hat stretching

[Bruce Wayne]

i wear a 7 3/8 hat. what is the smallest sixe hat that could be comfortably stretched to that size? i am thinking a 7 1/8, maybe? if i could stretch hats that would open up my choices that i see on ebay?
thanx!!!
Charlie

 

[MattJH]

Judging only from what I've read here and not from personal experience or knowledge, one size is the standard limit for stretching, so I'd say a 7 1/4 is fairly safe.

This is assuming that the hat that will be stretched is in good condition. There's always the risk of damaging the sweatband or causing an unnatural tapered look to the crown -- pointy hat syndrome.

I see a fair amount of 7 3/8 hats on eBay. I'm a 7 5/8 guy myself -- supplies are severely limited in that size! I feel your pain.

 

[Ed13]

I also wear a 7 3/8. I don't try to stretch anything under 7 1/4. I had my grandfather's open road stretched professionally since it was a 7 1/8. Not really impressed and it tore the sweat band. I will have to have it reblocked sometime.

 

[SinatraStyle]

I'd stay away from stretching anything smaller than a 7 1/4. But if you decide to try to stretch a 7 1/8:

1) Experiment with a cheap hat

2) Take plenty of time to do it and keep things moist. Keep in mind though, you may end up with an odd taper.

 

[tonyb]

Also keep in mind that vintage hat sizes are not particularly consistent. I've found vintage 7 1/8's that stretched up to my size -- somewhere between a 7 1/4 and a 7 3/8 -- without much of a fight on their part and without many regrets on mine, and others that seemed more like a 6 7/8 or an even 7, which I didn't dare attempt to stretch. And, just to complicate matters, sellers' measurements are notoriously inaccurate, as has been noted here many times before.
So ... you put down your money and you take your chances. For whatever it's worth to you, some of my better-fitting old hats are marked 7 1/8. It took a bit of coaxing to get 'em to fit comfortably, but they do indeed fit comfortably. And they look right, too, without any apparent distortion to the shape of the crowns or the brims. But then, I didn't ask them to give more than they had.

 

[GentlemanFarmer]

I stretched a size 7 resistol San Antonio up to 7 1/4, but it had no sweatband when I did it. I then shipped it to Mike the Hatter in Cleveland for the sweatband and reattach the hat ribbon I had removed prior to stretching. I also stretched a size 7 Resistol straw up to 7/14. Lots of steam, a Hat Jack and patience.

The consensus around here though is to stick to one hat size (7 1/8 up to 7/14) for the beginner. The occasional odd taper can be fixed with steam and a pint glass (empty it first !!)

Good luck.

 

[MattJH]

And, just to complicate matters, sellers' measurements are notoriously inaccurate, as has been noted here many times before.

Just today, I had a seller tell me the inside circumference of a hat he's auctioning is 25". I asked him to remeasure just to be positive. He came back with 22". Incredible!

 

[tonyb]

Just today, I had a seller tell me the inside circumference of a hat he's auctioning is 25". I asked him to remeasure just to be positive. He came back with 22". Incredible!

Picky, picky, picky.

 

[Dav3]

Just today, I had a seller tell me the inside circumference of a hat he's auctioning is 25". I asked him to remeasure just to be positive. He came back with 22". Incredible!

That's almost the same, isn't it? lol

 

[DanielJones]

I've had a 7 1/8 stretched to a 7 3/8 successfully. You do have to pop the stitching on the bow part of the ribbon and then reattach it when the stretching is done, otherwise it will pull it back into it's former size. I had that done about 3 years ago and the stretch has remained and it didn't warp the brim.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[Fortino37]

Hat reducion and ampliation

My hatter is a 82 year old man who begun in the bussiness 60 years a go, and I really consider him as a very talented man, he made tings that I consider almost impossible to do.
For example, 5 years a go, I found a long brim vintage fedora made in Mexico by Tardan, I really love it, but it was 7 3/8 an I wear 7 1/8, I asked him if something can be done about that and he said yes.
I returned two days later and the hat fits perfect on my head, I was amaized, he can stretch or reduce two size as a limit, but he says that can be done only with some kind of felts, specially with old fur felt hats.

Most of the hat aknowledge and hat history I know it's because of him.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

just today i walked past an antique store here in my neck of the woods & in the window i saw two old hats. i ended up walking out with a Stetson adventurer made in the 50s, still with the original hat box!!! it is a size 7 1/4. it is sitting out on the back porch right now becasue it smells a little like mildew (think gramdmas house). it even had the date on the inside of the swest band of when it was made (i am assuming that is what the date is for). it is a center dent with a front pinch. the felt feels thinner than what i am use to. if everythin goes according to plan, i am going to go to Optimo Hats on Wednesday with a friend from work to get it stretched. a hat of this quality, i am not going to do on my own.

also at the store, they had an unbashed Stetson Open Road, size 7 in a very light grey, almost white colour.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

also, before i forget, when i get back from Optimo Hats on wednesday, i will post some pics of me in the straw hat i got there last time as well as this hat, it is is done...

 

[bolthead]

Bruce Wayne....

If you don't mind me asking, how much were they asking for that unbashed OR Stetson?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

i honestly do not remember. i took one look at the size & i put it back. if you can wait until Monday afternoon i can go back to the antique store & get a price. i ended up paying $50 for the hat i have, which is a weekender, not an adverturer, like i originally thought. i ended up going to Optimo Hats today to get it reblocked, cleaned & resized (which is the same as a reblock, i guess).

 

[bolthead]

i honestly do not remember. i took one look at the size & i put it back. if you can wait until Monday afternoon i can go back to the antique store & get a price. i ended up paying $50 for the hat i have, which is a weekender, not an adverturer, like i originally thought. i ended up going to Optimo Hats today to get it reblocked, cleaned & resized (which is the same as a reblock, i guess).

Check your Pm's.

 

[Undertow]

Once again, I was going to post a topic about this but here's one already and all my questions have been answered!

I found a 7 1/4 Royal Stetson for $5 at an antique shop with original box. I contacted the only hat store in Des Moines and they advised they can reblock and stretch for about $15. I'm a 7 3/8 so I think this shouldn't be a big problem.

We shall see! I'll post pics when everything is done!

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Check your Pm's.

ditto...