There are few things more annoying than a broken zipper on an item of clothing or piece of equipment. Sure, a broken zipper on clothing can be replaced by a functioning zipper, but the process is laborious for those with the sewing skills to do it, and expensive for those without those skills, assuming that a replacement zipper of the correct dimensions can be found. Usually in this disposable culture, the item would simply be junked....well here is a last chance option that may be worth trying. I have tried it myself, and have had some success with it. Try it....there's nothing to lose, and everything to gain.
Usally when I break a zipper... its terminal.... how the hell they manage to “loose” entire sections of those wee teeth is beyond me...
I don't think there is any quick fix for broken teeth....but if the fastener can be repaired, that's all to the good. In austere times when throwing out an otherwise functional pair of jeans because of a broken zipper, I think that velcro or some other lower tech work around might gain greater vogue...in my book, it doesn't have to look pretty, it just has to work....keeping the dangly bits outta sight.
I haven't seen them recently, but there used to be adjustable replacement slides...used them often growing up... They were two pieces with a screw that would provide the correct tension, then the top of it would snap 90* into place to keep it from loosening.
cool.....as advertised on TV! US8539651B1 - Zipper repair slider - Google Patents Very handy....but just sometimes, when out in the boonies when needs must....a MacGyver quick and dirty fix is a good standby option when e-bay is too far away. And....just in case the zipper pull tab detaches and is lost....
I have done this very repair many times. It completely solves the problem most times. There is another failure mode that happens sometimes, mostly with metal teeth zippers. The little flanges which hang down on each side of the top plate wear back making the window too wide. Usually need to replace the pull assembly but sometimes you can milk a bit more life by squeezing the sides in a bit just at the window. AT
It is important to wax the zippers on things that are vulnerable like sleeping bags , jackets, pants.
Worked exactly as described. This was a tiny nylon zipper on the pocket of a light summer shirt. I usually zip my phone in this pocket, so it gets quite a bit of use. It was still moving up and down, but wouldn't close the zipper teeth in either direction. I was ready to retire the shirt to the rag bin until I remembered this thread. It took about 10 seconds and two little squeezes with a forceps to restore the zipper to full operation. Thank you chelloveck!
i was asleep in my tent while hunting one year, i woke up in the morning to a squirrel staring me in the face. i about jumped thru my tent. i noticed the zipper had failed on the door and thats how he got in!! after fiddling with it long enough i got the zipper back to the home positon and it became apparent to me that the zipper had a big gap in it not allowing the teeth to engage. i took out my leatherman and squeezed each side of it and it was fixed.... ...even a blind squirrel finds a nut eventually!!
