Hat Stretching Question?

[riflegunbuilder]

How much can you normaly stretch a hat? Can one be stretched one size and save the sweatband?

 

[Johnnysan]

I'm not sure that the answer is always "yes", but I have done so many times without damaging the sweatband. Go slow and good luck!

 

[Naphtali]

One full size, US 7-1/8 to US 8-1/8, is -- well -- stretching things.

The most I have expanded a hat is from 6-7/8 to 7-1/4. This took three sessions. The hat was a Resistol that I gave to my father-in-law.

My experience is that the problem is not so much stretching the sweatband's specially tanned leather, or even the fur felt. The thread securing sweatband to felt -- that's the limiting factor.

If I were forced to guess, I'd say there is more than one type of thread used. Nylon, for example, stretches much more than Dacron.

To make a long story less long, limit yourself to stretching one-quarter size. And limit any stretching session to one-eighth size as best you can.

I use distilled water misted along the circumference, followed by steaming with distilled water inside the crown. This reduces probability of water discoloration. It takes time to get the felt slightly damp/flexible. Take it easy. You can always repeat the session.

Hope this helps.
***
Do you build ML rifles?

 

[Rick Blaine]

search

There are innumerable threads here on stretching tools, techniques & methods.
For more accurate results use Google advanced to search this URL and you will have days of reading to do.
However the consensus seems to be that the best you might manage w/o removing the sweat & ribbon is, at most, 1.5 size increase (e.g. size 7 1/4 to a loose 7 3/8 [or snug 7 1/2]).
There are antique stretchers of all descriptions, there are contemporary stretchers, two-way stretchers, four-way stretchers, there are cedar stretchers that extend up into the crown, there are electrically heated stretchers, there is a shoe-stretching spray that many here use on the leather sweats to facilitate the process, there are leather cleaners & preservatives (lexol) that seem to do the same thing & also extend the life of the leather. Many will tell you steam heat will loosen the felt to aid in the process... and on & on...

 

[henderson field]

Stretching It a Bit

Hi All,

Following advice gleaned from the Fed. and other sources, I have successfully stretched my fedora. The hat hasn't seen much wear and as a result became a little too tight for comfort. I tried steaming the inside of the hat and gently stretching it which seemed to do the trick. The hat tightened a little after drying out but another couple of sessions should sort it out for good. I think the important thing is not to expect too much at once.

Hope this helps.

HF

 

[Bud-n-Texas]

Word of CAUTION

Keep the steam off of the leather. Vintage leather very often can become brittle and crack when steam hits it. Most hatters that I know apply steam from the outside of the hat, and never from the inside.

 

[riflegunbuilder]

Stretching

I'm talking about one full sizeas in: can I push a 7 to a 7 1/8? There is a 7 Whippett look a like on ??bay that is exactly what I had in mind when I posted about a 2 3/8 - 2 1/2 bound edge hat the other week.

 

[Pilgrim]

Just to boil down what has been said above, with a good hat stretcher and patience you can generally count on going up at least 1/8 size with nothing more than stretching. IME stretching 1/8 size and having it stay requires at least a month on a stretcher with periodic adjustments...sometimes longer. The outer limit might be 1/4 size. Beyond that, you're in for a new sweatband and professional hat shaping.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

I asked this very question of a hat dealer recently and was told you can usually safely stretch a hat one full size.

HOWEVER, "one full size" does NOT mean going from 6-1/2 to 7-1/2. It means going from 6-1/2 to 6-5/8. You might get away with 6-1/2 to 6-3/4 taking it slow and easy and with a great deal of care...and/or you may end up with a torn ribbon or sweat or a noticeable "bump-out" around the base of the crown or split the crown.

 

[Jerekson]

Take it to VHS.

I had my 6 3/4 Stet stretched up to a 7 1/8 by them. The sweatband rippled a little bit on the sides, but otherwise there was nothing.

They used a heated expanding block (very professionally, might I add).

 

[henderson field]

Re: Word of Caution

Thanks for the tip Bud! I will steam only on the outside from now on!

HF

 

[jimmy the lid]

I've moved to a more organic approach to hat stretching -- using my own noggin as the block! I've used a hat stretcher on some newer lids, but have not been pleased with some of the lines left in the hat (or, "bump out" as Mike in Seattle puts it). So, I've been unwilling to use a hat stretcher on a couple of vintage lids that have needed a slight stretch.

Instead, I use just enough steam around the base of the crown to relax the felt a bit, then I put the hat on with the front low down on my forehead, pushing the back of the hat down until I feel that it's stretching out as much as possible. The advantage is that you can really feel when the hat is stretched to capacity -- as opposed to using a more mechanical approach (and keeping your fingers crossed). Then I just leave the hat on while I go about my normal routine at home. As things tighten back up, there is definitely some pressure on the ol' noggin, but it's worth it in the end. After repeating this process a couple of times, the hat really does stretch out, and the stretching actually conforms to your head, instead of the shape provided by a stretcher. (It's like wearing those new boots in the creek and letting them dry!)

Anyway, I've gotten very good results using this method, and I feel much more comfortable doing it this way versus using a hat stretcher, particularly where vintage lids are concerned.

Cheers,
JtL

 

[AdmiralTofu]

I do the same thing, jimmy. Bought a Huckel fedora at BCF about a month back, but it was one size too small -- I knew that in the store, but I just had to have the hat. Got it home, and since I didn't have a hat stretcher, I just figured, why not give it a try? and did exactly as you described. Steamed that dude up, crammed it down as far on my head as it would go, and went around with it on my head for a while. Wound up with a headache afterward lol but now it's perfectly stretched and shaped for me.

Execedrin followed soon after.

-Tofu

 

[jimmy the lid]

Execedrin followed soon after.

I hear ya!

Cheers,
JtL

 

[TaxMan1]

I'm gonna try that, guys, as I didn't know where/how with the stretcher thing. Sounds like my kinda ultra low-tech solution.........
So, just steam at the bottom of the crown, ON THE OUTSIDE, and put on?
A little softener on the leather, perhaps?

 

[jimmy the lid]

You got it! The leather softener idea sounds fine, although I've never used it. I do take a damp cloth and moisten the leather just a bit (not too much). Let us know how it goes...

Cheers,
JtL

 

[Pilgrim]

I recall well that in the early 80's I was a Reserve Deputy and was hired as extra security at a Wazzu football game.

During the game it rained heavily and my trooper-style hat got thoroughly soaked (no rain bonnet, I hate those things), and I also ended up wearing it for a couple of hours after the rain ended.

It always fit me MUCH better after that!

 

[akaBruno]

I'm with Jimmy. If you're the one gonna be wearin the thing, what better block(head) to stretch it on.

I've moved to a more organic approach to hat stretching -- using my own noggin as the block! I've used a hat stretcher on some newer lids, but have not been pleased with some of the lines left in the hat (or, "bump out" as Mike in Seattle puts it). So, I've been unwilling to use a hat stretcher on a couple of vintage lids that have needed a slight stretch.

Instead, I use just enough steam around the base of the crown to relax the felt a bit, then I put the hat on with the front low down on my forehead, pushing the back of the hat down until I feel that it's stretching out as much as possible. The advantage is that you can really feel when the hat is stretched to capacity -- as opposed to using a more mechanical approach (and keeping your fingers crossed). Then I just leave the hat on while I go about my normal routine at home. As things tighten back up, there is definitely some pressure on the ol' noggin, but it's worth it in the end. After repeating this process a couple of times, the hat really does stretch out, and the stretching actually conforms to your head, instead of the shape provided by a stretcher. (It's like wearing those new boots in the creek and letting them dry!)

Anyway, I've gotten very good results using this method, and I feel much more comfortable doing it this way versus using a hat stretcher, particularly where vintage lids are concerned.

Cheers,
JtL