hat stretcher sizing?

[Lexybeast]

Hey all,

I've currently got a Hat Jack for stretching out my hats a bit, but I'm in the market for something a bit more robust. I'm liking the look of these:

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

I'm pretty sure that the two way stretcher will be fine for me, because my head is more of a long oval shape than a round shape. My question is, do you know anything about sizing these guys? I wear 7 1/2 hats, but I'm not sure if I'd want to 7 1/4 size and stretch up to it, or just get the 7 1/2. Anyone's thoughts on this would be much appreciated!

 

[nickn5]

Well my thoughts are that if you get the 7 1/4 to 8 stretcher, then if you see a nice hat that's, say, 7 3/8, you can stretch it up gently and slowly to your 7 1/2 size. But if you start right off with the 7 1/2 stretcher, then really you could be limiting your options a little bit. So, I'd say get the 7 1/4 to 8 model.

N.

 

[gtdean48]

I have some vintage ones like those. I'd get the 7 to 7 3/4 since I wear a 7 1/2 XLong Oval or 7 5/8 Long Oval. That seems like the best range & being able to go to 7 3/4 is okay since they'll come back some. 7 1/4 to 8 would be okay too. JMHO

 

[carldelo]

Yep

Well my thoughts are that if you get the 7 1/4 to 8 stretcher, then if you see a nice hat that's, say, 7 3/8, you can stretch it up gently and slowly to your 7 1/2 size. But if you start right off with the 7 1/2 stretcher, then really you could be limiting your options a little bit. So, I'd say get the 7 1/4 to 8 model.

N.

Yep, Nick's got it. I'm size 7-3/4 and have the model you're talking about. I have the 7-1/4 model and it will fit inside a hat several sizes too small for me and will reach a little bigger than my size in case I want to overstretch it a little. That size should work you as well.

On second thought, maybe you should get the 7-7.75 stretcher - that way it will be more of an oval shape when you get it up to size.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

holy smokes!!! the 4 way stretcher costs less than half what the western store near me is asking for it!

 

[Jabos]

that way it will be more of an oval shape when you get it up to size.

That goes to my question about this particular hat stretcher. Does it get more "long oval" as it stretches to the max size? Perhaps a dumb question but I've only seen the pics in the link and don't know if the sides go out to keep it proportionately round as you stretch.

 

[carldelo]

That goes to my question about this particular hat stretcher. Does it get more "long oval" as it stretches to the max size? Perhaps a dumb question but I've only seen the pics in the link and don't know if the sides go out to keep it proportionately round as you stretch.

Most stretchers, and the first 4 shown at the link above only expand in 1 direction, i.e. the long way. So the aspect ratio (length vs width) of the oval increases as the oval gets longer. If you needed to make a hat more long-oval, you could conceivably do it by cranking one of these well out from its 'zero' position.

The fifth stretcher is a four-way, which increases in width at the same time as the length is increasing. These are much less common. I tried the 4-way stretcher - by the time it got up to my large hat size (7-3/4) the pins holding the pieces together came out of their guides and the thing came apart. For normal sizes it looked like it would work well.