New Federation - Help

[Havana]

I've owned a number of Akubras including two Fed III's. They always seem a bit large when new and shrink to the correct size with wear. I think they are deliberately sized that way due to the slight inevitable shrinkage of the leather sweatband. I always start out with the foam spacers and one day find I don't need them any more. I'm pretty sure my head isn't swelling despite what people think.

 

[Rev Tom]

I appreciate all of the input - it has been very helpful. My hat is a standard Fed IV . After weighing the cost of sending the hat back plus the cost to ship a replacement - which is well on the way to the cost of another hat - I am leaning toward keeping this one and hoping that it will shrink, or that I can shrink it. Now to see if I can style it.

 

[Belegnole]

For those who have used the foam strips supplied by Hatsdirect. What size difference would it make if you used one of the strips? One strip gets me to just about right...maybe a smidgen big. Like Rev Tom I am also considering playing with steam because of the cost of shipping back and forth.

 

[HamletJSD]

Indeed, Woodfluter, I have a "Fedora" and a late model "Federation Deluxe" ... and the difference is big in my case. After a year I still have one little bit of foam behind the band of the Heritage felt "Deluxe" while the Imperial Quality Fedora/Sydney is actually pleasantly perfect; almost even in need of a light stretch.

 

[Winsor]

Making The Hat Fit

I am relatively new and I have a dozen plus Akubras:# CEOs and the rest Fed IIIs and IVs. I wear a size 60. Some started out feeling too large and after 6 months I had to apply the Hat Jack for some gentle persuasion. In the interim I never use the foam tape that Akubra sends. It is too invasive. Instead, my wife has cut for me many strips of felt fabric in 3/4" strips. I put the felt in the sweatband as needed, sometimes doubling up on the thickness.
After a while the felt needs to be removed and even later I use the Hat Jack a little. I think it is a combination of hat shrinkage and even a little weight fluctuation. I would never try to "shrink" a hat with steam. Just use the felt and give it 6 months.

Good Luck!!

Mark

 

[Belegnole]

Felt such as from a craft store? Wally World etc.?

 

[rrog]

Mr. Dutchman, here's some snapshots of my moonstone Fed IV Deluxe. Note that the front view is a little misleading - wide angle and arms length, plus the visual effect of the bow. It really looks perfectly parallel until near the top.

Pictures are great for us guys from Tennessee! I'm trying to learn from this thread before I buy one of the Fed IV's. I think I see what you're talking about in the first photo (side shot). But what about the second photo (straight on) should I be noticing? That the sides are parallel to each other?

Thanks,
rrog

 

[Belegnole]

I'm new to the finer parts of hats as well, but maybe I can handle answering. Woodfluter's hat has sides which are parallel and go straight up until just before the crown/top. while if you look at my side shot it tapers in some from front to back on the left hand side as seen in the picture. This style of hat should be like a stove pipe, straight up and down from all angles around the hat. I believe that as these hats are a made with a hands on manufacturing technique there will be some variance to the product. How far is acceptable is up to the buyer, mine I don't really have a problem with. As I grow in the hat world I may have larger problems with smaller things.

 

[Winsor]

Felt strips to make a slightly large hat fit

yes, just plain old felt fabric by the yard at WalMart.....better is to go to a fabric store and buy a scrap for a dollar max cost. My wife cuts it into 3/4" strips with a rotary cutter and a straight edge.
On any given day, I'm removing or adding felt and even using a hat jack on a hat that USED to be too large and later got slightly too tight.
Nice thing about felt strips is that there is no glue involved and they stay put.

 

[Belegnole]

Thanks Winsor

 

[Neil]

Reply from Akubra

I sent Akubra a note suggesting they measure their hats a little more precisely, given the oversize issue. Here is the reply. (I told them paying for shipping, then shipping back to them, then shipping back to me would cost FAR more than the hat is worth, so forget the return option. I'm getting a hatter here in DC to block and size it for me).




Hi Neil,

Thanks for the advice. We check each hat's size before sending to
ensure they are correct. In your case, the hat would have measured
about 60.5 cm when it left here. Can I ask how you measured the size?

We are happy to exchange for a smaller size, however if you would
prefer, we can give some tips on shrinking the band.

You can speed up the shrinkage process by simply wetting the leather
band on the inside of the hat (about 3 inches on either side of the back
tag - on the unfinished side of the leather. Then warm it with a hair
dryer, do not put the hot air too close - then let it dry. It should
fit perfectly after this.

Please let me know if you would prefer to exchange the hat for a smaller
size.

 

[G MAN]

Neil, I have used this method to shrink my hat and it does work and is easy for anyone to do. Just go slow and check the fit or you may over do it and find your hat too tight.

 

[Belegnole]

I took Winsor's advice today and while shopping picked up a piece of felt.Twenty two cents wasn't much for a 9x12 piece. I removed the foam I had put in and put a couple of strips of the felt in. Tried it on and It feels better than with the foam. It isn't tighter but the pressure is over a wider area making it more comfortable. I also found a electric tea pot at no cost so I'm ready for steam..thanks again for the hints all!

G Man, out of curiosity what size in cm are you normally? Just for shrinking reference.....

 

[G MAN]

Belegnole, I measured myself to be 58.5 cm and ordered size 59 and was surprised at how big the Fed was on me compared to my other Akubra hats that fit fine from day one, also all size 59.
I would also like to mention that the Federation did shrink a lot, I think a 58 would have fit but would be to tight after a little wear. I would think that its better to have to shrink the hat to fit then to stretch a hat thats too tight.
I think that there is a limit to how much a hat will shrink under normal conditions and I won't worry about this hat becoming too tight over time.

 

[Mr. 'H']

I haven't read this solution posted yet - but it does work - so here goes:

Get the hat wet on the oatside by wearing it thru a downpour.

Then drape a tea-towel over a lamp and place the hat on top. The heat will cause the hat to shrink and may even cause a highly desirable reverse taper.

Be careful as it shrinls fast - 5-10 mins when very wet.

Good luck.

 

[Daoud]

I've had very good luck shrinking two Akubras- a Slouch and a Snowy River- by using steam only. I don't own a teakettle so I've just used a large saucepan of water at a rolling boil- holding the hat crown up and crown down alternately- taking care that the sweatband doesn't curl- letting the hat cool down and trying it on for size. Has worked like a champ with no untoward effects.

I am at the cusp of a 59 and 60 and ordered my Fed IV in a 60. It was a bit too big, no way around it. But I've been wearing it as much as possible and it IS getting much better- I'm confident that in another day or so it will be perfect.

Someone else mentioned this- different people have different preferences as to how they wear their hats. Some like them to ride high, others low. However, most hat size charts specifically recommend that you measure the WIDEST part of your head, and use that measurement to determine your hat size. So I have to wonder if some folks follow those directions when they actually want their hat to sit up higher- that would perhaps explain why some are having trouble with hats which are WAY too big......

 

[ken100]

size

I recived my fed4 today, after going to Katoombe hattery (hats direct) and trying on a 60 which was too small, I orderd a 61, it came today, to big, added some foam, fits great, expect to remove the foam after a few wearings, did my first bash, wow thats so cool, so many options, went with a tight pinch, teardrop dent and high front low back, medium snap, i think it looks cool, but thats just me.
Ken

 

[Daoud]

That must be very nice to be so close to The Hattery!

 

[Spats McGee]

That must be very nice to be so close to The Hattery!

. . . . and very expensive!

 

[Belegnole]

Well after muckin about with some steam this is what I ended up with...it's also fitting better.