Hat Streeeeeaaatching: New vs. Modern

[Mr. 'H']

OK, OK, O K A Y ! ! ! !

I get it, really, vintage is better....

But common guys, seriously.

If you need to stretch your hat to a current 7 1/2 or 60 cm, I mean, from a 1940s "7 1/2", can I use a modern hat stretcher???

There seems to be hat stretchers available on EBay which are designed for modern Wetsern hats. Are these good enough to use on my prize 40s Stets?

I just want them to fit a little lower, over my ears. A little "lexol" and a modern stretcher: is this good ENOUGH?

JP - please advise - you're the blink*ng King of stretcherism here....

I need advice, I thought I was a 7 1/2 US, but these sizes are decieving.

Lexol, where to get in PayPal land: please advise....

H out.

 

[jamespowers]

I figured I would find my name in this thread.
I am not sure what kind of stretcher you are referring to. It is possible but I prefer to use something I can count on like this bad boy here:

I now have another one that looks a little different but they both work the same. You remove the liner(like you would not want to clean it anyway ), Lexol the sweatband, moisten the outside of the felt hat with warm water from a mister---paying particular attention to the area around the crown and sweatband, put it on the heated stretcher and crank it out to the size you want.
The newer stretchers without heat that just slip into the hat and stretch the area around the sweatband can work ok but they are more limited as to how many sizes you can stretch the hat. As always be careful with the sweatband. If it is degraded then it is not likely to stretch without tearing. Believe me I have ripped and roasted enough of them.
I like the four way stretchers that hatters used to use. These not only stretch from front to back but from side to side as well.
You can get all the Lexol products you need at: http://superiorcarcare.net/lexol.html
I use the spray leather conditioner for the sweatband and the Spray leather cleaner for white buck shoes that get dirty. It gets the dirt out with a foam that works great. :cheers1:

Regards to all,

J

 

[Mr. 'H']

Baaaaad boooooy!!

BAD BOY

O TO HAVE....

But is a newly made sufficient...?

PS: Wow! :cheers1:

 

[Mycroft]

I figured I would find my name in this thread.
I am not sure what kind of stretcher you are referring to. It is possible but I prefer to use something I can count on like this bad boy here:

I now have another one that looks a little different but they both work the same. You remove the liner(like you would not want to clean it anyway ), Lexol the sweatband, moisten the outside of the felt hat with warm water from a mister---paying particular attention to the area around the crown and sweatband, put it on the heated stretcher and crank it out to the size you want.
The newer stretchers without heat that just slip into the hat and stretch the area around the sweatband can work ok but they are more limited as to how many sizes you can stretch the hat. As always be careful with the sweatband. If it is degraded then it is not likely to stretch without tearing. Believe me I have ripped and roasted enough of them.
I like the four way stretchers that hatters used to use. These not only stretch from front to back but from side to side as well.
You can get all the Lexol products you need at: http://superiorcarcare.net/lexol.html
I use the spray leather conditioner for the sweatband and the Spray leather cleaner for white buck shoes that get dirty. It gets the dirt out with a foam that works great. :cheers1:

Regards to all,

J

Where did you find that? It is so cool and unique.

 

[jamespowers]

You find them once in a while on auction sites if you look and look and look. I only paid $40 for this one and it nearly got lost in shipping. The seller and I had it searched and I finally got it after a month. It was still worth it though.
Heated hat stretchers are not all that rare. Every hatter and hat store probably had at least one. The problem is that after all this time many do not work or need repair. Parts do not exist of course and so you have to improvise. Make sure you know it works before you buy one.
This is the second one I picked up for way more money that the first one but I wanted a back up.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Mycroft]

You find them once in a while on auction sites if you look and look and look. I only paid $40 for this one and it nearly got lost in shipping. The seller and I had it searched and I finally got it after a month. It was still worth it though.
Heated hat stretchers are not all that rare. Every hatter and hat store probably had at least one. The problem is that after all this time many do not work or need repair. Parts do not exist of course and so you have to improvise. Make sure you know it works before you buy one.
This is the second one I picked up for way more money that the first one but I wanted a back up.

Regards to all,

J

Very cool, thanks.

 

[jamespowers]

But is a newly made sufficient...?

A new one would be sufficient to stretch a hat a size or two for sure. Just make sure to be careful and stretch it slowly not crank it out quick and mess it up.

Regards to all,

J

 

[riccardo]

mmm...very nice item...
I need one of them!!
I'll build myself one of these.
I'd thinked it all the day long.
Regards.
Riccardo.

 

[Aaron Hats]

You can buy a new one at Manny's Millinery in New York for about $500 or there's ebay. I've seen them sell for anywhere from $100 to $400 in working condition.

 

[jamespowers]

You can buy a new one at Manny's Millinery in New York for about $500 or there's ebay. I've seen them sell for anywhere from $100 to $400 in working condition.

Really? Do they have a line on parts for them as well?

Regards,

J

 

[Aaron Hats]

I don't think so but their number is 212-840-2235/36. I've also seen this one, http://www.parissteam.com/pages/3/index.htm (scroll down to the bottom) but don't know how much it goes for.

 

[besdor]

HAT STRETCHERS

I KNOW FOR SURE THAT THEY AREN'T MADE ANYMORE . THERE WAS A COMPANY IN NEW YORK CALLED NATIONAL HATTERS SUPPLY THAT WENT OUT OF BUSINESS ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO THAT CARRIED THEM .
IF YOU FIND A MODERN MADE ONE ON EBAY THAT DOSEN'T HEAT UP ,DON'T PASS IT BY. THERE IS A HEATING ELEMENT IN ONE OF THE COMPARTMENTS THAT CAN BE FIXED BY A KNOWLEDGEBLE ELECTRICIAN . I HAVE PICKED UP A FEW OF THEM OVER THE YEARS AND FIXED THEM UP .:cool2:

 

[riccardo]

Hi Aaron,
great site,good information: thanks.
I don't think that I'll buy one of those machine...mine is another job , but is really a great information.
Maybe I'll buy something similar on e.bay.

Best regards.
Riccardo.

 

[jamespowers]

That table top hat stretcher looks like it is still being made. I wonder how much they cost though. It might just be cheaper to buy an old one and have it fixed by an electrician.
The first one I got required me to rewire part of it and reattach the heating element that broke on one side. The insulator and heating element simply unscrew after you remove the cover plate. They work on very simple principles but if in doubt, take it to a qualified electrician. Bettter to be safe than sorry with a torched hat.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Aaron Hats]

I KNOW FOR SURE THAT THEY AREN'T MADE ANYMORE .

This is a page from Manny's Millinery Supply Center. I believe it's part of their 2004/05 catalogs.

If they're not new, they sure look it. The last time I called they were $495. I picked one up on ebay for around $225.

 

[jamespowers]

Thanks for posting that. I knew someone somewhere had to know where they were still being made. It looks like a cross between the two of mine. The heating halves look the ones on my first one and the body looks lie that of my second one.
I suppose you are better of with a decent vintage one if the new ones cost so much. Even rewiring them will still cost less than a new one. :cheers1:
That counter top steamer looks like it could be pretty useful too.

Regards to all,

J

 

[nicolasb]

"Antique" heated hat stretchers come up fairly regularly on eBay. I've thought of buying one, but they're always in america, and by the time you factor in the price of the item, shipping of something that weighs 15 pounds or more to the UK, VAT, import duty, courier company stinging you for the privilege of having them collect VAT and import duty from you, and the price of a step-down transformer to convert UK mains voltage to US mains voltage, it's getting a bit pricey.

Maybe I should buy one from these guys: http://www.blockmaker.com/block.html

But you can bet that's an "if you have to ask the price you know you can't afford it" item. :rage:

These guys also sell a "superior hat stretcher" that, so far as I can tell, is not heated for £359 : www.hatblocks.co.uk

However, you could always find a sympathetic hat seller and ask him to stretch it for you. Last time I was in The Hat Centre (18 Stamford Hill, Stoke Newington, London) the owner (Jacob) mentioned that he quite often has customers come in purely to have hats stretched on his - adding (he's very softly spoken, strong jewish accent) "of course, I'm not a professional, so it's at your own risk". (I'd trust him, myself).

 

[nicolasb]

Talking of stretching hats - are there any stretchers available that are designed to stretch a hat evenly in 2 dimensions rather than just making it longer in 1? It ought not to be too hard to make a device that gets wider as well as longer when you open it up.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

4 way stretcher

Talking of stretching hats - are there any stretchers available that are designed to stretch a hat evenly in 2 dimensions rather than just making it longer in 1? It ought not to be too hard to make a device that gets wider as well as longer when you open it up.

They sell a 4 way hat stretcher for $89.00 Scroll down to 4 way.

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

 

[jamespowers]

The four way is the best way to go if you are going to stretch with that kind of stretcher---unless you are a long oval that is.
Nic, that hat stretcher with the thermostatic control would be ideal but I am sure it is very expensive. You can do the same thing with an older one by adding the thermostat. Glad to know they are still being produced all over the place. :cheers1:

Regards to all,

J