New hat stretcher (& advice)

[davidraphael]

Here are my final methods and results:

I stretched my 1950s'60s Peschel Homburg 3 times over a period of ten or so days. Each stretch took the hat up approx a 3rd to a half size.
1st stretch - 1 day
2nd stretch - 1.5 days
Leather conditioner x 2 on consecutive days
3rd stretch - nearly 4 days

The hat's original label says 58, but the stretcher now states it to be a little over a size 59, perhaps 59.25. Despite this, the hat now fits like my other larger size 58 hats.

I had been worried about the sweatband splitting but everything seems to be absolutely fine.

And here it is. It took some time but I'm happy with the results.

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[mayserwegener]

Looks great! I have some cheap $6.00 stretchers (Habor Freight but unfortunately discontinued) that I keep in some of my tighter hats.

 

[Chepstow]

very cool Hat David congrats
it fits you well

 

[FormerDATT]

Gents,
Is the bottome line that I will never get my 7 1/8 to a 7 3/8? I want to keep trying as if I send it off it will be a long turn around. It is a very nice older O'Farrell. They are willing to do a rebuild but I have been maybe too persistant. Should I just forget all this agony and mail it off?

 

[gtdean48]

Gents,
Is the bottome line that I will never get my 7 1/8 to a 7 3/8? I want to keep trying as if I send it off it will be a long turn around. It is a very nice older O'Farrell. They are willing to do a rebuild but I have been maybe too persistant. Should I just forget all this agony and mail it off?

I'd never attempt a 2 size stretch. My vote is send it off....

 

[monbla256]

Gents,
Is the bottome line that I will never get my 7 1/8 to a 7 3/8? I want to keep trying as if I send it off it will be a long turn around. It is a very nice older O'Farrell. They are willing to do a rebuild but I have been maybe too persistant. Should I just forget all this agony and mail it off?

You are needing to go up almost 2 hat sizes and if it were a nice older hat of mine I would NOT try and stretch it myself. To many things can go south in trying to do this without proper equipment and such. If you have it rebuilt ( if you want to wear it on a regular basis rather than just collect) and the liner is in good shape, they can re-use the liner and with all of the "guts" out of it , they can properly stretch it up the required size, re-block it as an open crown for you to crease, put the OEM liner back in, put in a new good sweat the proper size in and your good to go for many more years! It may take some time, but you probably will be more satisfied with the results unless you just need to say you did it yourself. This is what I have had done with some of my father's hats and it's so satisfying to be able to just wear 'em with no worry as to shrinking or other such. JMHO

 

[FormerDATT]

Thanks, guys. Off it goes.