Club Obi Wan

Hi,
I have a quick question and was wondering if you all could help me. About a month ago I received my new AB in beaver size 58”, I have been wearing it now for about 3 weeks and have come to the conclusion that it is too small as I start to get a bit of a headache when it’s on my head and it leaves an ugly red mark on my forehead that’s there of ages.

Dose any one know if there’s a way to turn a 58” fedora into a 59” : :

Hat stretcher/retainer, purchased through Peters Bros or any good hat store will help push the hat up one size without having to have it reblocked.

Regards! Michaelson

Yes. Absolutely. Two ways:
1. Hat stretcher.
2. Contact Steve. I'm sure he'll take care of you.

I just thought of a 3rd: get a haircut!

The title of your post is misleading; that's not really a problem with the AB, it's just the wrong size.

And as a note, streching the hat may cause you to lose the stovepipe look of Steve's block.

Good advice hemingway, a hair cut wouldn’t go amiss.

IndyRich wrote:Good advice hemingway, a hair cut wouldn’t go amiss.

It really does make a difference, not that I am seriously suggesting it, but whenever my stylist gets a little overzealous with the clippers, I go down a whole size.

[Hat stretcher/retainer, purchased through Peters Bros or any good hat store will help push the hat up one size without having to have it reblocked.

Regards! Michaelson]

Wouldn't this cause Taper?[/quote]

I've never had one taper in the past 20+ years upsizing from size 7 1/4 to 7 3/8, and wouldn't advise you to do something that would damage your hat or shift the shape.....but your experience may vary, so do what YOU think best. I'll keep my council to myself in this section as well.

Regards! Michaelson

S tretch that hat. Its pure beaver no way will you hurt the felt or the block.

It may be nothing more than an overly tight ribbon. If I did not have a hat stretcher, I would just grab that baby fore and aft, and pull the heck out of it. I use braided nylon thread to attach the sweat to the hat, and the back seam of the sweat is the same nylon thread. The stitches that hold the sweat to the hat are lock stitches so even if one breaks the other stitches will hold. Oh, which brings up something else. This AB is also a good addition to emergency survival gear. Sort of tongue in cheek, but, in a survival situation, you could remove the single thread that attaches the sweat to the felt and use it as the thread in a snare trap, or as a fishing line. I would imagine it is around a 20 pound test line. There is another piece of nylon thread, a white one that hold the liner in. That would be another piece to add to the first. The ribbon, would serve as a tourniquet, if needed. Now, what other hat could help save your life??? Fedora

I suppose you could use the hat itself for a bucket for water if needed for a drink of water or to put out a fire.

suppose you could use the hat itself for a bucket for water if needed for a drink of water or to put out a fire.
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Yes, and the hat would also serve as a pail of sorts to haul water in. The dense beaver felt would not leak as much as a rabbit hat.

Oh, and, if you had to start a fire using the friction method, or even the flint method(technically chert, I would think), the hat would serve as a bellows to fan the fire off to a good burn.

You could take out the sweat, and cut or chew a piece off, fashion a pouch to hold a rock, and then use the two braided nylon strings to make a primitive sling.

I am sure there are more, but my head hurts from the thinking. Oh, but by all means be sure you have the hat looking good for the rescue!! You might want to double check the creases in a pool of reflective water once you hear the choppers headin' your way. Get those creases proper, and the hat set at the casual, "what took you so long look". Afterall, if they take pics of the rescue, you want to look like you had it under control, and the rescue only saved you a bit of time, that's all. Fedora

Steve, you need a sales brochure with all this info!

binkmeisterRick wrote:Steve, you need a sales brochure with all this info!

That's a good idea. Sombody should be able to do you an nice PDF with illustrations and information.

IndyRich
I did as Steve suggested on my tight AB and the was able to wear it for about 9 hours straight, result -
hat fits perfect now.
Dont be afraid to pull on the hat as it really will take the abuse.
P.S. as far as tweaking my hat has been, the work on my fit has been all the tweaking I have done. I am gonna let the hat tweak itself with time.

Good luck and

Stay Well
A R

I have a little suggestion... might sound silly but it works.... CUT YOUR HAIR! Trust me it works... unless it's short already

My AB use to be alittle tight on me but after I cut my hair it fit alot better. If a hair cut doesnt work for ya then Im sure you can send it back to steve and he can reblock to a size up.Hope you work out your size issue.
Best regards,
Joe

Haircut worked for me too

There is also some evidence that ford's hat in Raiders was a VERY tight as well... I prefer it a bit tight so it wont blow off my head, but I've never had heachaches from it...

I suppose you could use the hat itself for a bucket for water if needed for a drink of water or to put out a fire.

I'd rather burn...Priorities:c)

ow and anyway at the beginning is always like this, little headaches. The hat needs time to shape on your head shape. Cut your hair and give it another month to set itself on your head shape and you wont need to stretch it at all

Thanks for the feedback guys. I have done as advised and starched the #### out of it. Man this is one tough hat.

It fits like a dream now
Thanks