done by hand.... not some machine pressed sterile looking mold.
I think that is why the Aussies came up with the term "bash", hinting to a shaping by human hands....JMHO
I agree with that but I also have some factory bashed hats that I like very much. However, there is definitely something therapeutic that happens to me when I hand bash a hat. It gives me more of a sense of "ownership" or something as well.
 
Messages
11,579
Location
Covina, Califonia 91722
For me, my attitude changes over time. There are some hats with factory bashes that look really good and in the past I'd be worried about keeping it perfect. As time went on I looked forward to a hat breaking in and getting softer allowing the hat to relax a bit and not look too perfect.

With hats that come open crown I fashioned them in several different ways to get an idea as to what I want for that hat and then looks best. I am not great at making a perfect bash so all of these hats tend to be a bit imperfect which I consider to be part of the character of a hat. At the same time there are some things I stay away from so that off kilter look is too far unbalanced for me to like. I don't like hats to look rumpled, crushed or like that have been sat on and not straightened out. So too perfect and too imperfect is not my cup of tea.
 

jlee562

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,104
Location
San Francisco, CA
Symmetry is important to me, but only up to a certain point. With a hand creased hat, I think you have to accept some slight asymmetry despite one's best efforts.
 

Alan-Eby

Familiar Face
Messages
96
Location
Western New Mexico
As a guy who buys old western hats from goodwill and cuts them down and attempts to make fedora's out of them I'd have to say that I like a bit of character and roughness to my hats. If I had a really nice hat, I'd leave the perfect crease in it alone, but most of my hats are $10 second hand conversions so if I mess them up too badly I'm not too hurt.
 

danofarlington

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,122
Location
Arlington, Virginia

Wow, I was just going to make that comment using the same words before seeing your item. That describes it well. It's one way to go. On the other hand, the formally-blocked clean crease is another way, the way I go--going for the "sharp" look. Personal preference. In my case, it's driven by not wanting to be bothered by crafting my own crease.
 

scottyrocks

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,178
Location
Isle of Langerhan, NY
My perfect crease is one I put into a hat myself. It has to work with the hat, and look good on me. I prefer center dents, but teardrops and C's work when a hat has too much taper. But generally, these days I dont wear hats that have taper with a center dent.
 

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