Sterkowski hats...opinions/experiences wanted please

[Lotsahats]

Tmal, it's the beginning of a beautiful relationship. There will be good days and bad days, but it's worth it!

A

 

[tmal]

OK. The hat came today. I like it! The wife likes it; I am no longer permitted to wear caps! I ordered a 58, and it says 58, but it is too big. I remeasured and I am a 58 - maybe 57.5 if you want to get technical. Three questions: 1) how do I shrink it? 2) what can I line it with to make it fit? 3) is the top of the hat supposed to touch your head?

 

[Blackjack]

OK. The hat came today. I like it! The wife likes it; I am no longer permitted to wear caps! I ordered a 58, and it says 58, but it is too big. I remeasured and I am a 58 - maybe 57.5 if you want to get technical. Three questions: 1) how do I shrink it? 2) what can I line it with to make it fit? 3) is the top of the hat supposed to touch your head?

Pictures, pictures pictures!!!!!!

 

[fedoracentric]

1) how do I shrink it?

I doubt you'll have much success "shrinking" it. Stuff the sweatband with some foam strips. If that doesn't work, just buy another hat. They are pretty cheap, after all.

 

[tmal]

Pictures, pictures pictures!!!!!!

I do not have enough posts to post pictures.

 

[tmal]

I doubt you'll have much success "shrinking" it. Stuff the sweatband with some foam strips. If that doesn't work, just buy another hat. They are pretty cheap, after all.

That's what I figured, going to try some moleskin strips.

 

[KingAndrew]

With regard to question #3:

It depends on the crown height, of course, but you're head is not generally supposed to touch to top of the hat. It shouldn't fit like a ball cap. Although, as I said, there are a few lower-crown hats and creases that make it hard not to bump up against the liner.

The goal is to have the sweatband fit your head well enough to support the hat. Since you indicated that the band was a little big for you, that is probably the reason the liner is hitting your scalp.

After you wear (and sweat) in the hat for a while, it may begin to conform to your head a little better. Akubra touts this "shrink to fit" idea, but I don't think it is as effective with hats as with blue jeans.

 

[tmal]

I lined the sweatband with moleskin, (the extra thick kind), it fits much better now. I will keep experimenting. I figure that I need to wear it awhile to really check on the fit. Otherwise I am pleased with the hat in all ways.

 

[Lotsahats]

I'm getting nervous. I bought a Sterkowski cap on October 13th; it shipped on October 30th, and it's still not here. I know that shipping from Poland is not instant, but a month feels a little excessive. Anyone have similar wait times?

Aaron

 

[Ianthepilot]

The wait period certainly wasn't that long for me, though the way they handle caps might be different than how they handle their felts. Would help if they kept in contact with their clients a bit better, I just got one email between it being shipped and arriving.
Tmal, I wouldn't worry about the hat being too big. When I got mine, which I had ordered to what I thought was my exact size, it felt a bit loose. Made me worry a good breeze might carry it off. Well, I've been wearing it a while and my experience is that my sweat has made the leather headband a little tackier, grips my forehead a bit better. Also, wore it in a rain storm, didn't soak through completely but got pretty moist, and it seems to fit me just right now. When I got it, took the pictures that are on the 5th page of this thread you can see I stuck a heavily folded paper towel in the back of the headband; I've since tossed it out, the hat fits me perfectly without it. The Sterkowski hats do have at least some capacity to shrink, not to a tremendous, bad degree (I think/so far) but enough to help them conform and tighten to the perfect size. I'll put up a picture or two when I can find the time, show any changes in the lines of the hat since I gave it a diamond bash and got it drenched.

 

[Lorne]

Hello,

What is the structure of this hat like. Is it soft like a higher quality fur felt or stiff?

Lorne

 

[tmal]

Thanks Ianthepilot. That is just what I wanted to hear. To those that have bought this hat: the top of that still touches my head, (just barely). I don't find it objectionable, so I guess I will live with it. Any one else find that it fits like that? Has anyone tried reshaping it; I'd like a little more pinch. Keep in mind this is my first real hat, my maxim: fedorus ignoramus maximus.

 

[Hat Dandy]

I've purchased a black colored version of this Sterkowski hat. I find the felt to be thicker and not as dense as more expensive hats. Initially, the felt was pretty stiff but softened up nicely without the hat losing it's shape. The pouncing isn't as refined as other name brands and comes across as a touch hairy. Contrary to the advice given in this thread, I lightly pounced it with 240 grit sandpaper to good effect. For the price, you are receiving a serviceable hat that you can experiment with.

 

[Indiana Funzi]

Hi everybody!! This is my first message!! I just want to share some pictures of the beautiful Fedora made by Sterkowski which I have bought. I can tell you that pictures do not give justice to this hat!! It's a classic wide brimmed Fedora, colour black, crown height is 4.9 in and the brim is 3 in. I bought it as my personal Indiana Jones' Fedora, I am not very interested in screen accuracy or that kind of stuff, I simply love it for its colour, tall crown and wide brim!! For anyone who's considering buying from Mr Sterkowski, I can assure you that you will not be disappointed. I don't know the standards to define how expensive a hat can or should be (I'm a total newbie in this area), but this is one is excellent under every point of view. I paid it £34 (approximately $42) and the postage was very fast, around 5 days to Italy (including the weekend)!

If Mr Sterkowski is reading, I love this Fedora!! Thank you very much!!

 

[Scooterz]

That is nice. Is it pretty soft or pretty stiff felt?

 

[RJR]

Hi everybody!! This is my first message!! I just want to share some pictures of the beautiful Fedora made by Sterkowski which I have bought. I can tell you that pictures do not give justice to this hat!! It's a classic wide brimmed Fedora, colour black, crown height is 4.9 in and the brim is 3 in. I bought it as my personal Indiana Jones' Fedora, I am not very interested in screen accuracy or that kind of stuff, I simply love it for its colour, tall crown and wide brim!! For anyone who's considering buying from Mr Sterkowski, I can assure you that you will not be disappointed. I don't know the standards to define how expensive a hat can or should be (I'm a total newbie in this area), but this is one is excellent under every point of view. I paid it £34 (approximately $42) and the postage was very fast, around 5 days to Italy (including the weekend)!

If Mr Sterkowski is reading, I love this Fedora!! Thank you very much!!

Nice hat,is it wool or fur felt?

 

[Indiana Funzi]

That is nice. Is it pretty soft or pretty stiff felt?

Nice hat,is it wool or fur felt?

It's pretty stiff, I have to say! It keeps its shape very well, which is something I appreciate because I don't like those hat which lose their original shape too easily! It's wool, at touch is delicately smooth, I mean, it's a pleasure to pass your hand on it. I have another Fedora (a memory from my teenage years) which is a bit raspy, Sterkowski's is exactly the kind of felt I love! These are my very steps in the world of Fedora's, so pardon my lack of precision in technical details and vocabulary, I have a lot to learn from the more expert enthusiasts!

 

[ianbrettcooper]

I just ordered a couple of Sterkowski caps and I was wondering about the sweatband. Both of the caps I bought have a leather sweatband, but from the online images, it appears to be just sewn on without doubling it over (I don't know the right word for it, but it's sewn in with the sweatband poking out of the hat/cap, then the sweatband is folded into the hat so that the sewing doesn't show. All the quality caps I own have a sweatband that is doubled over like this, and the cheap hats/caps have a sweatband just sewn in with the sewing showing, and this leads to discomfort as the sewing thread and the edge of the leather often feel harsh against my forehead. Can someone who owns one of their hats/caps tell me how the Sterkowski hats/caps are in this regard? Thanks.

 

[Stanley Sterkowski]

Hi, guys if you have some question for our Sterkowski team, feel free to ask me ;-)

 

[glider]

I have 4 caps from Sterkowski and love every one of them. I've got my eye on another cap now ! I haven't tried any of there fedoras yet but I wouldn't be afraid to, they have a good product. If you're watching Mr Sterkowski, it's straw hat time, you need to offer a panama fedora. I would order one !