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Tabletop Hatters of The Lounge

Messages
19,409
Location
Funkytown, USA
OK, asking for advice. I need to shrink a felt about a half to a full size to bring it down to fit me. I've stretched, but never shrank. What is the best technique for shrinking the felt to the size block I want?
 

Hat and Rehat

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,444
Location
Denver
OK, asking for advice. I need to shrink a felt about a half to a full size to bring it down to fit me. I've stretched, but never shrank. What is the best technique for shrinking the felt to the size block I want?
That's a risky proposition.
The theory would be to get it wet, then use dry heat to dry it fast. Its playing with fire, though. I dont know how you could control it. You couldn't drum the sweat a little tighter, or something like that?

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T Jones

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,788
Location
Central Ohio
View attachment 174056 Custom mahogany block made for a FL’er. See more in Photos of Hatters Tools thread.
That's a real beauty. I love the one you made for me. I almost hate using it because it looks so nice. It's a real work of art! Here's the one you made for me, also in mahogany...
Hat-Block-Walnut-3-A.jpg
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
OK, asking for advice. I need to shrink a felt about a half to a full size to bring it down to fit me. I've stretched, but never shrank. What is the best technique for shrinking the felt to the size block I want?

Send Rick @humanshoes a PM and ask him. He shrunk a black cherry that turned out great.

If it’s a 7 5/8 or 7 3/4, I know just how to take care of it. It will take 25 years, but the results will be exceptional. And my rates are very reasonable too.


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T Jones

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,788
Location
Central Ohio
Send Rick @humanshoes a PM and ask him. He shrunk a black cherry that turned out great.

If it’s a 7 5/8 or 7 3/4, I know just how to take care of it. It will take 25 years, but the results will be exceptional. And my rates are very reasonable too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
It's pretty easy to shrink one down a size. Not a problem at all. I've done several like that. My last conversion was a 7 3/8 4X Stetson that I blocked down to a 7 1/4 to fit me. Couldn't have turned out better.
Brown-Hat-4-X-Stetson-2-A.jpg
 
Messages
19,409
Location
Funkytown, USA
It's pretty easy to shrink one down a size. Not a problem at all. I've done several like that. My last conversion was a 7 3/8 4X Stetson that I blocked down to a 7 1/4 to fit me. Couldn't have turned out better.
Brown-Hat-4-X-Stetson-2-A.jpg
Yeah, but how? Steam? Soaking in hot water? I'm not sure where to begin.

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Hat and Rehat

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,444
Location
Denver
It's pretty easy to shrink one down a size. Not a problem at all. I've done several like that. My last conversion was a 7 3/8 4X Stetson that I blocked down to a 7 1/4 to fit me. Couldn't have turned out better.
Brown-Hat-4-X-Stetson-2-A.jpg
How do you control the amount of shrinkage?

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Hat and Rehat

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,444
Location
Denver
It's pretty easy to shrink one down a size. Not a problem at all. I've done several like that. My last conversion was a 7 3/8 4X Stetson that I blocked down to a 7 1/4 to fit me. Couldn't have turned out better.
Brown-Hat-4-X-Stetson-2-A.jpg
You mean reblocking a new hat, basically, from an old felt, then? Stretch to the smaller block, gaining a little brim as a bonus?

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TimothyF

New in Town
Messages
30
It has been a while since i posted any work. Here is an Akubra Fed. IV that i reblocked. Not a lot of difference but enough. Also i noticed something working on this. The brim was not correct in size. It was a little shorter actually. And i checked my other Akubra Fed. IV that i did not mess with and it was the same way... the sides were not the 63 mm (2.5") as advertized on either. The front and back are perfect at 2 3/4" though
46a00e2ec355e84a303cb3176378cc03.jpg
fb9edda827c5aa541da35a0b0ca265d7.jpg
e045172355679936c4965db85caa5d10.jpg
79b3d5a7dacb6f95331258850321a5cc.jpg
a1314aec1b2bdfa86f6dc7a45e67acee.jpg
907668c33c24742c3a9ab21007075918.jpg


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Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
It has been a while since i posted any work. Here is an Akubra Fed. IV that i reblocked. Not a lot of difference but enough. Also i noticed something working on this. The brim was not correct in size. It was a little shorter actually. And i checked my other Akubra Fed. IV that i did not mess with and it was the same way... the sides were not the 63 mm (2.5") as advertized on either. The front and back are perfect at 2 3/4" though
46a00e2ec355e84a303cb3176378cc03.jpg
fb9edda827c5aa541da35a0b0ca265d7.jpg
e045172355679936c4965db85caa5d10.jpg
79b3d5a7dacb6f95331258850321a5cc.jpg
a1314aec1b2bdfa86f6dc7a45e67acee.jpg
907668c33c24742c3a9ab21007075918.jpg


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Nice job. It really has the Raiders look too.


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Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
Thank You. The block was a lot of trial and error with the shape lol.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

Did you make the block yourself? It looks a lot like a straight-sided dome block as made by Hat Shapers (I know it’s not since your block is wood, but the profile looks very similar). Whatever the block, it certainly came out nice.


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Messages
18,171
OK, asking for advice. I need to shrink a felt about a half to a full size to bring it down to fit me. I've stretched, but never shrank. What is the best technique for shrinking the felt to the size block I want?
I think it was Bob Roberts who posted once about wetting them, then putting them over a light bulb. But I don't know if that shrinks the felt or just the sweat. You might ask him.
 
Messages
19,409
Location
Funkytown, USA
I think it was Bob Roberts who posted once about wetting them, then putting them over a light bulb. But I don't know if that shrinks the felt or just the sweat. You might ask him.
That's just the sweat. I tried that with success on a new CD. This is a D'Aquino I'm unhappy with and want to rebuild.

Terry has sent some pointers. Hopefully, I can tackle it this weekend.

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