Actually, that suggestion may have merit....(nm)

Posted by Michaelson from 150.182.1.47 on March 01, 2000 at 17:31:59:

In Reply to: Don't laugh - my father-in-law suggested his band saw (nm) posted by Patterson on March 01, 2000 at 17:07:00:

: : : : : : : As you may know, the 1st Miller Indy hat that I bought arrived with the wrong sized brim-the 2 1/2. I decided to keep it because it still looked pretty good, even with the shorter brim. I just received another one last Fri., and this time they got the brim size right. I finished up the modifications Sun., and the larger brim makes it look even closer to "the fedora". My intial enthusiasm for this hat has unwavered, and I am now more convinced than ever, that this is the best Indy fedora available this side of the Atlantic. I own, or have owned a Nostalgia, a Temple, an Akubra, a Stetson Mallory, a Custom Hatter fedora, and even an Indy fedora called the Indiana 500, made by Bee hats, years ago. Without a doubt, this new Miller hat is the cream of the crop. What makes it so accurate to the Raiders hat is the shape of the open crown. If this hat was as thin as the Raiders fedora, it would be close to identical. This hat is advertised as having a 5 5/8 inch open crown, but in truth the crown on both of mine, size 7 1/4 measures only 5 1/2 inches. But it has the same measurements after bashing as my GW fedora, which has a true 5 5/8 inch open crown. The reason is because the GW hat has a crown that is slightly more pointed, to the tune of 1/8 inch, imperceptible after shaping. This last Miller I shaped like the TOD fedora that Indy is wearing in the bridge scene, which is my current favorite. You may find it hard to believe, but to me this new hat is better looking than my very expensive GW fedora. I thought I would never say that!
: : : : : : : One more thing. If any of you have tried to cut down your brims, my advice is to be very, very, careful. And don't take the full amount off the brim in one cut. How many of you have cut the brim down just to find the cut uneven, waffled, etc. If you take off less intially, you can then "plane" the uneven brim, using a safety razor, in the same way you would plane wood. This works really well, it's the method that I use to fine tune the shape of the brim. It is also helpful in blending the two curves after cutting. Since it takes off a small amount of felt, it is hard to make a mistake, but ist is time consuming. Zen and the Art of Brim Cutting. regards, steve

: : : : : : Don't underestimate the value of really good scissors!

: : : : : : Cheers!

: : : : : : Patterson

: : : : : Feeling confident?
: : : : : Use the scissors.
: : : : : Final answer?
: : : : : No? Then sandpaper. I'm sorry. Too much TV. Seriously though,
: : : : : I had not thought of the safety razor. I'll try that. Also, taking
: : : : : just a sliver off with scissors or xacto then sanding and shaving
: : : : : is a safe way to go. Tim the Toolman could have had a hilarious time
: : : : : showing the wrong way to trim a brim.

: : : : : Cheers,
: : : : : Ellison

: :
: : : :
: : : : Actually I use surgical scissors, followed the razor/planer, and finish it up with sand paper. Forgive me , but I am a cabinet maker, and tend to overuse tools! I will also be honest and tell you that I have been known to ruin a brim in the past when I was first getting into modifying brims, and discovered in the process to take little bites out of the felt. I don't know if some you you have noticed that on some hats, the factory cut brim will vary in width on the same hat, like sometimes up to 3/16 of an inch. The Miller Indy is notorious for this. There is more involved in cutting down a brim than you might expect. But then, I am somewhat of a perfectionist when it comes to craftsmanship-I have to be in my trade. There is nothing worse than a lopsided brim. Well, I could go on, but I am making a serious effort to post less about my obsession with fedoras. Peter e-mailed me yesterday and said my Indy jacket left his country the 24th. Maybe that's what I need to get me off these hats! regards, Steve

: : : I was afraid you would recommend using a saber saw if necessary. (grins) Regards. Michaelson

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: : : : : : : :      As you may know, the 1st Miller Indy hat that I bought arrived with the wrong sized brim-the 2 1/2. I decided to keep it because it still looked pretty good, even with the shorter brim. I just received another one last Fri., and this time they got the brim size right. I finished up the modifications Sun., and the larger brim makes it look even closer to "the fedora". My intial enthusiasm for this hat has unwavered, and I am now more convinced than ever, that this is the best Indy fedora available this side of the Atlantic. I own, or have owned a Nostalgia, a Temple, an Akubra, a Stetson Mallory, a Custom Hatter fedora, and even an Indy fedora called the Indiana 500, made by Bee hats, years ago. Without a doubt, this new Miller hat is the cream of the crop. What makes it so accurate to the Raiders hat is the shape of the open crown. If this hat was as thin as the Raiders fedora, it would be close to identical. This hat is advertised as having a 5 5/8 inch open crown, but in truth the crown on both of mine, size 7 1/4 measures only 5 1/2 inches. But it has the same measurements after bashing as my GW fedora, which has a true 5 5/8 inch open crown. The reason is because the GW hat has a crown that is slightly more pointed, to the tune of 1/8 inch, imperceptible after shaping. This last Miller I shaped like the TOD fedora that Indy is wearing in the bridge scene, which is my current favorite. You may find it hard to believe, but to me this new hat is better looking than my very expensive GW fedora. I thought I would never say that! 
: : : : : : : :     One more thing. If any of you have tried to cut down your brims, my advice is to be very, very, careful. And don't take the full amount off the brim in one cut. How many of you have cut the brim down just to find the cut uneven, waffled, etc. If you take off less intially, you can then "plane" the uneven brim, using a safety razor, in the same way you would plane wood. This works really well, it's the method that I use to fine tune the shape of the brim. It is also helpful in blending the two curves after cutting. Since it takes off a small amount of felt, it is hard to make a mistake, but ist is time consuming. Zen and the Art of Brim Cutting.     regards, steve

: : : : : : : Don't underestimate the value of really good scissors!

: : : : : : : Cheers!

: : : : : : : Patterson

: : : : : :    Feeling confident?
: : : : : :       Use the scissors.
: : : : : :    Final answer?
: : : : : :       No? Then sandpaper.  I'm sorry. Too much TV. Seriously though,
: : : : : : I had not thought of the safety razor. I'll try that. Also, taking
: : : : : : just a sliver off with scissors or xacto then sanding and shaving
: : : : : : is a safe way to go. Tim the Toolman could have had a hilarious time
: : : : : : showing the wrong way to trim a brim.

: : : : : :   Cheers,
: : : : : :   Ellison

: : : 
: : : : : 
: : : : :    Actually I use surgical scissors, followed the razor/planer, and finish it up with sand paper. Forgive me , but I am a cabinet maker, and tend to overuse tools! I will also be honest and tell you that I have been known to ruin a brim in the past when I was first getting into modifying brims, and discovered in the process to take little bites out of the felt. I don't know if some you you have noticed that on some hats, the factory cut brim will vary in width on the same hat, like sometimes up to 3/16 of an inch. The Miller Indy is notorious for this. There is more involved in cutting down a brim than you might expect. But then, I am somewhat of a perfectionist when it comes to craftsmanship-I have to be in my trade. There is nothing worse than a lopsided brim. Well, I could go on, but I am making a serious effort to post less about my obsession with fedoras. Peter e-mailed me yesterday and said my Indy jacket left his country the 24th. Maybe that's what I need to get me off these hats!   regards, Steve

: : : : I was afraid you would recommend using a saber saw if necessary. (grins) Regards. Michaelson

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