trouble with zips

snowleopard

snowleopard

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it seems that most zips on sailing bags, clothing etc have nylon teeth and a metal slider. after a few weeks on a boat the slider sticks. so far i have managed to free some with wd40 and brute force, others remain firmly stuck and a few have broken in the attempt.

a) is there a better way?

b) what can be applied to prevent it?
 
I've tried every ungent, spray and oil known to man, including lanoline and Egyptian embalming fluid!!!, nothing stops the slider corroding eventually! I replace my zips, with nylon teeth and nylon sliders, no more problems. I found lanolin the best, but they all corrode in the end!
 
Rub a candle along the zips on both side's. Do it from new and you'll never have a problem with them sticking, but they'll still corode. Do it once or twice a season and they should run smooth.
 
You can lubricate the zip, but they still corrode, then sliders are made out of ally or what we used to call "shit metal", some zinc based alloy, used for dinky toys! So salt water is death to them, in a very short time. Can you believe the bag suppliied with my zodiac for fitting on the transom has an ally slider, crass stupidity! I told them so at the show aswell!
 
I would advise extinguishing it first as you don't want to start a fire or burn your fingers. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/forbsie?&page=1>My Project</A>
 
If all else fails, new sliders can be bought quite cheaply from Point North. They advertise regularly in PBO. It's a lot easier (so my wife tells me) than changing the whole zip, and much cheaper. She's just replaced the lot on our Westerly Falcon.

P J Bartlett
 
AS said the sliders are zinc based so corrode very quickly - who don't they use plastic sliders as used on a lot of jackets etc?? YKK certainly make them and I bet they are a very similar price.
I regularly replace my slider zips on the bunk cushions - some only last a season and I have got them from Pointnorth or Baseline. All you have to do is wangle them on one end but make sure you sew it up again and reverse them when you replace them.

dickh
I'd rather be sailing... :-) /forums/images/icons/smile.gif
 
Normally I wouldrecommend silicon spray (like BumperBlack from motor factors - it's clear!) but I've seen white teflon grease in a chandlers that's supposed to be for zip treatment. Haven't used it though.
 
I guess most of us have had/still have the problem you describe.My last zips,2 weeks ago, were from around the semi-circular lifebelts that live on the pushpit of school boat.Noticed the material had started to come apart at the seams.You might want to check yours. The "secret" is to pour a steady stream of boiling water along the zip and into the slider.It may take a couple of goes to flush the salt crystals out but I have found from previous experience that a gentle tug with pliers after the boiling water did the trick.Replace zip with Velcro ? I have seen these rubbish sliders on life-jackets, so beware.

paul
 
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