I love the Fed IV!!

Nathaniel Finley · Sep 4, 2017

KarlCrow said:
looks great, unique.

Thank you, Karl!

scottyrocks · Sep 4, 2017

I'm diggin' the crease. Not sure about the campaign cord, though.

tropicalbob · Sep 4, 2017

Nathaniel Finley said:
Lol, I admit, it's not for everybody.
Nor is this probably, but I don't often have my hair down...

View attachment 84792

My hat's off to you.

Revenger · Sep 4, 2017

Nathaniel Finley said:
Finished the final changes on my FED IV for now, just in time for my trip to South Asia! Diamond crease extended up through the Dome and my version of a campaign cord made from wooden Buddha beads. A bit wonky but I'm a wonky guy

Not exactly where I want it but further modifications will come when I get to Australia at the end of the year. So far it's been a good journey with this one.

Cheers,
Nathan

I really like this look. I couldn't pull off the prayer beads, personally, but you definitely do. Now I'll have to add a Fed IV to my list of future pickups.

Zombie_61 · Sep 4, 2017

Nathaniel Finley said:
Lol, I admit, it's not for everybody.
Nor is this probably, but I don't often have my hair down...

View attachment 84792

I wore my hair that length (maybe a little shorter, but not by much) for a number of years when my various employers would allow it. Except for the time and money spent on maintaining it (i.e., I went through a lot of shampoo and conditioner) it was great--get out of the shower, run a comb through it, pull it back in a pony tail, done for the day. One day at work someone commented they had never seen me without it being pulled back, so I "unleashed the beast". Whatever conversation those present were having turned into stunned silence for nearly a minute.

I don't recall exactly when, but at some point within the last 10 years I decided I'd had enough of the daily maintenance ritual and had it cut to approximately shoulder length; there was easily as much of my hair on the floor as remained on my head that day. Besides, I've been s-l-o-w-l-y developing the typical "bald spot", and I don't want to be that guy who looks like he's leaving his hair long in an attempt to hide it.

Getting back to your Fed, I dig it! The Buddhist beads are a nice touch that add to the overall aesthetics of the hat, and that seems to be a practical way to carry them with you. Nicely done!

Nathaniel Finley · Sep 5, 2017

[QUOTE="scottyrocks, post: 2294745, member: 7852" Not sure about the campaign cord, though.[/QUOTE]

I wasn't sure either when I first put them on. The beads are actually safety pinned on because I was so unsure. But it's grown on me a lot in the last two days and I like it very much now.

Glad you like the crease!

Nathaniel Finley · Sep 5, 2017

Revenger said:
I really like this look. I couldn't pull off the prayer beads, personally, but you definitely do. Now I'll have to add a Fed IV to my list of future pickups.

Thank you, Revenger! I reckon it's a unique taste but I knew there would be others out there who would appreciate it. Glad to connect!

Redshoes51 · Sep 5, 2017

Nathaniel Finley said:
But it's grown on me a lot in the last two days and I like it very much now.

What you have done is make that hat uniquely YOU!! It's who you are... it defines you...

I love it!

~shoes~

scottyrocks · Sep 5, 2017

Zombie_61 said:
I've been s-l-o-w-l-y developing the typical "bald spot", and I don't want to be that guy who looks like he's leaving his hair long in an attempt to hide it.

I've been buzzing my head for 20+ years for that very reason. But since June I haven't put a cutter to it because I'm just that curious to see my head pre-1995.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

scottyrocks · Feb 4, 2018

Nathaniel Finley said:
I suspect the hat colors of the Tawny Fawn vary by a considerable degree from one hat to another. I plan to go to Katoomba and look with my own eyes. I just don't see how the image below, which one of the loungers once posted, could ever be considered the same color as what I have in my possession.

This is the color I really, really wanted. I'm calling it "cornflake brown" or "cornflake yellow," depending on my mood.

View attachment 79962

Based on my hat, that is most accurate picture of that color I have seen thus far. It looks very much like mine.

Nathaniel Finley · Feb 5, 2018

The color in my FED IV looks nothing at all like the one in the photo, not even in the sunlight.

I had actually hoped to get up to Katoomba while visiting Australia and go to the Hattery once again to compare colors and blocks within certain models (especially the FED IV’s). Unfortunately, I won’t be able to do that, but I should be able to get to Everything Australian here in Melbourne next Saturday. I’m excited to handle some Campdrafts.

Some folks complain about the inconsistent side of Akubra, but I find it charming. It certainly makes hat shopping an adventure!

Zombie_61 · Feb 5, 2018

Nathaniel Finley said:
...Some folks complain about the inconsistent side of Akubra, but I find it charming. It certainly makes hat shopping an adventure!

Maybe I've just been lucky, or there's an entity somewhere in the universe looking out for me, but I haven't experienced many of the inconsistencies mentioned by the members here. There was a minor difference in sizing between my Fed IVs and my Campdrafts, and my Bluegrass Green Campdraft has an orange liner rather than the white liners like my other Akubras, but they're all consistent with regards to finish and proportions. The colors rarely photograph accurately, but I can't blame that on Akubra.

Nathaniel Finley · Feb 5, 2018

Zombie_61 said:
Maybe I've just been lucky, or there's an entity somewhere in the universe looking out for me, but I haven't experienced many of the inconsistencies mentioned by the members here. There was a minor difference in sizing between my Fed IVs and my Campdrafts, and my Bluegrass Green Campdraft has an orange liner rather than the white liners like my other Akubras, but they're all consistent with regards to finish and proportions. The colors rarely photograph accurately, but I can't blame that on Akubra.

My biggest inconsistency was that all three Akubras I have owned previously have been size 58 and shrunk down to perfect fit within weeks of purchase. The FED IV, however, was massive and I still have two small clippings form those size modifier tape things (there’s a proper name for those things, right?) inside the sweat.

scottyrocks · Feb 5, 2018

In all fairness, I have hats that are labeled as 7 3/8 that I put padding into when I got them, and the padding is still there, many months, and for some, years later. Doesn't make it right, but that's what it is.

scottyrocks · Feb 8, 2018

I've had my brown one apart, back together again, wetted, steamed, on the block, off the block, shaped and reshaped a number of times.

The way it has been sitting, up until a little while ago, there were a combination of factors that couldn't be corrected without a reblock.

So I stuffed it down on my 52, steamed it up, and smoothed out the front pinch lines with the bottom of a tablespoon, then let it sit for several minutes to dry completely. The spoon got the old lines completely out of the felt.

I needed to get the front pinch down to 4 inches, and the back of the dent to 3 1/2 for the hat to not look too tall on my head, and to get the rake I wanted. I also wanted to straighten up the sides a bit so I pushed a diamond into it.

With the crown at that height my head was hitting the dent and pushing the front of the crease up, as well. So I pushed a small dome into the center of it to make room for the top of my noggin.

New side dents went in, much less severe than before.

I like the proportions better now. It's like a whole new hat. Again.

Zombie_61 · Feb 8, 2018

^ Man, that looks great Scott! I wish I could get that "casually creased" look that you and other members here have attained, but mine always end up a little too "tidy".

scottyrocks · Feb 8, 2018

Zombie_61 said:
^ Man, that looks great Scott! I wish I could get that "casually creased" look that you and other members here have attained, but mine always end up a little too "tidy".

Well, it's partly the hat's doing.

As I shape it, it doesn't always want to move symmetrically so I let it settle where it wants to, as long as I get the general look I want.

I'm into organic. Just not in my food.

moontheloon · Feb 8, 2018

scottyrocks said:
I've had my brown one apart, back together again, wetted, steamed, on the block, off the block, shaped and reshaped a number of times.

The way it has been sitting, up until a little while ago, there were a combination of factors that couldn't be corrected without a reblock.

So I stuffed it down on my 52, steamed it up, and smoothed out the front pinch lines with the bottom of a tablespoon, then let it sit for several minutes to dry completely. The spoon got the old lines completely out of the felt.

I needed to get the front pinch down to 4 inches, and the back of the dent to 3 1/2 for the hat to not look too tall on my head, and to get the rake I wanted. I also wanted to straighten up the sides a bit so I pushed a diamond into it.

With the crown at that height my head was hitting the dent and pushing the front of the crease up, as well. So I pushed a small dome into the center of it to make room for the top of my noggin.

New side dents went in, much less severe than before.

I like the proportions better now. It's like a whole new hat. Again.

View attachment 105834 View attachment 105835 View attachment 105836

Looks quite nice Scott

Not saying this is the case with your hat ... but seeing your photos made me think of it .... ive found that sometimes to get a hat to look right from the the front and/or sides a crease such as a diamond has to be asymmetrical... meaning sometimes the left and right rear peaks need to be off ....
One higher than the other ... or one further back or whatever

Looks great

scottyrocks · Feb 8, 2018

moontheloon said:
Looks quite nice Scott

Not saying this is the case with your hat ... but seeing your photos made me think of it .... ive found that sometimes to get a hat to look right from the the front and/or sides a crease such as a diamond has to be asymmetrical... meaning sometimes the left and right rear peaks need to be off ....
One higher than the other ... or one further back or whatever

Looks great

Thank you. I found that just pushing the crown around yielded much assymetricalness. I straightened some of it out but didn't fuss over making it perfect because I do like an organic look. It is mostly a little wonky in the dome section.

moontheloon · Feb 8, 2018

scottyrocks said:
Thank you. I found that just pushing the crown around yielded much assymetricalness. I straightened some of it out but didn't fuss over making it perfect because I do like an organic look. It is mostly a little wonky in the dome section.

View attachment 105865 View attachment 105866

excellent ... love that look

love to see a hat that has gone through a lot continue to get a new lease on life

I love the Fed IV!!

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