ordering an akubra from a supplier who will trim the brim

[trapperjohnme]

I ordered and recieved my first acubra a few months back and love it. it is a banjo paterson in fawn. I guess I have the bug for something i consider a little more formal. I have a fairly narrow face and the wider brims do not look good on me. I am toying with the idea of getting a lightning ridge and having the brim trimmed down to 2 1/2". I seem to recall that when i was shopping for m banjo paterson hat last fall that i found at least one dealer who would trim the brim for a small fee. I have been unable to re-locate that dealer or maybe it was my imagination. Can anyone direct me to a dealer who can provide an akubra and trim the brim?

 

[RBH]

Always great to welcome a fellow Arkansan.!!!:eusa_clap

I believe the best bet is to get a hatter to trim it down for you.
We have a great many fine hatters that belly up here at the Lounge!

 

[bolthead]

I ordered and recieved my first acubra a few months back and love it. it is a banjo paterson in fawn. I guess I have the bug for something i consider a little more formal. I have a fairly narrow face and the wider brims do not look good on me. I am toying with the idea of getting a lightning ridge and having the brim trimmed down to 2 1/2". I seem to recall that when i was shopping for m banjo paterson hat last fall that i found at least one dealer who would trim the brim for a small fee. I have been unable to re-locate that dealer or maybe it was my imagination. Can anyone direct me to a dealer who can provide an akubra and trim the brim?

Buy the Akubra from the seller of your choice, then ship it to Fla., to a guy we call "Indycop".

 

[trapperjohnme]

thanks for the welcom RBH. I see you are on the easter end of our fair state. How is the mosquito crop looking over there this year? lol

 

[RBH]

thanks for the welcom RBH. I see you are on the easter end of our fair state. How is the mosquito crop looking over there this year? lol

Damn fine crop indeed!

 

[deenis]

Noggintops.com might do it for you. I know that used to cut at least one of their hat styles. Not sure if they will do all styles.

 

[carldelo]

Noggintops.com might do it for you. I know that used to cut at least one of their hat styles. Not sure if they will do all styles.

Yeah, I bet Noggintops would trim it - they offer trimming on a bunch of different lids. But really, if you're looking for more of a formal city hat and want a 2-1/2" brim, maybe you should consider an Akubra Sydney - very nice, less expensive and no trimming needed.

 

[johnnycanuck]

I third Noggintops.com Nice people to order from.
Johnny

 

[daizawaguy]

Trimming the brim is easy - its the flanging (curl) that one needs as well. Trimming may just leave the brim flat and you very dissapointed...

 

[Spats McGee]

Welcome to the Lounge, trapperjohnme, from another Arkansan!

 

[trapperjohnme]

thanks everyone, sounds like unanymous for noggintops.

daizawaguy, you bring up an interesting and slightly terrifying thought about the curl. But, have you looked at the lightening ridge? It doesn not seem to have much of a curl. Also I dont want the sydney, just to indy for me right now. I am already a professor that spends a lot of times outdoors, lol.

I really really woudl like some opinions on how the lightening ridge would "work" with a reduced brim. http://www.davidmorgan.com/popup_image.php?pID=4&tab=images&swatches=1&tab3=1&tab4=1&tab5=1

thanks spats! what part of the state are you from?

 

[Spats McGee]

At the moment, trapperjohnme, I live in Little Rock. Grew up in Mountain Home, though. You?

 

[trapperjohnme]

western AR kind of beween NWA and the river valley

 

[John in Covina]

There are a number of hatters that do services such as clean and block, most of them would be able to do a professional trim easy enough. Also they would be able to flange the brim if you wanted a curl or snap brim to be present as mentioned above. There is a refurbished hat thread that lists the many quality shops.

Second, under the cowboy conversion thread are a number of trim descriptions that may give you the courage to allow you to "Do It Yourself" with simple implements at home. I believe a number have described how to steam in the curl to the brim there too.

 

[Woodfluter]

Trapperjohnme, I have have a Lightning Ridge which I trimmed down to a bit over 2-3/4". I think that's a nice width for my purposes and improved it for me. I personally wouldn't go as low as 2-1/2" with this hat, considering the crown, but what do I know - might look good!

Suggest you start with 2-3/4 at least and see how it looks - in a store. You can take it off but can't put it back on!

The L.R. brim is pretty flat already. Not much curl. So probably flanging not an issue. Wasn't for mine! But I did add some "dishing" to the rear of the brim, a sort of mild pencil roll toward the outer edge, which I've done with several hats. Steam + hand-working and rounded glasses to roll things smooth on a counter.

There's descriptions about all this stuff, including trimming down the brim yourself, in various threads here. But if you're not comfortable tackling it yourself, by all means get some shop to do it. I haven't gone that route, but I hear that many Western wear shops can do it in a jiffy and may not charge anything.

Good luck!
- Bill

P.S. Found I had a couple of pictures after trimming down. Think you can see the "brim dishing" in the second one. It's a really good hat - now my favorite western weight.

 

[trapperjohnme]

thanks for the response guys!
Woodfluter. would you mind telling me what size you are? I have been in contact with noggintops about this. They can cut it down. one of the questions they asked was abotu size. she said it would look fine on a small to medium size, but not a large or extra large. She indicated my size 58 would be about right. did you change the bash any on that hat that you show? I like it but it looks different from the bashes I have seen in the online retailer pictures.

 

[Woodfluter]

thanks for the response guys!
Woodfluter. would you mind telling me what size you are? I have been in contact with noggintops about this. They can cut it down. one of the questions they asked was abotu size. she said it would look fine on a small to medium size, but not a large or extra large. She indicated my size 58 would be about right. did you change the bash any on that hat that you show? I like it but it looks different from the bashes I have seen in the online retailer pictures.

This hat is a 59cm. I'm right in between 59 and 60 actually, but the Akubras seem to run a half size large and the Heritage felt ones haven't shrunk a bit - for me - so they fit just right and stay there. The Lightning Ridge is Heritage felt, part of the reason I wanted this one even though it cost more from David Morgan than directly from Hats Direct in Oz.

I don't believe I changed the crown shape much. I might have steamed the front dents a bit farther down if I recall correctly, maybe squared off the front a bit, pretty minor.

You could just get it as is and take it to a western shop near you. Then you could have them cut a little off, try it, and cut off some more until you're happy. Then there'd be no unpleasant surprises.

- Bill

 

[trapperjohnme]

thanks, Did you steam the dents further forward towards the front of the hat, or furher down towards the brim? What I like about yours is the dents seem a little further foward than the ones I have seen in pictures.

 

[Woodfluter]

thanks, Did you steam the dents further forward towards the front of the hat, or furher down towards the brim? What I like about yours is the dents seem a little further foward than the ones I have seen in pictures.

Can't remember for sure! But I very well might have done both - sounds about right.

- Bill