Should I get it reblocked?

[daggerlee]

Hi all,

My new hat won off eBay came today. It's a "Knox Custom" from Knox, with a "Custom edge" (from the sweatband). Has the initials "LEH" monogrammed into the sweatband. Is a model "K305" in "Ebony" from underneath the sweatband, I assume the 305 refers to the block type?

Anyway, it comes with just a lengthwise crease in the crown:

http://i16.ebayimg.com/03/i/03/54/71/f2_1_b.JPG

I tried to give it the two "dimples" in the front part (Like so: http://img228.exs.cx/img228/5671/blocking6tn.jpg ). It seems to hold it, but not very well, and it is hard to get the two dimples to be even. Plus, I read that one should avoid handling the hat by the crown as much as possible..

My question is, should I just try to continue to "bash" it or would it be worthwhile to get it reblocked, perhaps even in a teardrop/c-crown fashion? There is a pretty 'famous' hat store (www.delmonicohatter.com) close to me that might be able to do it for me, or I would send it to Optimo...

Regards,
Dan

 

[Biltmore Bob]

It probably came that way originally, center dent.

 

[daggerlee]

Yeah it looks like it came with only a center crease. I was wondering if I should get it reblocked with a "pinch crown" to get the front pinch.

Don't think I want a teardrop/c-crown anymore, seems like those are reserved for big brim fedoras only!

 

[Andykev]

It boils down to this

Do you like the look of the hat? It appears to be a "60's hat. And not really "vintage". If you want the 40's or earlier look, Please look up Art's shop. He can make you a nice hat of fine quality, on a budget.

YOu have a nice lid there buddy, but (ya I know a "but" negates things), I personally think the hats from the 40's look better. See the avitars of Matt Deckard, Zohar, MK, and maybe even me....

I prefer that FILM NOIR, Republic Serials, Warner Brothers look!

 

[jamespowers]

Yeah it looks like it came with only a center crease. I was wondering if I should get it reblocked with a "pinch crown" to get the front pinch.

You can get that pinch to the front of the crown to stay with steam. Steam the areas you want to put the dents into and then put the dents in. When it dries the dents will stay where you put them.
I suppose the easiest way would be to have some reblock it for you though. I can say that Art does a very good job of reblocking hats. He has done a couple of dozen for me.

Regards to all,

J

 

[daggerlee]

Hmm, I don't really have the best "steaming capabiltiies here. At best, I have an electric kettle that doesn't produce much steam. But I guess I'll try to find a kitchen with a real stove around here and try to get some "real" steam and try to give it a pinch crown :0

I guess it wouldn't be worth it to get it reblocked when I could steam it...probably wouldn't be worth it to get it reblocked when the brim is only 2" long, not 2.5" like most of the c-crown fedoras on here.

Thanks for the help everybody

 

[Renderking Fisk]

I prefer that FILM NOIR, Republic Serials, Warner Brothers look!

That's what I'm talking about... right there!

I’ve had my Akubra’s rebocked by the two best men in the buisness: Art Fawcett and Steve Delk.

Art will reblock your fedora EXACTLY the way you want it done, and specializes in what “Warner Brothers� Bogart look.

Steve Delk is the resident expert on the “Fortune and Glory� look… (can I say “Indiana Jones� with out getting him into trouble?) and he’s spent years researching every aspect of creating fedora’s from scratch.

If there’s an expert on Fedora care and reblocking… I would love to know.

Ren

 

[The Mad Hatter]

I’ve had my Akubra’s rebocked by the two best men in the buisness: Art Fawcett and Steve Delk.

How do I contact these two fellows. Is it possible to ship a hat to them or to somebody else who's good? (I live in Appalachia - there's no hat store down the street from where I live. )

 

[Molorom]

you can contact

Steve Delk
http://www.adventurebilthats.com/
sdelk@cableone.net

Art Fawcett
http://www.vintagesilhouettes.com

bolth do good jobs at reblocking. Ive bought a few things from
steve and sent a few hats to him to have blocked all with
great results. He has very good service and turnaround time.
Adam

 

[daggerlee]

Do you like the look of the hat? It appears to be a "60's hat. And not really "vintage". If you want the 40's or earlier look, Please look up Art's shop. He can make you a nice hat of fine quality, on a budget.

YOu have a nice lid there buddy, but (ya I know a "but" negates things), I personally think the hats from the 40's look better. See the avitars of Matt Deckard, Zohar, MK, and maybe even me....

I prefer that FILM NOIR, Republic Serials, Warner Brothers look!

I do like the look of the hat I believe every hat has its purpose. A hat like the one I got I think would do well in a casual or dressy outfit. I like the look of the film noir 40s hats too, but I don't think I personally can pull it off unless I'm wearing a full-shouldered suit with a trenchcoat, since my shoulders are not that broad. I'm still looking for one on ebay, but they're rather rare...and my budget's not quite big enough to get a custom Art Fawcett lid