Softening an Akubra Federation IV

Maduma · Apr 29, 2014

I have had a Federation IV from hatsdirect for some time now and wear it quite a lot but it still isn't softening up much. I have just bought a Christys Adventurer Poet and now that I feel how soft that is I was wondering if anyone can give me some tips on how to soften the Federation IV, its a great hat but is a bit too stiff for me.

DougC · Apr 29, 2014

Wear it in the rain a few times (or simulate rain with the shower).

gtdean48 · Apr 29, 2014

Get a spray bottle, fill with distilled water, soak the Fed4, then work with your hands like kneading dough.
Push the crown down then push it back up....roll the brim up towards the crown & then do it the other way.
Put it in the shape you want & let it dry slowly preferably on your noggin . JMHO

Maduma · Apr 29, 2014

Thanks DougC much appreciated

Maduma · Apr 29, 2014

Thanks for the advice gtdean48, much appreciated.

gtdean48 · Apr 29, 2014

There was a video of somebody really working over an Akubra or a custom Indy hat...I know guys that have gotten open crowned Campdrafts & really worked them over before creasing & shaping as desired. That felt is some tough stuff....

Ande1964 · Apr 29, 2014

My approach to my Akubras has been less subtle. I fill the sink with tap water and dunk 'em. After a thorough soaking I pull the hat, dry it off slightly with a towel and then work the felt. Finally, I shape and set to dry.

Note- I have a long oval head, so I also use the soaking to reshape the hat a bit. I put a short stick (ends covered with paper towels) in the hat, front to back, so it dries with my long oval shape. Also, if you're worried about the hat shrinking on you after soaking the sweat band (I order mine a little large), you can put a hat jack in the hat as it dries.

Has worked for me. Your mileage may vary, of course.

Anj

scottyrocks · Apr 29, 2014

I may just do one of these procedures with my brown Fed IV. It has softened over the years, but not to the point I'd like, like my Fed III, which is as soft as I'd like.

Maduma · Apr 29, 2014

Thanks Ande1964 I also have a long oval so will follow your lead with this.

Edward · Apr 30, 2014

I've found with all my Akubras that regular wear softens them just fine.... If you want to accelerate the process though.... I once rashly wore an Akubra Rap to a Pogues gig.... looked like a train had gone over it by the end of the show, but ten minutes with the kettle when I got home and it was grand. Beautifully soft while still able to hold its shape ever since.....

MCrider · Apr 30, 2014

My Fed IV softened up easily. I got it in the basic shape I wanted, wore it outside and it was promptly blown off my head by a rainstorm and landed in a puddle of water. Situation solved. LOL!

tommyK · Apr 30, 2014

I've had 3 Akubras for (2 feds and a camp draft) they've never softened up much. They're just a stiffer hat. A reasonable trade off for how tough they are. Heavy rain and snow are when I wear them the most.

PHIL1959 · Apr 30, 2014

im after a stylemaster,can anyone tell me, are they as stiff as the fed appears to be by reading the above comments?

frussell · Apr 30, 2014

Whatever you do, don't apply any of the remedies listed above to your Christy's hat. You will end up with a tapered mess. I second most of the suggestions about the Akubra though. I've got a Fed IV that's pretty floppy now, because I just kept screwing around with the shape, using a spray bottle. It's quite soft now. Frank.

Edward · Apr 30, 2014

tommyK said:
I've had 3 Akubras for (2 feds and a camp draft) they've never softened up much. They're just a stiffer hat. A reasonable trade off for how tough they are. Heavy rain and snow are when I wear them the most.

Not my experience with the Fed, but organics will vary. The Campdraft is a stiffer hat, but I thought that was normal for a Western?

Rogera · May 1, 2014

PHIL1959 my Stylemaster is very soft, the brim AND the crown. That is one thing I really like about it.

Brian Niebuhr · May 1, 2014

Over the years I've done the hand working wet and dry hats to soften them. I've noticed that this can cause fur fibers in the felt to break. The felt becomes loose and the structure of the felt fails. More prone to shrinking and taper. Has anyone had this happen with Akubras? I haven't yet and it seems like they can take it as long as you take your time and slowly tame the felt. Don't just jump right in and squish the hat into a ball.

PHIL1959 · May 1, 2014

thanks-Rogera, Im ordering a stylemaster in moonstone from everything Australian,for a forthcoming river cruise.

Maduma · May 5, 2014

I tried you method Ande1964 and dunked it but in distilled water (as per gtdean48) and then worked the felt and shaped it then put it on my head to dry (per gtdean48). I just wet the outside of the hat and not the lining or sweat band. It was slightly big before and not a long oval which I am and now it is a long oval and fits perfectly so all in all very happy with the process and no negatives for the Federation IV at all. Thanks Ande1964 and gtdean48

MothPrey · May 5, 2014

Edward said:
Not my experience with the Fed, but organics will vary. The Campdraft is a stiffer hat, but I thought that was normal for a Western?

Two of my most recent Akubras are a Silverbelly Heritage Campdraft and a Moonstone Heritage Campdraft. The Silverbelly was probably second-stiffest Akubra out-of-the-box that I've owned, it really couldn't be dry-bashed at all, and thick. The Moonstone is easily the softest, most supple Akubra I've owned, not quite like vintage, but so soft it really can't be handled by the crown and keep its shape, and the felt seems about half the thickness of that of the Silverbelly.

I had similar puzzling results with two older Feds, where the Imperial tan was/is thicker and much softer than the Heritage black.

I don't think stiffness is consistent even within model and grade. Perhaps within model, grade and color, but I'd be surprised if even that doesn't change over time. I suspect it's just who is making them in that production run, or that day. On some models, like the Western hats that come shaped I'd suspect that they generally use a lot of shellac, but on the open crown models I think it's just chance.

I have a Bluegrass CD on backorder. It will be interesting to see. Sometimes I'm tempted to double-down on that order, because I'd like to do two very differently, but at other times I think I'd better wait and see.

Softening an Akubra Federation IV

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