Shrinking a Wool Felt All Over Proportionately

[Jesuit24]

Hi, after binge watching Stranger Things, I'm going to be getting a new wool felt fedora soon that looks very similar to the Worth & Worth hat the sheriff wears in the show.

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The proportions and brim shape are spot on. The only problem is it's a bit too big all over. It's a 7 3/8 and I'm a 7 1/4. It has a 5" crown and I'm looking for a 4" crown. It has a 3" brim and I'm looking for a 2.5" brim. Here's the hat, I reckon it'll be a good match with a bit of a pinch:

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Does anyone have any tips on how I can shrink it evenly? I've heard about microwaving it, soaking it in hot water, soaking it in cold water, using steam from the kettle, putting it in the dryer, and even putting it in the dishwasher. Which method will allow me overall shrinkage while maintaining shape?

Also note, this hat has no lining and the sweatband seems to be cotton rather than leather.

 

[RJR]

Hi, after binge watching Stranger Things, I'm going to be getting a new wool felt fedora soon that looks very similar to the Worth & Worth hat the sheriff wears in the show.

​

The proportions and brim shape are spot on. The only problem is it's a bit too big all over. It's a 7 3/8 and I'm a 7 1/4. It has a 5" crown and I'm looking for a 4" crown. It has a 3" brim and I'm looking for a 2.5" brim. Here's the hat, I reckon it'll be a good match with a bit of a pinch:

​

Does anyone have any tips on how I can shrink it evenly? I've heard about microwaving it, soaking it in hot water, soaking it in cold water, using steam from the kettle, putting it in the dryer, and even putting it in the dishwasher. Which method will allow me overall shrinkage while maintaining shape?

Also note, this hat has no lining and the sweatband seems to be cotton rather than leather.

The simple answer to your question is that you can't control shrinkage.
I don't believe that its the same hat;there is a lot of taper.The hat worn by the sheriff is nearly straight sided.How did you determine that it was a wool W&W and the size?
To me it looks much like an Akubra FED IV or another of similar dimensions.

 

[scottyrocks]

Forget the wool and get a fur felt in your size. It'll cost a little more, but in the long run you'll be glad you did.

Also keep in mind that the same model of hat on other people very often will look different on your, or anyone else's head. And that is assuming that are actually getting the same hat.

 

[Jesuit24]

It's not the same hat, just an affordable alternative. After a little digging, the actor who plays him mentioned in an interview that he had it custom made for the show as an Open Road style from Worth & Worth.

 

[RJR]

Any number of Open Road style hats have been made over the years.Look on ebay for your size and for prices.Most have what's known as a cattleman's crease but are easily re shaped to look like the picture you posted.

Here is an example.

 

[Jesuit24]

I've searched, but can't find anything remotely similar on ebay or etsy.

 

[jlee562]

That wool felt hat will not ever look the same to the screen worn hat, especially if you try to shrink it. That hat has a very tapered blockshape already. Adding a pinch is going to exaggerate that taper. Shrinking that hat is going to make it more so on top of that.

The pictured hat has a very square blockshape in the crown. The only way you can get that is starting with a straight sided hat.

 

[LuvMyMan]

It's not the same hat, just an affordable alternative. After a little digging, the actor who plays him mentioned in an interview that he had it custom made for the show as an Open Road style from Worth & Worth.

That hat is a basic fedora. I m sure if you wear a hat size 7 1/4 you can find a good variety of hats on eBay for a decent price just looking for them. True the hat for the "actor" may have been custom made, but in some ways that means it was made to fit his head like a glove...and yes the quality "may" be good...but that does not mean you could not find a great vintage hat as such a Stetson Open Road, or a Dobbs, or any thin ribbon hat that you can make it look fairly much exactly like what you want. You most likely can buy the hat for less than $200.00 on eBay.

Here is a Stetson Stratoliner...looks close enough to the hat you are looking for, and the price is super reasonable. NOT a wool hat either, this is actual beaver mix felt...:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/STETSON-STR...025251?hash=item3f6a2935a3:g:gkwAAOSw8oFXy5wJ

 

[rogerstg]

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The proportions and brim shape are spot on. The only problem is it's a bit too big all over. It's a 7 3/8 and I'm a 7 1/4. It has a 5" crown and I'm looking for a 4" crown. It has a 3" brim and I'm looking for a 2.5" brim.

Unless you have one of these:

you can't proportionately shrink the hat. But, you can trim the brim pretty easily, go down a size by shrinking the sweatband and/or using sizing tape, and lower the apparent crown height by changing the bash.

 

[Jesuit24]

You guys convinced me. Ordered a grey Stratoliner from ebay. Definitely looks more the part. Only thing would be removing the bound edge.