ScottF
Call Me a Cab
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- 2,770
Stretched my Penney's Marathon 1/2 size and it is perfect three days later. I used the stretcher that I showed previously. I've used this design many times in the past, but this particular example is taller than most, which I'm not sure added any benefit. It was marked 6 7/8 and was fine for going from 7/1/8+ to 7 1/4. Like others, I don't recommend hat-stretching unless you 'have' to do it;i.e-you find a fantastic hat that's a touch small.
I was able to find my own hat-stretch instructions, posted here ~2016. Using those instructions and modifying a little based on other members' thoughts, here's what I did:
Used Mother's to saturate the inside of the sweatband (didn't have Lexol) and did NOT put lotion on the smooth outer part. Folded two strips of foil and placed between the sweatband and the felt. Soaked a washcloth in water, and saturated the ribbon and about 1"+ of felt above the ribbon. Inserted the stretcher with just a little showing below the sweatband, cranked it a little less than 1/2 size, then a few hours later cranked it a little more, and let it sit for about a day. Used a hat sponge on the felt above the ribbon to get it looking good.
I'm thrilled, and this time will NOT sell my stretcher, just in case.
Sure, a full-size stretcher is better. But I'm not a professional hat-restorer, no longer buy and sell hats, and it would take me through the rest of my life to get my money's worth on such a purchase.
I also need to revise my age estimate of this hat - I originally thought late 1940's based on the crackly liner cover, but the Penney's logos seem to indicate something closer to mid-50's or later. You never stop learning.
I was able to find my own hat-stretch instructions, posted here ~2016. Using those instructions and modifying a little based on other members' thoughts, here's what I did:
Used Mother's to saturate the inside of the sweatband (didn't have Lexol) and did NOT put lotion on the smooth outer part. Folded two strips of foil and placed between the sweatband and the felt. Soaked a washcloth in water, and saturated the ribbon and about 1"+ of felt above the ribbon. Inserted the stretcher with just a little showing below the sweatband, cranked it a little less than 1/2 size, then a few hours later cranked it a little more, and let it sit for about a day. Used a hat sponge on the felt above the ribbon to get it looking good.
I'm thrilled, and this time will NOT sell my stretcher, just in case.
Sure, a full-size stretcher is better. But I'm not a professional hat-restorer, no longer buy and sell hats, and it would take me through the rest of my life to get my money's worth on such a purchase.
I also need to revise my age estimate of this hat - I originally thought late 1940's based on the crackly liner cover, but the Penney's logos seem to indicate something closer to mid-50's or later. You never stop learning.
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