My Indy hat

[the Whip Master]

What do you think of my Indy hat? It's slightly different, the front is a bit different, and the band around it is different. The hat is a bit wonky in this photo. But I do think it captures the Indy likeness. What are your views.

The hat: http://oldbishopsgate.bravehost.com/indy%20pic.JPG

[Webley]

That is a great hat, the one thing I would do to it is pinch the crown.

BTW have you seen the Saturday Night Live skit called "The Whip Master"? Its got Bill Murry and Cris Farley in it.

[the Whip Master]

I followed this link: http://www.whyaxis.net/indy/hatshaping/hatshaping.html and it told me to steam it before pinching it, how would I steam it without damaging it.

[Molorom]

use the steam from a tea kettle. Fill it with water.
Is it pure fur felt or wool? Wool will not work and will
taper, it also wont last long at all.
Adam

[the Whip Master]

It's made out of wool. I guess I can't do it then. Why would it taper? Why wouldn't it last for very long?

[VP]

Because wool will shrink. If you want a VERY cheap Indy hat that lasts, get a fur felt Dorfman Pacific. If you want a cheap Indy hat that lasts, get an Akubra Federation.

Nice hat. I don't think that it's very screen accurate, but if you like, that's all that matters.

[the Whip Master]

That's depressing

[gladhatter]

Well I think you have a fine looking hat and while it does not meet the criteria for an IJ screen accurate hat, I think you can make it much more so. You indicated you read the tutorial listed above. Did you notice it says the hats start out OPEN CROWN ? Well if you look at his tutorial you will se the top of the hat is very tall and rounded. That is what open crown means.

Now about steam , wool and shaping. I think your crown is about tapered as it can get already and if you wish to make it a more indyisk looking hat you can do so and due to the high stiffner content of the hat that steam is the perfect solution for you. Please do not run off yet and start steaming. Steam is to bbe used in the smallest imaginable amounts. if you have a teakettle boiling and making steam for example you would not hold your hat ofver the teakettle but 1/2 of a second literally at a time. You go very slowly now. first thing you do is to steam a 1/2 second then start rounding out your corown. if it is solf, pliable and wet or damp just keep working it. if it is not of is drying by now give it anote 1/2 seccond of steam if 1.2 second is not getting it very soft like bread dowugh by now try a full second then 1.5 seconds. Do not plan on shaping the hat in 2 minutes or 5 inutes or 30 minutes plan on a 2 hour adventure here. Lilttle steam lot of working it. remember two things 1 is get it llike bread dough 2 get it open crown . then once you do that follow the crown tutorial once again and please again make sure you have 2 hours to work on it and are not in any hurry.

If you try to get in a hurry or try to apply too much steam at once then it will simply ruin your hat. If you follow my advice carefully and really take the time and patience I am sure you can do this. No reason for me to try to give a shaping tutorial as you have one at the link above . I will say this once you get the hat to this dough like consistancy, you can use your artistic skills to mold the hat just like youwant it to look. Do not plan to get a wool felt hat to look perfect all at once. Again steam a little shape a little as you see it transform to the shape you desire still go slow and give it the final tweeks with 1/2 second shots of steam but oonly apply more steam if it is dryer then stiff dough.

I have styled a million wool hats with stem and I nknow you can do it. I have ruined a dozen wool hats with steam and each one was when I was in a hurry. So be patient take time and only do it when you are positive you cna devote a full 2 hours and it will probaly only then take you one hour.

Hope this helps.

[gladhatter]

Whip Master, I remain sorry that I am being mis quoted or misunderstood here yet again. I know I have a terrible in ability to be a clear writer BUT I clearly have not stated wool felt to make bad hat and in fact think it makes a great hat. I own numerous hats of every possible blend of about any material you cna imagine and while I remain a poor person , I do own the ultimate of beaver hats yet my very favorite one is a simple wool felt hat. We all have differing budgets , needs and wants and reasons for having a hat. there is positivly no shame in you having a wool felt hat. I hope my unclear explanation willhelpyou to fix it as you desire and if not when you have a couple free hours I will take the same time off and give you a call on my dime if you are in usa or Canada and try to help you fix your hat.

Many think that furfelt hats are better and lambs fur is not a bad fur in of its self. When its the only felt you have its a great felt in fact. Now you allow me to help you to fix that hat up if you will and I am sure you will like it just fine and will enjoy the experience of learning.

[gladhatter]

My mind remains made up . If that young man wants any help with his fine hat then I am more than willing to offer it. I think if you were to tell Mr. George Bollman that wool sucked he may roll over in his grave or ask you why that they make 100's of millions of hats from wool yearly for over 1000 private label hat companies.

Whip master, If I can be of any assistance to you in any area, please send me a privte messge or post it publically no matte to me. I have a wool felt hat her that I would not trade it the most expensive hat in the world nor would I sell or give it away.

One mans trash is truly another mans treasure.

[gladhatter]

I doubt any of you folks remember the movie True Grit. It just happens to be of my favorites. There was a sassy lil gal in there that is now an aging lady that happens to have lost the original hat from the movie. She still has the gun hanging on her wall how ever. We recently had a request to duplicate the hat for her. While it will not be the notorious IJ hat by an means I think it will be a fun project to make a hat for a girl that I enjoyed a life time in film. Seems some rewards are greater then money.

The excited gentleman just sent his reply to our response:

WE'RE GONNA DO BUSINESS, I CAN TELL YOU THAT! SHE DOES NOT REMEMBER JUST HOW STIFF THE HAT WAS- PERHAPS WHEN YOU LOOK CLOSELY AT THE FILM, YOU'LL HAVE A BETTER SENSE AS TO WHAT IT WAS
AND MAYBE AS TO GRADE, IF GRADE HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH HOW STIFF A HAT IS OR IS NOT.

THIS IS GOING TO BE AN EXCITING AND REWARDING PROJECT FOR US ALL- THE HAT WILL TRAVEL WITH HER TO SHOWS AND MAINTAIN A PROMINENT
POSITION IN HER HOME NEXT TO THE COLT MODEL 1847 WALKER DRAGOON PISTOL- THE TWO THINGS SHE IS BEST REMEMBERED FOR. YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT A TREASURE IT WILL BE TO HER.

CAN'T WAIT TO PROCEED!!

This is what I love about forums is the oppertunity to share experiences with friends.

[IndyMcFly]

Ren... Grab a Bible and read Mark 11:25,26... I'm not asking you to apologize to anybody, or change your ways, that's up to you alone. Just read it... And please keep in mind that as a Christian you have a duty to live a Christly life and spread the love of Christ to all those around you - somebody may need it.

On a lighter, more "on-topic" note: nice hat! Looks cool to me!

In Christ,
Shane

[the Whip Master]

According to the inside of my hat, it's water proof. It also says it is 100% wool, if wool shrinks, how can it be waterproof?

[VP]

If it has been water-proofed, it will take more time to shrink.

[gladhatter]

Water proof just means water repellant and like Vp say will just take longer to shrink. If you use steam do not allow water proof to encourage you to use any more steam. AS mc Fly has indicated the scriptures give lots of good adcvise where you are a religious person or not. Paul once wrote let your speach be with grace, deasoned with salt that you may kknow how to give answer to every man. Of course he was speaking in letter o the churches in Asia but salt was a very precious comodity back then and folks just used it ever so sparingly till they got just the right amount .

Now that is a great analogy for our hostage taking friend on here that is finding no support and has agreed to release his hostage as a result .

It is even a better analogy for the use of steam on a hat. always treat it as biblical folks did salt using very little till you get just the right amount.

[blur]

Whipmaster, your hat looks great - and you look pretty happy wearing it! Good one!

[Canyon]

Hey Whipmaster, great fedora!

Looks good on you! :D