"Too much crown"

[Doublegun]

So I am in Cincinnati yesterday for work and I am wearing my new Fed IV. I had just been thinking that I did a REALLY crappy bash when I walked by a hat shop so I stopped in. I ask if they could help me with my bash and the lady told me (in broken English) that the hat probably needed to be cleaned. I explained that it was in fact new and I just needed help with the bash. She then handed it to her husband and he steamed the brim (not what I was looking for) so I explained to him what I was wanted. He finally did then turned around and told me the hat had "too much crown." I replied that I liked it, thanked him for his service, and then walked out.

What the hell does "too much crown" mean anyway?

Thanks

 

[BellyTank]

Self explanatory, surely.(?)

Same kind of thing as "too much brim".


B
T

 

[zetwal]

Sounds to me that his opinion is that the hat is too tall, or that the crown is too voluminous. What a silly store. If you can't find a good place to take it, don't be afraid to play and experiment with the crease yourself. There are many threads here about this, and many people willing to give tips -

When all is said and done, crease it how you like it. It's easy to do.

 

[Chuck Bobuck]

So I am in Cincinnati yesterday for work and I am wearing my new Fed IV. I had just been thinking that I did a REALLY crappy bash when I walked by a hat shop so I stopped in. I ask if they could help me with my bash and the lady told me (in broken English) that the hat probably needed to be cleaned. I explained that it was in fact new and I just needed help with the bash. She then handed it to her husband and he steamed the brim (not what I was looking for) so I explained to him what I was wanted. He finally did then turned around and told me the hat had "too much crown." I replied that I liked it, thanked him for his service, and then walked out.

What the hell does "too much crown" mean anyway?

Thanks

Maybe in his lifetime, or in his experience, he's only been around modern hats with lower crowns. Low crowns with smaller brims seem to be more the norm. Maybe lower crowns are more to his liking, or he would like to have sold you one. Funny that the lady couldn't tell a new hat from one that needed cleaning.

 

[Feraud]

...or maybe there is too much crown?...

 

[Akubra Man]

From your writing it does not seem that there was offered an exchange of $$$ for the service of bashing your hat. Also, you do not note that these people sold you the hat. If this is how it was then I think that these people wanted to provide you with some kind of a service and charge you for it. Hence, the comment about it needing cleaning ... a cleaning is a service they could charge you $$$ for. Did you offer to pay for the assistance with the bash? More detail please.

 

[Inusuit]

"What we have here is a failure to communicate."

--Cool Hand Luke

 

[carouselvic]

Was this man's name Gus?

 

[Goose.]

...or maybe there is too much crown?...

Yep.

Hey DG, I could look for pics by checking your previous posts, but how about a pic for this thread?

Funny in that something similar happened to me while wearing my Dark Brown Fed that I had for just a bit. In the mall I happened to see a window display of fedoras. So I go in...it's one of those stores that looks like an outdoor bazaar markets...a bit of everything....coats, shoes, wallets, briefcases, kitchen knives, and hats.

Was looking at the lids and the older lady (nice but agressive) wanted to see my "old and dirty" hat to clean it. I didn't take off my hat, told her it was new, and thanked her for the offer. She then said that I should buy one of her "imported" (she emphasized that) wool fedoras because they "will last longer than that inexpensive hat that you are wearing" (I knew she wanted to say "cheap"). I replied by asking her, not referring to my hat in any way, if she had heard of "Akubra"? She asked me if it was a shoe brand. I thanked her for letting me browse and left.

Ha ha...now that I think back, I think this pic of my old and dirty hat was taken that same day...

So anyway DoubleGun, post a pic. I'm thinking your's has too much crown lol
.

 

[Lefty]

What the hell does "too much crown" mean anyway?

Maybe he thinks you're too self-important.

 

[BellyTank]

Yeh- maybe he thinks yer puttin on airs, or such.

Or maybe the hat looks too big, or sumpin.


B
T

 

[Ande1964]

Too Many...

Hmm... did the guy look like this?

Anj

 

[Not-Bogart13]

I'm thinking that what you bumped in to (both Doublegun and Goose) is a combination of wanting to sell something... anything... and too little knowledge of their own stock. I saw a lot of this when a briefly dabbled in car sales, and I even had a boss who instructed me to STOP learning about the cars and just go sell them. He saw no point in actually knowing what I was talking about.

I had somebody tell me once, that a wool Dorfman Indy hat in his shop was the top-rung 100% fur felt version. I said, "This one has Wool Felt printed on the inside." He replied, "It 100% fur felt. Best there is. You can tell the difference by touch if you know your hats." :eusa_doh: By the way, I had an AB on my head at the time!

Simple fact is, most people who sell stuff know nothing about it except what they read in the stock catalogs. If that. And "too much crown" sounds like he only knows typical modern hats and thinks yours is a poorly designed hat.

 

[Dewhurst]

I make it a habit to never believe anecdotal stories, which crop up a lot strangely enough.[huh] Uhh, but anyway, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.

What was the name of this hat place?

In this person's estimation, perhaps there was just too much crown, which is their opinion, and permissible (even though you don't have to agree)? OR, you may have had a really shallow bash in it, so it looked a bit too open, and big? Hard to know, really.

People do seem to have a real knack for finding lousy hat shops. I have only been to three real hat shops (brick and mortar, two of which were Western stores), and they all knew exactly what they were talking about, having a very good knowledge of hats in general, how they are made, quality, etc.

 

[Lefty]

It might also be the case that he didn't understand your Australian.

 

[jdbenson]

Batsakes

The only hat shop in downtown Cincy is Batsakes, and your description of your experience there confirms that's where you were. I have had numerous dealings with the owner Gus Miller; some great, some not so great.

Gus is one of the few craftmen left in the hat business and he does wonderful work. BUT, he's been jerked around by the city (who tried to zone him out of business) and spent years dealing with punk kids and assorted rabble off the street who wander into his shop looking for something (anything) for nothing. I believe this has lead Gus to adopt a certain surly disposition.

 

[carouselvic]

I knew it.

 

[Lefty]

 

[Brad Bowers]

The Fed IV is a 5 5/8" crown, isn't it? I'd never say that was too much. Anything under 5 1/2" is too LITTLE crown!lol

Brad

 

[Doublegun]

The only hat shop in downtown Cincy is Batsakes, and your description of your experience there confirms that's where you were. I have had numerous dealings with the owner Gus Miller; some great, some not so great.

Gus is one of the few craftmen left in the hat business and he does wonderful work. BUT, he's been jerked around by the city (who tried to zone him out of business) and spent years dealing with punk kids and assorted rabble off the street who wander into his shop looking for something (anything) for nothing. I believe this has lead Gus to adopt a certain surly disposition.

That's the shop. Honestly, I was surprised to see an old-time shop like Batsakes. Here is Detroit we have Harry the Hatter, which is very similar. In fact, that's why I stopped in. Gus would hardly speak to me, leaving his wife to discuss what I wanted. That was problem #1. I offered to tip them for the steam and crease, but she waived me off.

I am relatively new at this but my Fed IV (deluxe) was much more difficult to crease/bash than my new Campdraft. The first bash with the CD was exactly what I was trying to accomplish. I could just never get there with the Fed IV.

Thanks