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[LEOSTARK]

Bottom left to right Akubra Snowy River in Sandtone Fawn, Art Fawcett Natural Felt, Akubra Snowy River in sand.
Top row left to right Akubra Coolabah in Bran, Akubra Cattleman in Fawn.
View attachment 423757
Looking at the Federation the best bet would be tawny fawn and in the stylemaster Acorn Fawn. I would personally go for the Federation myself. Mine is 16 years old and still going strong.
Hope that helps
Johnny

This helps tremendously! Appreciate your time, and thanks for being so kind!

 

[johnnycanuck]

This helps tremendously! Appreciate your time, and thanks for being so kind!

All of the fawn colours are great versatile hats. Goes with just about anything. Glad to help.
Johnny

 

[Granville]

Newest acquisition is a short-brimmed Champ. Judging only by the crown it could be "old new stock." Sides of crown are soft, but no dents or pinches. When I try and mold a dent it basically pops back out. Other than hours of massaging them into place, is there a method for 'fixing' the dent/pinch?

 

[Steve1857]

Newest acquisition is a short-brimmed Champ. Judging only by the crown it could be "old new stock." Sides of crown are soft, but no dents or pinches. When I try and mold a dent it basically pops back out. Other than hours of massaging them into place, is there a method for 'fixing' the dent/pinch?View attachment 423937

Nice looking Champ, Granville.

Have you tried steaming and shaping?

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Newest acquisition is a short-brimmed Champ. Judging only by the crown it could be "old new stock." Sides of crown are soft, but no dents or pinches. When I try and mold a dent it basically pops back out. Other than hours of massaging them into place, is there a method for 'fixing' the dent/pinch?View attachment 423937

Some folks use water and some use steam. I predominantly use steam.

Steam Wins!

For those of you who are still using a spray bottle to shape your hats, take the advice of the many loungers who have advocated steam as the way to shape. I finally broke down and got myself a tea kettle, and the results are amazing. It is so much easier to obtain the results you are wanting...

www.thefedoralounge.com

 

[Granville]

Some folks use water and some use steam. I predominantly use steam.

I've used the steam to soften the felt for stretching a hat, but this hat is soft enough. I'm trying to get the dents to stiffen/fix. But also I'll be reluctant to use any starch/spray (hair spray?) on it. Right now I'm creasing/pinching along the top ridges of the center crease above where I want the dents, and that seems to be working. I'm just looking to add small divots, nothing too dramatic.
As always, thanks for the advice and support.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I've used the steam to soften the felt for stretching a hat, but this hat is soft enough. I'm trying to get the dents to stiffen/fix. But also I'll be reluctant to use any starch/spray (hair spray?) on it. Right now I'm creasing/pinching along the top ridges of the center crease above where I want the dents, and that seems to be working. I'm just looking to add small divots, nothing too dramatic.
As always, thanks for the advice and support.

Steam is what I’d use to do just what you’re after. Steam the dents and hold them in place with your fingers for 30 seconds. Repeat as needed. It’s really helpful if you have a source of steam that you can direct to a certain spot. Jiffy hat steamers work great, but a kettle can certainly be used too.

 

[belfastboy]

I've used the steam to soften the felt for stretching a hat, but this hat is soft enough. I'm trying to get the dents to stiffen/fix. But also I'll be reluctant to use any starch/spray (hair spray?) on it. Right now I'm creasing/pinching along the top ridges of the center crease above where I want the dents, and that seems to be working. I'm just looking to add small divots, nothing too dramatic.
As always, thanks for the advice and support.

Steam will do the job you are after. If it is obstinate try holding the pinches in place after you have steamed. Hold in place allowing the felt to cool. It should set up for you.

 

[Granville]

Steam will do the job you are after. If it is obstinate try holding the pinches in place after you have steamed. Hold in place allowing the felt to cool. It should set up for you.

Excellent. Thank you.

 

[Granville]

Steam is what I’d use to do just what you’re after. Steam the dents and hold them in place with your fingers for 30 seconds. Repeat as needed. It’s really helpful if you have a source of steam that you can direct to a certain spot. Jiffy hat steamers work great, but a kettle can certainly be used too.

Thank you!

 

[johnnycanuck]

Awesome looking hat. Very Mod. Love the look
Johnny

 

[Hurricane Jack]

@carouselvic

Or anyone else. I have always associated this style Stetson script & nomenclature with the Stevens era. Is that an accurate assumption? Or could it be from one of the other 14 foreign licensing agreements Stetson had at the time leading up to Stevens?

If accurate I find it intriguing that Truman left office in 1953, the Truman library was built in 1957, yrs before the Stevens era. And although the hat case has a small Presidential seal the nomenclature does not refer to "President".

 

[carouselvic]

Got me, I don’t know…

 

[dkstott]

No question in this. Just a shout out to Delmonico Hatters.

I live within a 30 minute drive of the store. But due to Covid & weather, I haven't been able to get there in well over 6 months.

Not long after I walked in the store, Ben Delmonico greets me by my name. He asked how the hats that I've purchased from him are holding up. ) Akubra Banjo Patterson, Stetson Beaver, etc. )

I asked him about a few things I've seen on his website. He runs down to the basement/ warehouse and comes back with several items IN MY SIZE.

I love doing business with small businesses.

FyI I purchased a few caps today. He added a 15% discount to the prices.

 

[carouselvic]

https://www.kansas.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/carrie-rengers/article261250147.html?fbclid=IwAR1pxcIw00f18jaCpPVmeXdDRGdSptgX3Aj5M_719UMW5f-EyP5wENm7EwY

please move if there is a better spot for this

 

[tamz0r]

Question: is there much of a difference between a 2 1/2” brim and 2 5/8”? And more specifically, would a 2 5/8” brim still be considered in the “formal” range, i.e. worn with a suit or sport coat?

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Question: is there much of a difference between a 2 1/2” brim and 2 5/8”? And more specifically, would a 2 5/8” brim still be considered in the “formal” range, i.e. worn with a suit or sport coat?

In my opinion, small differences do make a significant difference in the feel of a hat. I don’t consider the fedora a particularly formal hat, but I do agree that those with brims in the 2 5/8” range look better on me when dressed up. A lot of the t has to do with proportions. A 2 1/2” brim can look fairly wide on someone who wears a size 6 7/8, but it looks rather small on my at 7 3/4. Unless I’m going for a stingy brim look, my lower limit is a 2 5/8” brim. I also think the wider 2 3/4 to 3” brims look good dressed up.

Brims widths changed over the decades, and different widths were worn with the same type of attire. A 1920s-‘30s fedora will probably have a more modest brim width. A 1940s to early 1950s fedora will often have a more generous brim. Those made in the later 1950s through the ‘60s often had brims even narrower than those of the 1930s.

There are a lot of components that add to a hats formality. A hat that is pristine in shape and condition automatically looks more formal. Wider ribbons are more formal than thinner ones. The colors of the felt and ribbon and the contrasts between them changes the formality. The right fedora with a 2 5/8” or even larger brim can certainly pair well with a suit or sport coat.

 

[belfastboy]

In my opinion, small differences do make a significant difference in the feel of a hat. I don’t consider the fedora a particularly formal hat, but I do agree that those with brims in the 2 5/8” range look better on me when dressed up. A lot of the t has to do with proportions. A 2 1/2” brim can look fairly wide on someone who wears a size 6 7/8, but it looks rather small on my at 7 3/4. Unless I’m going for a stingy brim look, my lower limit is a 2 5/8” brim. I also think the wider 2 3/4 to 3” brims look good dressed up.

Brims widths changed over the decades, and different widths were worn with the same type of attire. A 1920s-‘30s fedora will probably have a more modest brim width. A 1940s to early 1950s fedora will often have a more generous brim. Those made in the later 1950s through the ‘60s often had brims even narrower than those of the 1930s.

There are a lot of components that add to a hats formality. A hat that is pristine in shape and condition automatically looks more formal. Wider ribbons are more formal than thinner ones. The colors of the felt and ribbon and the contrasts between them changes the formality. The right fedora with a 2 5/8” or even larger brim can certainly pair well with a suit or sport coat.

Also, the fullness of the crown plays a part. I like full crowns, no taper and found that the 2 5/8" brim is more my sweet spot than my previous of 2 1/2".

 

[LEOSTARK]

My head size is about 2mm above 57cm, and when I ordered a stylemaster from hatsdirect, they were incredibly helpful and sent me a 58cm on the smaller side with some sizing strips. 1 sizing strip in and it fits very well!

When I ordered another colour stylemaster from hats.by.the.100, I gave the exact same information and they sent me 57cm hat. It fits a little more snug than the one from hatsdirect without any sizing strip, but still comfortable.

Is it justified to pay for shipping and exchange the smaller hat for 1 size up to accommodate for shrinkage over age? Or am I thinking too much about it? Thanks.

 

[belfastboy]

My head size is about 2mm above 57cm, and when I ordered a stylemaster from hatsdirect, they were incredibly helpful and sent me a 58cm on the smaller side with some sizing strips. 1 sizing strip in and it fits very well!

When I ordered another colour stylemaster from hats.by.the.100, I gave the exact same information and they sent me 57cm hat. It fits a little more snug than the one from hatsdirect without any sizing strip, but still comfortable.

Is it justified to pay for shipping and exchange the smaller hat for 1 size up to accommodate for shrinkage over age? Or am I thinking too much about it? Thanks.

I am not a heavy sweat guy so the leather sweat bands in my hats don't get saturated. I think from that I have not had much of a problem with shrinkage in my Akubra hats. There are many folks here that do experience shrinkage. I think the amount of wear, the level of sweat it absorbs goes a long way in determining the shrink rate.