Question about stretching from a newbie

[chilidawgguy]

Hi folks...this is my first post...I've spent the last week researching hats on ebay...I've found a lot that I like, but not my size...can a quality hat be stretched? If so, how many sizes?

 

[GA Wildlifer]

If you search

for threads on stretching hat you will find a lot of information. The answer seems to be yes with qualifications: only about 2 sizes without a heated stretcher, and it can damage an already weak sweatband.

I am currently in the market for a good stretcher because it seems to be easier to find good hats a little too small for me than in my size.

GA Wildlifer

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I wouldn't try stretching my hats more than 1/8th of an inch. Then again, I'm a rank amateur.

 

[Fedora]

I would never stretch a hat more than one size, and then, it would be better to just reblock the hat in the larger size. But, if I were going to stretch one, I would use a 4 way stretcher like this one.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8248447509&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1



As you can see, I stole this one. I guess no one else saw it. I prefer these vintage stretchers over the new ones you can buy. This one here was in perfect condition, and works well. Fedora

 

[adamgottschalk]

Bulges and shelves

Hi folks...this is my first post...I've spent the last week researching hats on ebay...I've found a lot that I like, but not my size...can a quality hat be stretched? If so, how many sizes?

The problem that arises, which I notice no one has mentioned yet on this thread, when one tries to stretch a hat too much or improperly is that bulges or "shelves" are created on the sides of the hat. May not sound like much, but it can make a nice hat look like a piece of junk. However, blocking, which was mentioned (putting the hat on a "hat block" and smoothing it out), can always fix such a problem, assuming you're talking about a decent fur-felt hat.

As most hats I've found are not precisely sized, I generally have to buy a 7 3/8 and have it stretched (and blocked) roughly to 7 1/2. Some older hats, 7 1/2 is perfect (maybe because they shrank a bit over the years...as felt does, often necessitating that a hat be stretched back to its original size). My head is exactly 23". Ideally, you measure your head and look for a hat with that interior circumference (maybe a hair larger or smaller). Take a look at some online charts of head size/hat size; you'll notice that many of them differ from each other.

 

[D. Hats]

sneaking a pun in eh!

"(maybe a hair larger or smaller)"

Good one!

Hey, seriously though, how large can you go with that hat stretcher you show in your reply.
We're very close, if not exactly the same hat size. I too wear a 7 3/8, 7 1/2, 7 5/8 hat size. Can you use your stretcher for these sizes?
If I wanted to buy one, I'd like to know what size I should look for.

 

[adamgottschalk]

"(maybe a hair larger or smaller)"

Good one!

Hey, seriously though, how large can you go with that hat stretcher you show in your reply.
We're very close, if not exactly the same hat size. I too wear a 7 3/8, 7 1/2, 7 5/8 hat size. Can you use your stretcher for these sizes?
If I wanted to buy one, I'd like to know what size I should look for.

Being a writer, I'm ashamed to admit I didn't even notice the pun. Actually, I'm not the one who posted with links/photos of hat stretchers; I know it's confusing amid "the blackness", but that was another gent. I have a "Fat Charley's" stretcher I got on eBay, but I haven't used it, and I'd only use it to slightly stretch a hat that already fit me which had shrunk a bit.

 

[D. Hats]

Dang it, you're right....

Fedora, how do you choose the right size stretcher?

 

[tonyb]

The proper way to stretch a hat is to position a pair of pickup trucks such that their rear bumpers are almost touching, and then you hook that old hat lengthwise over the trailer hitches and ...
Anyhoo, that's the way we city boys do it, but what do we know about pickups?

 

[chilidawgguy]

Thanks for the info....I hope y'all noticed the "newbie" part of my question. Adam...could you explain the blocking process in it's entirety? How many sizes can the process change a hat?

 

[adamgottschalk]

Hard tellin'...

Thanks for the info....I hope y'all noticed the "newbie" part of my question. Adam...could you explain the blocking process in it's entirety? How many sizes can the process change a hat?

As the old saying goes, "Hard tellin, not knowin." I don't know how many sizes, though my limited experience tells me that one size is perfectly do-able (at least by someone who knows what they're doing). That experience also has me remember this scenario:

I bought a vintage hat for cheap on eBay. Nice fur-felt, deep navy, kooky band which I had replaced with a vintage navy grosgrain band. Listed and marked as 7 3/8 (mint never worn). Paul, my hat guy, put his various size blocks in it and concluded it was a size 7 1/4; in other words, over the years, it had shrunk a whole size (Beaver Brand beatiful fur felt with a 5.99 price tag so I figure it has some years on it). Paul's response to this conclusion was that it presented a real problem, going up about two sizes.

But we stood in his kitchen for a few minutes with a kettle of boiling water and his vintage hat stretcher (uni-directional), and I now have a hat that fits me fine, snugly, but fine, and no shelves or bulges. I really don't know much about "blocking" but I'm sure a search (advanced) would turn up lots on the subject.

 

[Alan Eardley]

Stretching hats

OK - I have often increased the fit of a hat by 1 size and sometimes by 2 sizes with success. I would note, however, that the increase is likely to be temporary and the hat will probably need restretching at regular intervals.

I would also note that a substantial increase in size will result in a fedora acquiring a taper. Many people would regard this as a bad thing with a vintage hat.

 

[vespasian]

I use a fat charleys hat stretcher also from ebay. I bought a really nice trilby from www.hatsonline.com (the city) but within a few weeks it sat just a little bit tight which I put down to going from a central heated house to near freezing temperature on a regular basis plus with days sitting in a box when not in use. The stretcher makes it very comfortable for a few days but then it shrinks back. Ive just added a lining too (from a dead locke and co hat) so it needed a bit of stretching again, worked a treat.

Also I have reblocked an old hat using very stiff card, the stretcher and cold water. It took hours on end stretching milimeters at a time and resetting the card. it turned out very nice but thats on a walk the kids to school, nip to the shops, hot climate holiday type of hat with all kinds of scuffs and marks. I wouldnt risk it on a new or decent hat.