Harbor Freight Stretcher!!

[Duck]

Picked up one of these today to give it a try, and dang....it works GREAT!! I am going back to the store and getting some more, just to keep some hats from shrinking.



Also, they are $6.99 in the store, so print the internet add and take it in with you. They will honor the internet price at the store.

Link
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=42210

[Cigarband]

The ad says 7 1/2 to 10 5/8, I need one a little smaller. Do they have any?

[gtdean48]

The ad says 7 1/2 to 10 5/8, I need one a little smaller. Do they have any?

Those are inches & not hat sizes, just to clarify. HTH

[babs]

Yeah I've got one in the mail coming. Plus I just won a vintage, so I'll be able to shoot some side-by-side pics for comparison. hehe.. The shipping on the HF stretcher was more than the item itself. So given that I'm right in between a 7 1/4 and 7 3/8... Now I can consider a 7 1/4 if I see some sweet vintage lid maybe that I can't pass up and decide to chance it.

My thinking though on this harbor freight version.. Is that just an unbadged Hat Jack? If so, that's quite a price difference.

[FurFeltFedora]

Some leather conditioner on the band, a little steam on the hat and leave it on the stretcher overnight and you should be happy with the results, especially if you are only tweaking it a little bit.

[gtdean48]

... Is that just an unbadged Hat Jack? If so, that's quite a price difference.

Pretty much, that's all it is.

[FurFeltFedora]

Also, if you have a bandsaw they are dead easy to make. I make a few for my local hat store on trade for hat discounts. Having a full workshop (ex-cabinet maker) has it's moments

[Goose.]

I have two wood ones...one an inch high...the other three.

Primarily I use them to retain size. Not to stretch out (though I do have a Panama doing some Pilates in one now).

After a day in the rain, I will put the stretcher in the wet hat to just where it is snug. So far, no band shrinkage on any Fed that has been on my head..

Harbor Freight shipping is a good deal if you buy qty. Ship based on price Vs. weight. Once ordered a mess of hammers that were on sale. Shipping was about $10 if I recall. That was one heavy butt box too. So, order a few of those and send 'em out to your forum buddies Christmas in July!

[bolthead]

Also, if you have a bandsaw they are dead easy to make. I make a few for my local hat store on trade for hat discounts. Having a full workshop (ex-cabinet maker) has it's moments

What do you use for the threaded crank inside?

[Topdog]

I just ordered three of them from the website. Out the door price was $22 and change. That includes shipping and tax for three of them. I basically got thrre hat jacks for the price of one!!!