Recommend a stretcher

[mattface]

I searched, but didn't find a thread about this. I ted to fall a bit between 7 1/8 and 7 1/4. My favorite hats right now are 7 1/8 and a bit snug, and I just bought a few more 7 1/8s so I'm thinking a stretcher is just the thing I need to get to that middle size.

Does anyone have a good recomendation for an affordable good hat stretcher. Hat Jacks seem ubiquitous is there something better and/or cheaper, or is the Hat Jack what I need? Do I go with the small size, or the medium?

 

[HatsEnough]

All I will buy is vintage stretchers. All the new ones I've seen are too thin, only hitting the leather sweatband area and don't fit up into the crown far enough.

 

[jcmjrt]

After a little research, I purchased a new four way hat stretcher. It wasn't cheap ($90?) but has a done a good job on the hats that I've used it on and I haven't gotten the long oval experience.

 

[Blackthorn]

Art Fawcett sells hat blocks that do what you're talking about. They are made of cedar. I own 3 of them, and when any of my hats get too snug, I can get them back out to where they need to be by pulling the hat down so that the bottom of the sweatband is flush with the bottom of the block, and then leaving it there for a few days. It works really well. You can find him here:
http://www.vintagesilhouettes.com/

 

[mattface]

All I will buy is vintage stretchers. All the new ones I've seen are too thin, only hitting the leather sweatband area and don't fit up into the crown far enough.

You're talking about something like this bad boy?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-woo...pt=Folk_Art&hash=item2eb830e010#ht_500wt_1219

I can see how that would be much better, but I can't afford it. Or were you just talking about the old slightly thicker stretchers that look more or less like the hat jack?

 

[HatsEnough]

Those are the best of all, too.

 

[mattface]

Those are the best of all, too.

Yeah I can see why. I'm adding it to my wish list, but in the meantime I'm on the lookout for a somewhat more modest vintage stretcher. Will one labeled 6 7/8 be sufficient for stretching hats just shy of 7 1/4?

 

[HatsEnough]

I like to chose one a few sizes smaller, yes. That way you can be sure it'll fit in the hat before you stretch it.

 

[gtdean48]

I have a couple of antique stretchers & a few hat jack modern types, 2 from Harbor Freight. I use the antiques to do the actual stretching & the jacks as retention.

 

[DNO]

Yeah I can see why. I'm adding it to my wish list, but in the meantime I'm on the lookout for a somewhat more modest vintage stretcher. Will one labeled 6 7/8 be sufficient for stretching hats just shy of 7 1/4?

I'm a 7 3/8 extra long oval so if I find a 7 3/8 hat I often have to give it a bit of stretch to fit my weird head. I lucked out and found a commercial heated hat stretcher a few years ago but I also use a vintage wooden stretcher. The wood stretcher is size 6 3/4 and has no problem working on a 7 3/8 hat.

 

[sandyg]

I bought two of the modern stretchers from Harbor Freight for $2.00 each. They work just fine.

I agree with buying an Akubra hat one size too big. I bought a 62 CampDraft and after a few times in the rain it shrunk to the point that I had to use the stretcher on it.

 

[Lloyd]

I have to agree with Blackthorn. A custom band block is the way to go. If you can squeeze you head into the hat then the band block will reshape the hat to fit your head.

 

[mattface]

I have to agree with Blackthorn. A custom band block is the way to go. If you can squeeze you head into the hat then the band block will reshape the hat to fit your head.

Explain please what a custom band block is.

 

[HatsEnough]

By the way, the title of this thread sounds like what I sometimes say after a night's pub crawl. Only the stretcher in question is what they take me out on from the last pub.

 

[mflemming]

I have one of these

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HALLETT-HAT-STRETCHER-Fedora-cowboy-western-ballcap-/200654012103?pt=US_Hats&hash=item2eb7e93ec7

and it is actually pretty decent. It has enough height to its blocks to reach above the sweatband. It looks like his new model would be even better:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Super-Deluxe-Hallett-Drop-Hat-Stretcher-3-tall-/190584764262?pt=US_Hats&hash=item2c5fbcb766

 

[mattface]

I have one of these

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HALLETT-HAT-STRETCHER-Fedora-cowboy-western-ballcap-/200654012103?pt=US_Hats&hash=item2eb7e93ec7

and it is actually pretty decent. It has enough height to its blocks to reach above the sweatband. It looks like his new model would be even better:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Super-Deluxe-Hallett-Drop-Hat-Stretcher-3-tall-/190584764262?pt=US_Hats&hash=item2c5fbcb766

Thanks, I saw those the other day. I think I am going to order one of them, they look very good for the money. I'll probably get the super deluxe which should work great for deep bucket straight sided hats, and if I need to stretch a shallower modern tapered hat, I'll only insert it partially.

 

[Lastmohecken]

I think this is the place to point out that with modern hats, like Akubras or most customs, you need to buy them too big to begin with. They will shrink at least a full size within a year. It's so much easier to deal with hats that are too large for a while than to deal with tight hats for years and years.

I agree 100%

 

[Lloyd]

Explain please what a custom band block is.

A band block is a block that fits into the hat and is about the same height as the sweat. Ideally it's the same shape as your head of something close to it.
If you head is a non standard shape it's the only way to fly in my opinion.
They are also incredibly useful when working on your hat.

You can get these made by Art, or once you have the pattern you can pretty much make them yourself.
If your head is a standard shape you can buy them on ebay.

Here's a pic of one of my bandblocks made from a tracing from my conformer at Art's. And one of the complete setup with the spinner.

 

[DJH]

I asked Art to make me one of these and it is just about the best $35 I've spent.

My head is not a really an even oval and also is right between 7 and 71/8 size. Whenever I get a hat that is just a tad tight or not quite the right shape I just leave it on the block a few days.

It's great to have vintage hats that fit just as well as the ones Art makes.

Oh, I'm pretty sure Art will make a block even if you haven't bought a hat - I think you just pay a deposit on the conformer as an incentive to send it back!

 

[Blackthorn]

A band block is a block that fits into the hat and is about the same height as the sweat. Ideally it's the same shape as your head of something close to it.
If you head is a non standard shape it's the only way to fly in my opinion.
They are also incredibly useful when working on your hat.

You can get these made by Art, or once you have the pattern you can pretty much make them yourself.
If your head is a standard shape you can buy them on ebay.

Here's a pic of one of my bandblocks made from a tracing from my conformer at Art's. And one of the complete setup with the spinner.

Wow! Art's getting fancy! I like that a lot.