Sell or Stretch?

[PhilS]

I came into this hobby like gangbusters, determined to make up for 30 years of not wearing hats even though I have always liked them. I had forgotten why I hadn't ever acted on the impulse before -- which was that hats tended not to fit me. By the time the smoke cleared, I had a number of really nice hats that did not fit me. (My ten year old is more brutal, saying, "Daddy, you have good taste in hats, but you don't look good in most of them". I'm docking her allowance).

Most of the ill-fitting hats I have resold, but I have one left. It is a black Borsalino. It is at least from before JL Hudson closed, and someone told me they thought it looked like it was from the 40's. What is involved in stretching a 7 3/8 to a 7 3/8 long oval (plus)? How successful is that operation likely to be? Is this hat a candidate for spending the time and money necessary to do that, do you think? Candid opinions welcome.

Here are some pics.

<a href="http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/philschatz/?action=view&current=03-23-2008023.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/philschatz/03-23-2008023.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/philschatz/?action=view&current=03-23-2008034.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/philschatz/03-23-2008034.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/philschatz/?action=view&current=03-23-2008037.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/philschatz/03-23-2008037.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/philschatz/?action=view&current=03-23-2008036.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/philschatz/03-23-2008036.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/philschatz/?action=view&current=03-23-2008025.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/philschatz/03-23-2008025.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/philschatz/?action=view&current=03-23-2008034.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/philschatz/03-23-2008034.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/philschatz/?action=view&current=03-23-2008028.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/philschatz/03-23-2008028.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[AlanC]

Since you've ordered from Art now you might consider seeing if he could resize it for you according to your head size since he can do an exact fit. That said, given the condition, age and size of that hat you likely could get enough for it to put toward another custom.

I'm docking her allowance).

Good idea. Gives you more money for hats.

 

[Stoney]

If Alan is correct and Art has your noggin profile, I would contact him to see if he was willing to resize it. I can think of nothing better than a vintage Borsalino with a perfect fit.

 

[Boxerken]

Phil Thats sure is a beautiful hat

 

[Viper Man]

Beautiful hat, Phil. Can you possibly tell me the brim width and crown height?

 

[Feraud]

It looks too nice to sell. Try to get it fitted.

 

[animator]

Fantastic looking hat... definately a keeper if Art could fix the fit.

 

[feltfan]

Send it to me and I will gladly stretch it to a 7 1/2 Long Oval.
Might get lost in the return mail though.

If you have a decent hat stretcher and the leather
sweatband is in good shape, it should be very easy.
There are plenty of posts on this site explaining how
to do it.

As far as I know, Art doesn't do that sort of work anymore,
though he may make exceptions. But if he charges anything
for it, plus postage, you'll pay about what you'd pay for a
reasonably priced hat stretcher (and I mean the full crown
type, of which there are many pictures on this site). Then
you can stretch your own hats and they make a spiffy hat
display stand.

 

[PhilS]

Measurements here.

Beautiful hat, Phil. Can you possibly tell me the brim width and crown height?

Brim 2 1/2
Crown 4 1/2 Front, 3 1/2 back (tear drop)