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
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.
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
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.
Have you considered changing the size of your head with experimental surgery?
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.
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.
Take it to a western wear store that has a hat section. One of the guys there would probably do it for the story
There’s hat stretchers you can buy online. That, in combination with heat will get it on your head.
Steam.
