Guys, I have jsut got to add my 2 cents to all this

Posted by Fedora from 24.116.26.234 on January 12, 2001 at 22:53:25:

In Reply to: Re: My PB hat is on the way posted by Greg on January 12, 2001 at 16:47:36:

: : Joe is the man! He likes to make hats stiff as a 2X4, but he is making a "butter soft like a Herbert Johnson " Indy fedora for me, with a six inch crown and a ribbon that's the darkest brown possible. I believe this will be the closest thing available today, to the original hat from Raiders. I will have it be the middle of next week. Just in time for my next adventure to Death Valley. Can't wait!!!!!

: So he is willing to make them out of a softer felt? Is it still Beaver or is it like the original and made from rabbit felt? I will be anxious to hear about it as I have the money now to order a new hat and was waiting for HJ to replenish their stock. I am unhappy with the thought of a stiff, thick-felted indy hat, as all of the film hats were thinner, smooth-textured rabbit felt that was soft and pliable. More info if you will please!

: Greg

First of all, beaver hats are the finest fur felt available,and you pay for the "fineness". Beaver felt is a softer felt when compared to hare or rabbit. I know, because I own one hat that is a beaver/mink blend, and the difference in the felt quality jumps right out at you. With this said, I like the hare/rabbit felt because it is tough, and inexpensive. And Indy's fedora was not beaver. Although in keeping with the cowboy tradition, in which young Indy was probably steeped, he would have probably been wearing beaver. The Raiders fedora did indeed use a lighter weight felt. It is noticably thinner the other hats. My Miller looks to be the same thickness, as well as the GW fedora that I own. On the other hand, the PB, sports a thicker felt, like the TOD fedora, and TLC fedora. Personally I prefer the thicker felt, as the thinner variety was used on traditional dress hats, and not that well suited for severe conditions encountered in the out of doors. Still, if you really want to replicate the Raiders hat, the thinner felt is more accurate, and the sharp Raiders crease is easier to achieve with the thinner felt. And thinner felt is a cheaper felt, for obvious reasons. I also don't think the Raiders fedora was as floppy as some of us might think. To get the sides of the brim to curl up, like in the bar scene with marion, requires the brim to be stiffened to hold that shape. I have had soft and floppy hats, and the brims will not hold the shape, as they like to relax and lie flat. I am not saying that Indy's fedora was as stiff as a PB, but that it was stiff. Regards, Fedora

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: : : Joe is the man! He likes to make hats stiff as a 2X4, but he is making a "butter soft like a Herbert Johnson " Indy fedora for me, with a six inch crown and a ribbon that's the darkest brown possible. I believe this will be the closest thing available today, to the original hat from Raiders. I will have it be the middle of next week. Just in time for my next adventure to Death Valley. Can't wait!!!!!

: : So he is willing to make them out of a softer felt?  Is it still Beaver or is it like the original and made from rabbit felt?  I will be anxious to hear about it as I have the money now to order a new hat and was waiting for HJ to replenish their stock.  I am unhappy with the thought of a stiff, thick-felted indy hat, as all of the film hats were thinner, smooth-textured rabbit felt that was soft and pliable.  More info if you will please!

: : Greg

: 
:      First of all, beaver hats are the finest fur felt available,and you pay for the "fineness". Beaver felt is a softer felt when compared to hare or rabbit. I know, because I own one hat that is a beaver/mink blend, and the difference in the felt quality jumps right out at you. With this said, I like the hare/rabbit felt because it is tough, and inexpensive. And Indy's fedora was not beaver. Although in keeping with the cowboy tradition, in which young Indy was probably steeped, he would have probably been wearing beaver. The Raiders fedora did indeed use a lighter weight felt. It is noticably thinner the other hats. My Miller looks to be the same thickness, as well as the GW fedora that I own. On the other hand, the PB, sports a thicker felt, like the TOD fedora, and TLC fedora. Personally I prefer the thicker felt, as the thinner variety was used on  traditional dress hats, and not that well suited for severe conditions encountered in the out of doors. Still, if you really want to replicate the Raiders hat, the thinner felt is more accurate, and the sharp Raiders crease is easier to achieve with the thinner felt. And thinner felt is a cheaper felt, for obvious reasons. I also don't think the Raiders fedora was as floppy as some of us might think. To get the sides of the brim to curl up, like in the bar scene with marion, requires the brim to be stiffened to hold that shape. I have had soft and floppy hats, and the brims will not hold the shape, as they like to relax and lie flat. I am not saying that Indy's fedora was as stiff as a PB, but that it was stiff.   Regards, Fedora

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