Hat sizing strips...

[zetwal]

Thanks! and I see now that stretching is a big topic in some of the forums. So much to learn here ~ E

 

[D.W. Suratt]

Personally, I use felt strips to bring the size of a hat down a bit. Just place them behind the sweatband where you need to snug it up a little. I like FedoraFelts the best, which can be purchased at TheFedoraStore.com.

For getting a hat a little larger if it is too snug, a Hat Jack and some steam usually work OK-ish. If you buy a Hat Jack, it will come with instructions for use.

Thanks for the link. I had been wanting some. David Morgan sent some with my Adventurer, but that was many hats ago

 

[kaosharper1]

Personally, I use felt strips to bring the size of a hat down a bit. Just place them behind the sweatband where you need to snug it up a little. I like FedoraFelts the best, which can be purchased at TheFedoraStore.com.

For getting a hat a little larger if it is too snug, a Hat Jack and some steam usually work OK-ish. If you buy a Hat Jack, it will come with instructions for use.

One hat seller said somewhere that the felt strips are the same stuff you get at the hardware store for weather stripping. I don't know if that's true but it looks like the same stuff to me.

 

[Geesie]

Good way to tighten a straw hat: get caught in the rain.

 

[zetwal]

Yes! I know too well about tightening a straw hat that way. I had a very old beauty from PR that shrunk so bad that I could never use it again. Then it sat unused for years and got brittle. Now I really regret that I didn't take care of that one! E

 

[Colby Jack]

Welcome to the Lounge Eric...good luck with your little project...I think you can also order those felt strips from David Morgan...or Home Depot for that matter...

 

[jpbales]

yeah, you can get those foam strips from the hard ware store, and the further down you put them behind the sweatband, the tighter/smaller it makes the hat.

You can also shrink the leather sweatband by wetting it then blow drying it.

You can do the same to the felt too, by using steam then the blow dryer. It's not usually a recommended way of shrinking the hat tho.

For stretching my hats, I use a sort of a mini hat block that I made to the shape of my head and I just stretch the hat over it. It only stretches the hatband area of the hat, and it makes it the shape of my goofy melon too.

it would probably be easier just to buy a hat stretcher, but I'm cheap and I like fixing stuff myself. to make it, I first cut a hole into a piece of thick paper (like a file folder) until it fit my head like the way I want my hats to fit by trial and error trimming off of the outside of the hole. Then I cut 4 or so pieces of plywood out from the cardboard stencil and fastened them together with glue and screws then sanded the outside.
Welcome, and good luck!
Jimmy

 

[zetwal]

I was wondering about wetting the headband to accelerate shrinkage. Thanks for pointing out that possibility. Your contraption is quite interesting too.

Thanks! Eric

 

[zetwal]

PS - I did check out weather stripping and only found the foam variety. I'll try another place soon. That would certainly be a cheaper way to get sticky sided felt strips. Of course they would probably be synthetic not real felt ... E

 

[KK]

...where do I get it? TIA!

 

[jlee562]

IIRC, it's actually weather stripping made by 3m. Small pieces of paper towel folded over also works.

 

[KK]

IIRC, it's actually weather stripping made by 3m. Small pieces of paper towel folded over also works.

Must be a lot thinner than the stuff I'm used to using.

 

[zetwal]

There are lots of places that sell these strips. Here are three. You can also buy felt at the fabric store and cut it into strips. All sorts of options!

https://www.thefedorastore.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=STRIPS
http://www.anytimecostumes.com/products/p-0020SIZEROLL
http://mainstreethats.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=35

 

[James71]

I get mine from the Hattery in Katoomba, but probably not a los of use to you...

 

[carldelo]

The real McCoy

Manhattan Wardrobe Supply sells adhesive-backed foam tape as well as non-adhesive felt strips in bulk:

http://www.wardrobesupplies.com/store/m2_mjsupp.html

There's a load of other hat accessories on this page as well - stretchers, hat rests, cleaning supplies, etc. If you're in the city, it's a fun place to visit and pick up some odds and ends.

PS - another source for small quantities:
http://www.davidmorgan.com/product_info.php?products_id=69

 

[music321]

I inherited a fedora that is too large. I was thinking of buying some bicycle helmet padding to snug up the fit. It occurs to me that foam weather stripping is essentially the same. Is there any reason why I wouldn't want to use it inside the hat? thanks.

 

[splintercellsz]

Commonly used is old newspaper, tissue, cork, and other household means (which can result in the sweatband becoming a little wavy, but not affecting wearability. seen plenty of old hats with these behind the sweats). Or if it is a high quality hat, or a favorite and you don't wish to do ehat I said above, you can always resize it by replacing the sweatband with one that is your size.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

 

[Wesslyn]

I've used weather stripping. The waviness depends on the sweatband, at least in my experience. Some have really uncomfortable puckers and others conform to the head a little nicer. But yeah. I've used weather stripping, and it works quite well.

 

[suitedcboy]

The adhesive on back of w-strip can turn to some seriously nasty goo due to oils from your forehead. Foam is worse about sweat wrinkling and compresses and doesn't take up the size difference as well. Cheapy hobby/craft felt or strips of denim have served me well for years and have had no ill effects on sweat and negligible wrinkling.

 

[RJR]

I've used weather stripping. The waviness depends on the sweatband, at least in my experience. Some have really uncomfortable puckers and others conform to the head a little nicer. But yeah. I've used weather stripping, and it works quite well.

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