AKUBRA COOBER PEADY QUESTION

[Cigarband]

I have an Akubra Coober Peady that my Dad bought back in 1995. I inherited it the next year and wear it occasionally during the winter. It's a great hat, but the crown is VERY
STIFF. So stiff that I can't change the original bash. Are the Campdraft and Fed Akubras also this stiff?

[gtdean48]

I have a Kiandra that is pre-creased by Akubra, also a Riverina. They are both stiffer than my 2 Campdrafts. If you soak them good with water, they soften up for changing the crease but stiffen back when dry. Steaming also seems to revive the stiffening. HTH

[jpbales]

the federation and campdrafts are not very stiff at all, and are easy to re-crease. The coober pedy appears to have a pre-blocked crease, which would explain why it is set in so well. The Federation and the Campdraft come open-crown, meaning that it comes with no creases and you have to crease it yourself, which is a breeze.

[Cigarband]

Should I try to re-crease it or send it to Optimo?
I'll trust my fellow FLers judgement.

[gtdean48]

I'm a do-it-yourself'er. If you don't like it, then you can send it off.
I had an Akubra Dallas that my mother brought back from Australia years ago that had a round telescope type crease. I did the same with it, that I did my Kiandra. I have a spray bottle with distilled water (use it in my humidor) & I soaked the crown very well, shaped it like I wanted it then wore it while it dried. THe Coober Peady has a lower crown that a Campdraft so what you can do will be a tad limited....

[Chuck Bobuck]

Just out of curiousity, how would you change the crown? The non-snap brim is wide and slopes down in the back, the crown is lower than a Fed or CD with big eyelets. I'd be tempted to let it be what it is, a nice outback style hat, and buy a Campdraft or a Fed if you want a fedora with a taller crown with a wide brim.

If you don't like it the way it is, then I'd go with gtdean48's advice.

[Cigarband]

Were it soft enough, I'd go for a Diamond crease.

[Chuck Bobuck]

Were it soft enough, I'd go for a Diamond crease.

IMO, I think the crown might be a little low for a diamond. I have a Squatter that I put a center dent in. I tried to copy the Squatter shown on David Morgan's site. I tried a diamond in it, but it looked too low and my head popped the crown out. I would recommend the CD or Fed for a fedora with a nice tall crown that will take a diamond and can be adjusted from tall to low. I also have a longer head, so while I don't think a low crown works for me, it could for you. I'm certainly not a hat or fashion expert, so take it with a grain of salt.

[elvisroe]

I've got both an old Coober Peady and a newish Fed iv and I have found the CP to be a pretty stiff hat. The Fed certanly seems softer but that could be because it's been exposed to less sun and rain!

I picked up the CP from my cousin who hammered it pretty hard while working on an outback station and I was surprised that it actually developed a small split across the brim from being pushed and pulled back and forward on his head. I've never seen that on an akubra before and i figured it was a combination of stiff felt and the steep swoop of the brim.

It was also wearing at the point of the crown so I tried to give it a rebash to prevent it splitting more but, as chuck suggests, there ain't much more hat to work with! It's essentially a cone shape and doesn't really lend itself to a fresh look.

I wouldn't worry too much about other Akubras, I've rebashed a few over the years and they've all come out pretty well. You certainly won't have trouble with those with an open crown .

[Cigarband]

Upon closer examination, and a bit of crease tweaking, I have to agree that the crown is just too short for anything except the original crease. No matter how much I'd like to
make it closer to a Campdraft, it is and shall remain a Coober
Pedy. I guess I feel a draft coming from somewhere Southwest.