Shrinking a hat?

Vladimir Berkov · Post by **Vladimir Berkov** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 10:12 pm

I have heard people talk about the lampshade trick for reducing a hat size, but does anybody know if this trick will work with a homburg? Since it is slightly stiffer than most fedoras maybe there is some problem with the method that I don't know about.

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 10:50 pm

Sounds like the lampshade trick doesn't really even work much.

Seems like your best option is putting something inside the sweatband to make it a bit snugger. But that's only going to work if it's close...I don't think you'll get much more out of it.

Any other ideas, folks? (Short of reblocking.)

J

P.S. Welcome to COW!

DanielJones · Post by **DanielJones** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 11:22 pm

Vladimir: Your best bet is to stuff the sweatband with either the felt spacers or rolled white gift (or garment) tissue paper. If the sweatband is leather it will shrink to fit over time with repeated wearings. Once it does this you can remove the stuffing bits at a time until you have a perfect fit. To maintain that fit purchase a hat stretcher and keep it in the hat when not being worn for long periods of time or the shrinking process will continue until it is ill fitting and has to have a very severe stretching done. Trust me on this. I had a couple of cowboy hats do that to me. I had switched them out for the season, and then next season they were way too tight.
Would love to see some pictures of the Homburg if you have any.

Cheers!

Dan

Vladimir Berkov · Post by **Vladimir Berkov** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 11:59 pm

I don't have any pics yet but I'll post them once I do. It is a grey fur felt homburg I ordered from Miller Hats. Nothing spectacular in terms of quality but I just really like the homburg style. I am not really sure why it doesn't fit properly. I measured my head with the tape held tight against it several times and got 23 1/2 inches. When I measure the inside circumference of the hat I get 23 1/2 inches. Yet when I put the hat on my head it feels like it is a size too big and is just touching my hair and not my head. Very odd.

I also just ordered an Akubra Federation which should arrive any day now, and I look forward to bashing it myself thanks to all the info I have seen on this forum.

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 1:59 am

Cool - keep us posted on how that Akubra fits, relative to the Hormburg.

I guess one other point is the shape of your head...yeah, it's almost impossible to figure out unless you can get someone to measure your head for you, but if it's much longer than wide, you're actually an OVAL...but gosh, if you were an oval, and got a round hat, it seems like it would be too SMALL, not too BIG...hmm...is the sweatband only touching your head in a couple places, or all the way around (or not at ALL)?

J