The product photo is misleading. I bought this stretcher, and paid more for it than others, because the photo represents it as having tapered, rather than square, sides. It does not, they are square, or approximately so. I modified the ends that sit on the sides of the sweatband by sanding them to approximately a 7 degree angle. Used a disc sander. Left the front and rear of the stretcher square. Took me an hour or so to finish the fit on the stretcher. Fits well now in all of my hats.
The original quality of the stretcher I would say is mediocre. It was produced in a hurry. The wooden parts are not truly sanded to a consistent profile, band saw marks are evident on the inner and outer curves, the pieces are just not well-finished. But it works.
