Reblocking?

[Lorne]

Hello All,

I've recently suffered some attrition among my vintage hats (one was stolen; the other was blown off and run over by a truck). My last vintage is my best (a light weight Knox), and I've become very protective of it for obvious reasons.

This leaves me without a day-to-day hat.

I've been checking the auction sites and the prices are enough to make a grown (divorced with teenager and current wife) man weep.

I've also noticed some fur-felt licensed Indiana Jones hats. They are lined with leather sweat bands and have decent sized brims and crowns. However, they look to be of the "stiffer than hell" variety.

Can these hats be reblocked to turn them from "adventure brim" to snap brim configuration?


Lorne

 

[hatophile]

Lorne, you may be better off with a Federation if your circumstances can afford it. They are very nice vintage looking hats for the price.
Also, if you want a vintage hat look out for the lesser known brands than Stetson or Borsalino. Penney's Marathon, Lee, Champ for instance are good quality vintage hats that usually go for less $$ than the Whippets, Open Roads, etc.

 

[Lorne]

I prefer vintage; but with the cost and the pain of watching them go under the wheels of a semi, I'm looking for something more expendable.

 

[hatophile]

Yes, I feel your pain. A modern Akubra would be the way to go in my book.

 

[Lorne]

I understand that there are probably better hats than what I'm looking at buying.

All the same, based on the experience of the group can the hat I'm looking at be reblocked?

 

[Joshbru3]

Any hat can be re-blocked but you may want to read this thread before you do....

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?28503-Limits-of-blocking

 

[bendingoak]

That hat will bleed and most likely rip apart. isn't worth the money or the time. Like stated. Money better spent on the fed 4

 

[Not-Bogart13]

And if you're used to vintage, you'll feel like your wearing a child's toy. The felt it very stiff, thick, and not really good for alteration. I have seen the results of attempted reblocks of this hat. Never liked any of them.

Frankly, you'd be better off hunting down a current stetson with a similar brim width, but unless you nab a used one, you'll pay more than you would for the Federation and get a lesser hat. Try looking for second-hand Akubras - the Federation, Campdraft, and Adventurer would make good choices. Better yet, put a wanted ad in the classifieds here, describe what you like, and maybe somebody will have some hidden gold gathering dust in their closet.

 

[Monte]

I prefer vintage; but with the cost and the pain of watching them go under the wheels of a semi, I'm looking for something more expendable.

I've learned my lesson on a couple of these cheap toys. Very few Indiana Jones hats would pass as real felt fedoras. My brother called with a great deal on one and said it was "no toy." I agreed to buy it and was not at all pleased with the WOOL hat he so nicely delivered. It had all the elements of a hat--but it was nothing Dr. Jones would care to reach under a falling wall for. Snatch a pre-owned vintage if you can spot a deal. If you're from Boston, Mass....I assume you have access to all kinds of wicked antiquity in comparison to the grassy plains up here.
As a side note, you could probably run over an old, crushable hat and still restore it to most of its former glory if you read enough of the HOW-TOs on the lounge. Bath time!

 

[KingAndrew]

I have to agree that an Akubra would be a good choice for you. But you have a good hat store in Boston: Salmagundi. Why don't you go down there and see what they have to offer or recommend? They may be able to help find a solution that fits both your style and your wallet (not to mention your head).

Andrew

 

[Wolfwood]

I've also noticed some fur-felt licensed Indiana Jones hats. They are lined with leather sweat bands and have decent sized brims and crowns. However, they look to be of the "stiffer than hell" variety.

They are indeed stiffer than hell. My first hat was a licensed wool felt Indy hat. I did not learn the lesson but bought the ful-felt variety next. It was better than the wool felt, but hard as plywood. My third hat was an Akubra Federation IV Deluxe and I've never looked back.

Mind you, I have no experience of vintage hats, since they are pretty difficult to find in these parts of the world.