Akubra Woomera

[Hurricane Jack]

Well I'll be! The tracker still shows it being at Customs in NY but guess what just showed up at my door?

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Nice. What is your opinion on that?

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Nice. What is your opinion on that?

Fit is good but I ordered my correct size. I didn't have a problem with my other Akubras shrinking any.

Crown felt on mine is stiff but no more so than any quality western hat. I tried a deep dry sloping crease but it popped out. Should be malleable & fine with steam. The fur of the felt is soft to the touch.

The brim on mine doesn't have a lot of packer draw either front or back. I expect the brim will flatten down with steam & not pucker if I so choose. The ribbon is tacked on just a bit high to totally hide the brake from brim to crown.

Feather has gone into the box.

Overall I'm very please with the hat.

 

[Bamaboots]

I like it, Hoss.

 

[Mm25]

Looking forward to seeing it creased Jack.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I like it, Hoss.

Looking forward to seeing it creased Jack.

Thanks guys. Mm are you going to refine your first dry crease any?

I've been thinking I'd really like to see what TJ could do with one of these. We need to convince him to spend a little of that overtime money & get one on order!

 

[Mm25]

Its the only Conagher bash I have and I'm liking it for now as it keeps the crown nice and high. I've been waiting for rain to smooth it out a bit, but may have to use steam as it has been dry for a while.

I don't know why we don't see more variations of these as its very versatile, with plentry of options.

 

[Bamaboots]

I don't know why we don't see more variations of these as its very versatile, with plentry of options.

I agree with that, Mm. Though I've never seen one in person, are the sides on the crown as straight as they appear in pics?

 

[Mm25]

I would say they are pretty straight to start, but a couple inches up they do taper. It's not a lot, but they're not straight sided either .
Jack's pics above are pretty true.

 

[Michael R.]

Well I'll be! The tracker still shows it being at Customs in NY but guess what just showed up at my door?

WOW ! That looks like it was made for you HJ ! I got gypped out of a feather to pull off and throw back in the box , but yours and Joe's doesn't seem to have the pull on the sides mine and Lt.hats (Scott) had . Ours had J like fenders coming down from the crown , then rolling up , actually all around pulled . Thats why I thought it might need a Crown Licker to go around it on a Block , but an Iron will probably do it , if stream and the back of the Hat Brush don't . I still like it , and the Woomera really is COOL , like it was made to keep the heat off . I know its the Big Boy Hat of the AU Cattlemen . You get one and they tell you you better live up to that Hat if you're going to wear it . Great men have worn it . And they don't play .

Glad Customs didn't hold yours Jack , I'm SPECIAL I know .

 

[Hurricane Jack]

...are the sides on the crown as straight as they appear in pics?

They will straighten up even more if you sink a crease & work the sides out to the edge.

 

[Mm25]

Mine did not come with a feather either.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Mine did not come with a feather either.

I'll be happy to mail it to the first one who PM's me their mailing address.

 

[Mm25]

Pm sent

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Pm sent

Got it! Since the Post Office closes at noon on Sat I will mail it from there on Mon. Glad you can put the feather to use.

 

[Mm25]

Thanks Jack.
I think that gold color will look nice on Santone fawn, keeping it on a Woomera seems right.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

These are not great pics because the hat was still damp with steam & I didn't brush it out but I got this far with the horseshoe after working about 30 min yesterday. Using steam I started by sinking the center of the crown & moving the sides out to where the sides were 5-1/2" tall & level all the way around. As long as they are close they don't have to be exact because you are continually adjusting & moving the felt. I just arbitrarily picked 5-1/2" when I saw that gave me the crease depth I wanted. If you want to end up with a taller crown 5-3/4" might work but will give you less depth in the shoe; not sure 6" would leave enough depth for much detail.

After working the rim of the sides all the way around by hand I continued to check the height. To raise the frog area back up but maintain the depth of the horseshoe I used a piece of 5/16 clothesline rope to mold around. I originally tried to use the rope inside the crown to mold the outside rim but it was ineffective without first removing the liner.

At that point I stopped to let the steam cool & set. Working the frog will be the hard part. The front of the frog is now higher than the back but it will be sunk & the felt will be worked to the back bringing it up level. Measuring & leveling of everything for final adjustment will take place after the detail of the frog is in.

 

[Bamaboots]

Looks like a good start, HJ.

 

[RJR]

Looks like a good start, HJ.

+1

 

[Michael R.]

@Hurricane Jack I think 5.5" is pretty good for a Horse Shoe . The Woomera has the Crown to do Higher , I think , pretty easy . ... I thought about how Roy Rogers did his Double Telescopes , also , that might work , too . < Technique wise , the shower . Looks like a Great Start HJ !