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I have never had great success with stretching a hat anything more than 1/2 size at most. You can ease it out but to stretch a hat you will most often distort the crown and the brim (depending on width). The felt stretches but the leather sweat does not and tends strongly to reverting to original size. The leather sweat is sewn in so cutting it will not really solve the issue and the stitches are so close together you will only get the easement at the join. In my experience a hat either fits you or it don't......trying with workarounds is always a disappointment unless you are only needing a few millimetres.Hi, I have some nice 1950s hats that i would like to keep, but they are slightly small. I can get them on my head, I just have to pull hard and it's a little snug. They also sit higher than I'd like. Should i stretch with a hat stretcher or cut the leather sweatband? Which offers more stretch accomodation? Less permanent? Trying to decide if i want to keep what I have or sell.
Thanks!