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Advice needed - Akubra Federation IV

deadlyhandsome

deadlyhandsome

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18,930
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Central California
Lots of info in the Conversion Corral thread on reshaping, removing taper, and using the plastic hat shaper blocks as well as traditional wood blocks.

If you live close to a decent hatter you might be money and time ahead having it professionally done.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The Fedorable

The Fedorable

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Califonria
jlee562 said:
If you're not going to remove the sweatband, get a block or shaper that is one size below. If you are going to remove the sweatband, go the next size up.

Going by Akubra's sizing chart, they say their 58 is equivalent to a US 7 1/4. So you are looking for a 7 1/8 block if you're not going to remove the sweat, 7 3/8 if you are.
Click to expand...

Would I end up losing length in the brim? Any risks I may face going for 7 3/8 and not removing the sweatband?
 
jlee562

jlee562

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The Tommy Gun Bandit said:
Would I end up losing length in the brim? Any risks I may face going for 7 3/8 and not removing the sweatband?
Click to expand...

No, hat construction is funny like that. I also would have thought that the block number corresponded to the finished hat size. But alas, whoever invented the system didn't think like I do. What's going on is that hats are blocked to accommodate for the width that the sweatband will add to the interior (and thus shrink the inside circumference).

As far as the risks, have a poke around the conversion corral. Those folks would know much better than I.
 
The Fedorable

The Fedorable

One of the Regulars
Messages
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jlee562 said:
No, hat construction is funny like that. I also would have thought that the block number corresponded to the finished hat size. But alas, whoever invented the system didn't think like I do. What's going on is that hats are blocked to accommodate for the width that the sweatband will add to the interior (and thus shrink the inside circumference).

As far as the risks, have a poke around the conversion corral. Those folks would know much better than I.
Click to expand...


Ah, okay. Makes sense.
 
The Fedorable

The Fedorable

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johnnycanuck said:
if you are buying one of those hat shapers its not about stretching the hat as it is about reforming the crown. I am a size 60 (23.62")and I would probably get a medium plus (23.5"). its not the size you are stretching out its the crown to remove the taper.
My two cents worth
Johnny
Click to expand...

Alright, thanks. I'll definitely look into it. Right now, I think it may be both stretching the hat and reforming the crown. At least to me. My head measures 59-60cm (or 23-23.5in) and the hat I got was a 58 which fit very well at the time. Sat low where I liked it. I did go hatless for a while last year, so I'm not sure if that's where the hat shrank and tapered.
 
johnnycanuck

johnnycanuck

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The Tommy Gun Bandit said:
Alright, thanks. I'll definitely look into it. Right now, I think it may be both stretching the hat and reforming the crown. At least to me. My head measures 59-60cm (or 23-23.5in) and the hat I got was a 58 which fit very well at the time. Sat low where I liked it. I did go hatless for a while last year, so I'm not sure if that's where the hat shrank and tapered.
Click to expand...
IF that’s the case I would probably send it off for a proper servicing..... or plan to do that later and buy a new hat in the in between time. ;)
Johnny
 
The Fedorable

The Fedorable

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johnnycanuck said:
IF that’s the case I would probably send it off for a proper servicing..... or plan to do that later and buy a new hat in the in between time. ;)
Johnny
Click to expand...

Yea, that is what I'm starting to learn toward. Get a new hat, send this one off to get serviced. Really want to keep this hat as long as possible as it is a birthday gift from my dad. But if the servicing is going to cost as much as my hat when we got it in 2014, then I'll just hold off until after I get a Penman or Advintage Raiders hat.
 
Lew Decker

Lew Decker

New in Town
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45
Location
exeter, nh
Just ordered a fed IV deluxe from The Hattery. Just throwing this out there in case this helps - I was looking for a softer felt and asked about it. Naomi & Trudy got back and said to simply request a softer felt in the order comments. I also asked about a black ribbon as opposed to the default brown. They indicated it would have to be brown but once again if I requested a black ribbon they’d throw one in for free but I’d have to get a local milliner to switch them.
 
TheManInTheHat

TheManInTheHat

One of the Regulars
Messages
161
Location
Hong Kong
Christopher Lange said:
Good day, gentlemen.

I am new to this forum :) I am doing a bit of pre-purchase research about the Akubra Fed IV. In general, I have read many positive feedbacks about the hat, on this forum as well as other places. However, the other day I came across this review

http://adambeeton.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/review-of-akubra-federation-iv-and.html

which casts a great doubt in my mind regarding the hat's tapering-resistance. Basically, I am looking for a fedora with a non-tapered crown so this problem concerns me a fair bit. Can you, especially ones who own the hat, give some insights, please?

Thank you.
Click to expand...
I have only good things to report on the Fed IV. Lie several other members, I must say it’s my easy favourite factory hat. I have 3 currently and had 3 previously which the current bunch replaced. Nothing to do with shrinkage but I found it preferable to wear one size up. Normally a size 59, I love the increased boxiness of a 60. I’ve always worn them in rainy conditions and never had any regrets. I should also say I treated them all with scotch hard on Day One.
So I bought black, brown and moonstone. One more noteworthy point is that I switched from deluxe to standard and never regretted it. The standard felt and sweatband are still streets ahead of any other factory hat I’ve encountered. There is zero taper to the crown.
My next experiment is buying an Adventurer. I’m hopeful it might even beat the Fed IV. Wouldn’t that be something?
 
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