Can a fedora be streched????

[Ande1964]

I find using Google much more useful for searching the FL. Just enter your search phrase, followed by "site:thefedoralounge.com"

Anj

 

[cmalbrecht]

I evidently have a slightly oval dome. Most hats fit perfectly, but some, although my size, are too round and press on my forehead. It wouldn't take much to tweak them but I'm not sure whether I should invest in a hat jack or what. I was almost at the point of taking some of them to the Goodwill or something, but this is my last effort to preserve a few. Any good news will be appreciated.

 

[gtdean48]

I evidently have a slightly oval dome. Most hats fit perfectly, but some, although my size, are too round and press on my forehead. It wouldn't take much to tweak them but I'm not sure whether I should invest in a hat jack or what. I was almost at the point of taking some of them to the Goodwill or something, but this is my last effort to preserve a few. Any good news will be appreciated.

Most factory hats now no longer come in Long Oval or Extra Long Oval. Hat jacks are a necessity for us oblong noggins. When I buy a new factory hat, it has to be shaped. Only way around it for me, is a custom made off a conformer to get my noggin shape or if the hatter has an old LO block. I have 2 hat jacks & 2 vintage hat stretchers. They all are in constant use due to regular ovals coming from hat companies. HTH....

 

[cmalbrecht]

Thanks. I have an old Dobbs I picked up. It is long oval and fits perfectly. I just ordered a hat jack from Delmonico so I'll try that and see how it works. Last year I ordered a Stetson Fedora and a Stetson Panama from them, and while the fedora is great, the panama is tight in front and tends to slip up. Partly I think due to the fabric sweatband. I have a couple of others I picked up at flea markets, a Stetson I really like, but again, it's tight across the front, as well as another Dobbs that causes the same problem. Maybe the hat jack will help. It's just a very small difference, I think.

 

[HatsEnough]

I made a big mistake stretching a hat not long ago. I actually over did it! It went from a tad tight to now a tad too loose.
Crap.

 

[cmalbrecht]

I'll be super careful. I just want to make a couple of hats slightly more oval. I'll go very easy. Thanks for the warning.

 

[jaco]

Long time frequenter but few words spent during many year...now I'd like to give my contribution.

I disagree. I think the search function is useless. It brings up nearly every thread in the database. If you don't want to answer the question simply walk on by. But the search advice isn't very helpful in my opinion.

Serch function, in TFL, Google or any other platform can be useful or unuseful at the same time: it requires a minum amount of training to go from teh second to the first so...it's a matter of familiarity and study of options.

Yes, fedoras can be stretched. The downside is that it can cause an uneven look because the joint where the crown and brim meet get larger but the top of the crown does not. It causes the crown to taper toward the top. I think if you are talking about one size or a fraction of a size, stretching is OK. If you need to go further than that, you are better off selling what you have and getting a hat that fits better.

As a matter of recommendation, getting a hat that is a little too large is better than getting one that is a little too small. Padding the sweatband on a large hat is not as severe as stretching a small one.

If you have a very valuable hat that is worth spending some money to fix, you can send a small hat to a professional hatter and have it reblocked to a larger size. There is no downside to that other than the cost. The reblocking makes the whole crown larger. I did that to hat that was one size too small and the result was excellent. Good luck.

What you're saying is right but a couple of small clarification:
- the distortion arises if you use a standard hat stretcher. If you use a crown block or a tall stretcher it will be imperceptible. In any case steam can fix it (abundant steam)
- always remember to wet the hat (felt only) in order to avoid cracking problems: via steam or spray.

Stretching in order to achieve a plastic deformation implies a point of no return, as far, as a particular fit of a hat is concerned. The danger of disintegration must also be born in mind when applying extrusion force! :bathbaby:

You're right, sir, but only if no steam or water is used.

So telling people that the search function is useless is helpful?

I disagree with you. I find most of the things I need thru using the search or advanced search here. Very rarely do I resort to using the google search method.

B

Don't fight about this "vexata questio" common in almost every forum over there: sometimes it's not so simple to understand all the implication of a certain filter or search option so be patient.

to search TFL

But to stretch a hat up a size I use an aerosol "shoe stretch" spray on both sides of the sweatband. If the sweat is at all dry damaged brittle or none of the above, it never hurts to prepare the leather by giving a goodly amount of Lexol and letting that soak in overnight.

Use liberal amounts of steam on the exterior felt & ribbon while stretching. leave it on the stretcher as long as you're able, give it an extra quarter turn once in a while as it sits...I have never had a problem.

dropinhatstretcherman on ebay makes nice, inexpensive ceder stretchers, in a range of widths, that are superior to more slender 'hat jacks' IMO.
The olde antique ones made from wood & brass with high sides and such are nice too.

Very good and useful advice about leather sweat band conditionig...thank you.

I evidently have a slightly oval dome. Most hats fit perfectly, but some, although my size, are too round and press on my forehead. It wouldn't take much to tweak them but I'm not sure whether I should invest in a hat jack or what. I was almost at the point of taking some of them to the Goodwill or something, but this is my last effort to preserve a few. Any good news will be appreciated.

If I was you I'll try to get a crown block. You can choose to have it domed (in this case you'll hand bash in teh desired form after blocking) or already shaped with preferred bash. I recently aquired a teardrop shaped block and I think that this are the best aquisition I made.

Thanks. I have an old Dobbs I picked up. It is long oval and fits perfectly. I just ordered a hat jack from Delmonico so I'll try that and see how it works. Last year I ordered a Stetson Fedora and a Stetson Panama from them, and while the fedora is great, the panama is tight in front and tends to slip up. Partly I think due to the fabric sweatband. I have a couple of others I picked up at flea markets, a Stetson I really like, but again, it's tight across the front, as well as another Dobbs that causes the same problem. Maybe the hat jack will help. It's just a very small difference, I think.

If you need only a small tweak a hat stretcher will work fine (something like a fraction of centimeters, sorry but I use this measure because I'm Italian and so not very familiar with inches).

I made a big mistake stretching a hat not long ago. I actually over did it! It went from a tad tight to now a tad too loose.
Crap.

If you have a crown block you can fix it: wet very well with steam or water and let it dry over the block (firmly tie it at the brim/crown junction) in a hot place or (if you don't have problem of discoloration) at full sun.
It will shrink and became percfet for your fit.
Regards to all.

 

[Terry "The Hat"]

Thanks. I have an old Dobbs I picked up. It is long oval and fits perfectly. I just ordered a hat jack from Delmonico so I'll try that and see how it works. Last year I ordered a Stetson Fedora and a Stetson Panama from them, and while the fedora is great, the panama is tight in front and tends to slip up. Partly I think due to the fabric sweatband. I have a couple of others I picked up at flea markets, a Stetson I really like, but again, it's tight across the front, as well as another Dobbs that causes the same problem. Maybe the hat jack will help. It's just a very small difference, I think.

Ernest DelMonico will shape a hat Long Oval for you when you order it from him if you ask. He does not charge anything for it and he makes sure the hat is not distorted. I've talked to him several times about it. I was gonna order a Whippet from him but after reading all the review here on the lounge I've decided to wait for the new Strat that the guys here are working on with Buckaroo Hatters and Stetson.