He has already sized down several hats, and they fit very well. I know it is hard to believe, because he has sized down hats that are supposed to be 100 per cent beaver, like my Stetson One Hundred below, that was a 7 5/8, but he says he shrinks them. No wrinkles, nothing.
He has already sized down several hats, and they fit very well. I know it is hard to believe, because he has sized down hats that are supposed to be 100 per cent beaver, like my Stetson One Hundred below, that was a 7 5/8, but he says he shrinks them. No wrinkles, nothing.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/323349966656
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He takes the sweat, ribbon, and liner off. He puts a hot iron with the hot surface pointing upwards. He wets a rag and puts it over the iron, and puts the inside of the crown over it, so that the steam from the hot rag impregnates the felt. He puts the crown over a smaller sized block, and rubs the hot felt vigorously over it with his hands. He wets the rag again, puts it over the felt that is placed over the block, and irons the rag over the felt. He can either make the crown taller, by putting it over a longer block, or the brim wider, by putting it over a shorter one. He has what looks like a curtain drawing cord tied over where he wants the break to be.
He takes the sweat, ribbon, and liner off. He puts a hot iron with the hot surface pointing upwards. He wets a rag and puts it over the iron, and puts the inside of the crown over it, so that the steam from the hot rag impregnates the felt. He puts the crown over a smaller sized block, and rubs the hot felt vigorously over it with his hands. He wets the rag again, puts it over the felt that is placed over the block, and irons the rag over the felt. He can either make the crown taller, by putting it over a longer block, or the brim wider, by putting it over a shorter one. He has what looks like a curtain drawing cord tied over where he wants the break to be.
If he is going down more sizes, he repeats the same procedure over a smaller block, until he is done.
When he downsized my first Stetson One Hundred I asked him to give me a wider brim, because I felt the brim was too short on it, so he did that, and if you look closely at the pictures above you will notice it is wider. Afterwards I noticed that there was a mark on the brim where the previous turn on the felt used to be (picture below), so now I ask him to make the crown taller instead.
When he upsizes, he says he can stretch or thin the felt a little, so that I will loose a little less brim width. He says you have to know how much to do it, or you could end up with a ruined felt.
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No, not so much taller, because he says that the felt shrinks, too. He could also distribute the excess between the crown and the brim.Thank you for this information. It doesn’t seem possible, but the proof is in the pudding. So...your 7 3/4 hat will end up with a 7” open crown!
How much does he charge to shrink a hat? I hope Ignacio has an apprentice(s) who he’s passing all these skills and knowledge down to.
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Thank you Max for the detailed tutorial on Iggy’s technique. I now can fathom how it’s done. I really wondered about it when you said he doesn’t have a steamer. The iron and wet towel is a neat trick. You are so fortunate to have found him, and him you. The “Fortunate Ones” to be sure.He takes the sweat, ribbon, and liner off. He puts a hot iron with the hot surface pointing upwards. He wets a rag and puts it over the iron, and puts the inside of the crown over it, so that the steam from the hot rag impregnates the felt. He puts the crown over a smaller sized block, and rubs the hot felt vigorously over it with his hands. He wets the rag again, puts it over the felt that is placed over the block, and irons the rag over the felt. He can either make the crown taller, by putting it over a longer block, or the brim wider, by putting it over a shorter one. He has what looks like a curtain drawing cord tied over where he wants the break to be.
If he is going down more sizes, he repeats the same procedure over a smaller block, until he is done.
When he downsized my first Stetson One Hundred I asked him to give me a wider brim, because I felt the brim was too short on it, so he did that, and if you look closely at the pictures above you will notice it is wider. Afterwards I noticed that there was a mark on the brim where the previous turn on the felt used to be (picture below), so now I ask him to make the crown taller instead.
When he upsizes, he says he can stretch or thin the felt a little, so that I will loose a little less brim width. He says you have to know how much to do it, or you could end up with a ruined felt.
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No. He just lets them dry while he is doing more of my hats, and comes back to the first one while those are drying. I think he wouldn't approve of using a dryer, because they wouldn't dry evenly and the felt might warp, but I am not sure.
Sure looks 1920s! There is also a thread collecting the lot numbers from these old Stetsons. This one deserves a place there too.
Alden 403 Moc Toe Boot - Brown Chromexcel - $680 The classic "Indy" style Alden Boot in the classic Horween brown Chromexcel. 
Grant Stone Diesel Boot Dark Olive Chromexcel - #395 Goodyear welted, Horween Chromexcel, classic good looks. 
Himel Bros. - The Ross Mk. 1 Leather Jacket Classic D-pocket motorcycle/aviator style jacket.
Stetson Sport-Lite. I had never seen a heathered Stetson before. It seems pretty old, but pristine.
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Stetson Sport-Lite. I had never seen a heathered Stetson before. It seems pretty old, but pristine.