How can I stretch a 100 year old cowboy hat to fit my fat head?
From my great uncle, this hat was made in calgary around 100 years ago and it's done the chilkoot trail, paddled to dawson city, has surely been stomped into cow shit before, etc
Yes my uncle killed that bear with his bare fists
Have you considered changing the size of your head with experimental surgery?
This joke is made all the better by the character's name being Dr. Kalgary.
nothing a belt grinder can't fix
You have to be careful, most heads are covered by only a veneer of hard outer shell before you hit the gooey center. Find someone with experience. Head resizing is very much a "you just have to have a feel for it" kind of art, not an exact science.
Professionals use lots of steam and a specialized machine. Don’t ruin it with a DIY job.
What's the worst that could happen, do you think?
I've actually widened a hat much like this one by heavily wetting it, fitting it on a larger, head-shaped object, then letting it dry. Even permanently turned up one of the side-brims to create a "slouch hat" / "digger hat" look.
Worked great and no complaints, but I'm also curious what might have gone wrong...
The worst that can happen is the felt falls apart where there are signs of mould and the hat is now two useless pieces or maybe there's just a bunch of tears above the sweat. The main concern is not the type of hat, but how old it is and mostly how much damage the mould has done.
Take it to a western wear store that has a hat section. One of the guys there would probably do it for the story
"So this guy came in and I stretched his hat."
"I've had enough of your innuendos, Bill"
Maybe take it to a pro, I wouldn't trust myself to do it 😅
Have a chat with your local milliner (hat maker). They should have the skill and equipment to stretch it safely. Eg, Liza Steadman if you're in Victoria Australia.
my greatest fear is being in Victoria Australia with no hat to stretch
Now at least you'll know Liza Steadman has what it takes if you're ever hard up for a good stretching. I like the sound of this gal.
Go to your local gun show, rodeo, or any expo/convention/event where rednecks congregate. I guarantee you'll find a vendor selling hats who is willing to adjust yours for a fee. As others have pointed out, you need a specialized machine and a shitload of steam.
Hat blocking, because they use wooden blocks to shape the hats.
Or on a budget, just wear it into the sauna at your local gym.
I imagine (as in I'm not sure) that if you try to do it yourself you might tear it around the area where it looks like some dirt has soaked in and provided a foothold for mould to grow from. I suspect that area is very fragile rn.
Personally, given it's age, I would ask for advice from a museum on the best ways to clean and care for it and ask them if it's possible for it to be reshaped to fit you.
Reduce size of head.
I'm usually the diy sort, sometimes when it's not even worth it economically just because I enjoy the satisfaction and experience. I admit that I've never fit a hat before, but given this one's history I have to agree with the other commenters: If this hat really is that special to you, take it to a pro. You don't want the guilt of accidently destroying something that valuable to you and your family.
If you must do this yourself, find some old shitty hats that you don't give a fuck about to practice on first, and research the hell out of it, learn and experience everything you can before you even touch that hat
How much of a stretch? With steam you might be able to add a few(!) centimeters to the hat size, but no miracles. Overstretching will rip it.
This is a job for professionals with the right equipment, BTW.
I think they use steam but I would take it to a professional.
Take it to Cavender’s or somewhere similar and see if they can stretch it for you. l
Slowly. They make hat stretchers. Probably want to make sure the material is well hydrated. I’d do it carefully over several weeks or months, maybe misting it with some water.
Steam.
There's hat stretchers you can buy online. That, in combination with heat will get it on your head.