Tutorial to reshape your Fedora!!!

Hello everyone:hat:

Two years ago I bought the official Indiana Jones fur felt fedora (made by http://www.hatsinthebelfry.com/page/H/CTGY/indiana-jones-hats ) and I wasn't satisfied...the shape was too far from the original...then, about two months ago I tried to modify my hat from this:



To this!!!



The result was impressive and now I'm much more proud of my hat!!!

Preface: To modify your hat you don't need any special skill or experience, you just have to be careful because once you've modified it, you can't go back!
So I'm not going to assume any responsability for the damages or the mistakes that you could encounter during the reshaping. Use this tutorial at your own risk!!!


WHAT DO YOU NEED?

A Fedora, a pair of clothespins, some water, a plastic bag...fortune and glory, here we come!!!

PART ONE: Reshaping

First we're going to press the central border of the hat using our hands and trying to be much more accurate as it's possible.



Repeat this operation many times.




PART 2: Fixing the new shape

As you will have sadly noticed, the new central border doesn't seem to be fixed as well...But don't worry!! It's time to fix it in a better way!!!

-Take your hat and wet it in the central side (in which you were working), don't worry if some water falls around, it won't matter!



-Now, use a plastic bag to cover the wet side (this will prevent your hat from any permanent imprint) and put the clothespins in the center and in the top of your hat (as shown in the picture below ) to give the definitive shape!



-Now you've to leave your hat to dry it for a long time (about 5-6 hours) and, once you've done, repeat this operation again, even after a couple of day...
...For example, my hat is fixed from two months but I've just repeated the operation to make some pics for this tutorial...


PART 3: Complete the reshaping

You'll be surely agree with me if I say that we're really closer now!!!
At last I'd suggest you to bend (softly) the eyeshade to give the definitive touch to your Fedora! Repeat this operation more times!





Personal suggestion

To have a real Indy-hat you have to take your fedora with you in your life and have some good advenctures with it! Only then you'll gain a unique hat, made to fix on your head!!!

Any comment is welcome!

-Leonardo
 

Deckard

New member
I made a similar tutorial here a while back, however if I may make one suggestion you left out, Try heigtening the crown of your hat. Especialy the front at the top of the new tight pinch. This will make the hat look wider at the top, giving it a closer Indy appearance. See how the top of mine looks thicker and about an inch taller :

0102.jpg


0181.jpg


It can be acheived in the same water and reshape with your hands method, but is a bit more tricky to get it to hold, I had to use a good amount of water, but applied it a little at a time, so as not to drench the fur.

Use a water bottle and spray your hat gently and evenly, if you overwet one area it can discolor slightly.
 
Last edited:
Hey guys!:hat:
Feel free to express your opinion about this topic (I'll really appreciate it(y) ) and if someone had tried to use the tutorial, tell me how did it work.
 
This is a crucial point and I thank you Nurhachi for asking it.

I don't possess a Crushable and I don't have the chance to see a Crushable here in Italy to make a comparison with the "classic" version (I bought my Fedora from the States:D )...

I surely know that this tutorial works great with the "classic" wool felt fedora, so it should be working too with your hat (unless you have the waterproof version) but I can't tell it for sure.

If someone else that possesses a Crushable has tried this tutorial (or maybe has made a modify by his/her own), please let us know.

Thanks:)
 

Dr. Wolfwood

New member
My wool crushable lost some of it's shape over time when I used it in humid weather so I'm definitely going to try if this will save it... (y)

And I guess I'll also use it for my fur felt fedora at some point, when I've gathered enough courage to do so... After all, it was a bit more expensive purchase...
 

Sam Falco

New member
I myself have recently modified the "official" Indiana Jones fedora to make it appear closer to the Raiders model. I accomplished this by doing two things, I re-creased the crown so that it actually sticks up higher and I pinched it with a clamp for a couple days, periodically dampening it to allow the new crease. I also re-creased the edges of the crown and it led to this...

Before:
fedora01cm1.jpg


fedora03cq8.jpg


After:
fedora06wb5.jpg


fedora07xs3.jpg


Still not COMPLETELY done yet, I still need to finish the creases, because they eventually drift back towards the pre-made shape. Any ideas as to how to make it hold the shape better? I also need to make the material itself look weathered.
 
Last edited:
Hi folks:hat: ... I'm back!!!

Today I've just finished the last year exams and I can finally enjoy the summertime!

However, let me get back to Sam Falco's questions:

1-How to make hold the shape better

(Before all I want to make you my congrats for the hat! The shape is VERY Raiders like!)...
I've heard about a more "drastic" kind of fixing consisting in ironing the side of the hat that you want to fix but I never tried it...and I don't think it will be very "healthful" for your hat...the second suggestion I've heard is to use water and a little of soap to soften the shape and, then, to give your personal touch (but I'm not sure if the soap will make some stains when it will be dried).
Take my advise: use water and patience...(you may use a hairdryer to speed the drying) and you'll surely gonna make it:whip:

2-How to make the material itself look weathered

In this point you could try to use the same tecnique of Deborah Nadoolman in the Indy trilogy DVD featturettes but, honestly, that's just a way to make it weathered: wearing it!!

I hope I helped you a bit


Thanks to DocWhiskey for your kindness:)
 

Bvance

New member
If the clothes pins make marks...

Last night I reshaped my crushable wool Indy fedora, letting it dry over night for about 8 hours. When I took the clothes pins off, I noticed the plastic I used wasn't thick enough and the clothes pins left fairly large and noticeable indentions on my hat. It looked pretty bad, but don't worry...I fixed it and I'll explain what I did in-case someone has a similar problem.

First I got a spray bottle and put it on very thin spray so I could target the exact spot of the indents.

Second I got a new toothbrush that I had never used and it had fairly soft bristles.

Next, I sprayed the indents and holding my fingers firmly in the underside of the hats where the indents were, I rubbed the toothbrush over the wet area in a circular motion.

Almost immediately the indentations began to disappear. I let it dray for a few hours and then repeated the process.

Now I am happy to say that the indents are gone and the hat amazingly enough has retained its altered shape. :D

One other thing, when first reshaping my hat, I sprayed water on the front brim and put a clothes pin hanging off of it to give it that lower brimmed Raiders look and it turned out wonderfully!

Hope these tips are helpful. Of course I'm not sure how this would work on a non-crushable hat, but good luck and thanks for the tutorial my hat NOW looks awesome!
 
Hi there folks:hat:
I'm finally going on vacantion...I'll go to Sardinia for three warm weeks:cool: ...
However if anyone has a feedback or some tip to suggest, please post it and keep going the thread, I'm sure you'll make an excellent work even without me!!

Bye:)
 
Is also very useful the mod that Deckard suggested: this is heigtening the crown to make your hat really "Raiders style"...just like Sam Falco did!
If you'd like I could make a new tutorial explaining how to make it!
Bye:)
 
Top