My Akubra's too loose

[Ooops]

I love Akubra's, been wearing one for years. Eventually my original was beaten up enough that I decided to retire it and I bought a new one.
I bought it very slightly undersized. I thought it'd be a good fit when I cropped my hair, it wasn't

I tried wetting and stretching it but it didn't work. I put up with it for ages but then on an impulse I took out the inner leather hat band.
I hadn't realised until afterwards that the band was designed as a double layer, if I had simply trimmed it at the fold it probably would have been great.

Any how I took the whole thing out and ...... it was then too big. Its went from getting blown off if some one sneezed to dropping over my ears
So it got hung up and forgotten about until today. Does any one have any ideas on how I can undo my muppetry & achieve a good fit

 

[Mike L]

Can you not just put an inner band of leather back in?

 

[Tim.243]

I love Akubra's, been wearing one for years. Eventually my original was beaten up enough that I decided to retire it and I bought a new one.
I bought it very slightly undersized. I thought it'd be a good fit when I cropped my hair, it wasn't

I tried wetting and stretching it but it didn't work. I put up with it for ages but then on an impulse I took out the inner leather hat band.
I hadn't realised until afterwards that the band was designed as a double layer, if I had simply trimmed it at the fold it probably would have been great.

Any how I took the whole thing out and ...... it was then too big. Its went from getting blown off if some one sneezed to dropping over my ears
So it got hung up and forgotten about until today. Does any one have any ideas on how I can undo my muppetry & achieve a good fit

Picture please....?

Tim

 

[McKenzie]

I have one that's just too small so I'm like to know if it's possible to stretch it. I've seen split wooden model heads that can be expanded but I'm hesitant to purchase one just for a single hat.

 

[Klenchblaize]

I have one that's just too small so I'm like to know if it's possible to stretch it. I've seen split wooden model heads that can be expanded but I'm hesitant to purchase one just for a single hat.

Soak hat until limp. Wrap 3 layers of kitchen towel around your forehead. Put hat on by first dropping it over the back of your head at the right depth and then pulling forward until it sits where you want it. Adjust until comftable and 'tease' brim and crown into preferred shape & rake.

Keep on for 8 hours or longer then remove and stand to fully dry.

This is best done in the Summer and when you don't have to leave the house!

K

 

[bluesako]

email akubra they will send you felt liners it or new leather head bands and get them sewn in bs

 

[Alantoo]

I have one that's just too small so I'm like to know if it's possible to stretch it. I've seen split wooden model heads that can be expanded but I'm hesitant to purchase one just for a single hat.

I have been experimenting with my old Akubra with one of those expanding hat stretchers. £15.88 from Amazon.

The old hat finally shrank too much after getting sodden once too often at the age of 12, and has been parked in my father's old wood workshop for the last three years or so.

I got the hat stretcher because the new replacement one started to feel a bit tight a few weeks ago...but I thought I would experiment on the old one first. I have been rubbing Hydrolan into the leather band which has softened it up well and have been Hydrolanning and tweaking the stretcher over the last few weeks...still just perching on my head at the moment but definitely getting better.



Alan

 

[Ooops]

Picture please....?
Tim

Tim, it'd be a photo of the inside of a hat?

Can you not just put an inner band of leather back in?

Did it ages back and can't find the band

email akubra they will send you felt liners it or new leather head bands and get them sewn in bs

You sir are a scholar and a gent, brilliant idea. Many thanks

 

[Essexsussex]

I have one that's just too small so I'm like to know if it's possible to stretch it. I've seen split wooden model heads that can be expanded but I'm hesitant to purchase one just for a single hat.

Ditto

 

[Woodsmoke]

These are really good. I use them on my riding helmets

 

[bluesako]

i wear an akubra federation 1v fedora bs

 

[Alantoo]

These are really good. I use them on my riding helmets

View attachment 144427

Hats Direct included some foam strip for adjusting the size with my first Akubra from them...I used it to start with, and then over the years as the leather shrunk a bit more I would take a bit more out!

It was taking some out of my current hat that prompted the hat stretcher experiment...

Alan

 

[bluesako]

cmon guys show us your fedoras im a big indie fan and wear a akubra fed1v bashed like indies and a pennman bs

 

[greenshoots]

cmon guys show us your fedoras

thats being a bit descimitory what about stetsons which i have a few com om be inclusive

greenshoots

 

[Klenchblaize]

cmon guys show us your fedoras

thats being a bit descimitory what about stetsons which i have a few com om be inclusive

greenshoots

You'll love this site but probably not the prices:

Quigley Cowboy Hat - The Last Best West

Quigley Cowboy Hat We start with an over sized hat body to make the Quigley. This large brimmed hat in the movie Quigley Down Under.

thelastbestwest.com

K

 

[greenshoots]

our youngest lives in alberta he brings me one over every time he comes home,

greenshoots

 

[bluesako]

harrison fords indian jones fedora sold at an auction in london for$500.000 wow

 

[booradley]

If my Akubra was too loose I certainly wouldn’t tell anyone and would immediately consult a physician.

 

[Klenchblaize]

harrison fords indian jones fedora sold at an auction in london for $500.000 wow

Yours for only $500.00 and with a letter of 'K' authentication if required!


Merry Crimble!

K

 

[Jelen]

I have one that's just too small so I'm like to know if it's possible to stretch it. I've seen split wooden model heads that can be expanded but I'm hesitant to purchase one just for a single hat.

I bought a hat stretcher from the USA for about £15 all in and keeps my Akubra at the correct size. I think I saw on E-bay.
2 lumps of curved wood with an expanding bolt in the middle. Use it when I wash my flat caps too.