Busted zip on a new jacket - anyone DIY fixed, or paid for a repair successfully?

daniel_b

Morning all,

tried my new Specialized jacket for the first time at the weekend, and still cannot figure out how or what happened, but I basically looked down, and the bottom of the jacket was undone. On closer inspection the teeth are one notch out, so I now cannot undo it, and I am not convinced trying to force it down will work - though I did give it a bit of a go, but it feels like it will just break it or damage something.

I've contacted a couple of clothing repair places to see what they think, just wondered if anyone had experience of this kind of issue (Assuming it is not hugely uncommon) and whether you fixed yourself or paid someone to sort it?

I popped into one tailors, and he reckoned it needed a new zip, but am wondering if someone with the know how could remove the current zipper (Not sure of technical term, but the bit that goes up and down), and fit a new one if required, with a bit of machine work as needed.

I have googled, and can see various 'fixes' but none seem to apply to my exact situation.

For example, if the zip was one tooth out in the other direction, I would not have an issue I suspect, as I would be able to push the zipper all the way down, but as the side that engages will not properly fit in the bottom section, the zipper cannot closedown to release it.

It only cost me £50, so not keen to spend loads on fixing it.
*It's probably within the 90 day return policy, but it was the last one, and in all likelihood it was my balls up that caused it in the first place, so do not want to go that route if I can resurrect it for a smallish amount of cash.

I can take pics if that would help?

Thanks

Dan

cooldad

Brute force. What's the worst that can happen?

fenix

I think you just need to try and force it. I'm sure I've done the mis zipping plenty of times over the years and haven't actually broken a zip yet.

I have had a zip replaced on a cycling jacket of my wife's once. She was going to throw it out and I thought that was a waste - local drycleaners fixed it for £10 and pointed out that she'd left a £20 note in the pocket anyway. Repairs paid for ! :-)

daniel_b

Thanks gents - the issue preventing the brute force method seems to be that as it is one tooth out, the rogue bonus tooth will not sit flush, and it sat proud at the bottom of the jacket, so it's metal against metal which doesn't seem to want to work together nicely.

I myself have forced zips down in the past, but not sure I have ever had this exact scenario before, more the offset has been the other way around - ie no extra notches towards the bottom of the zip.

This is the jacket: https://www.evanscycles.com/specialized-686-x-tech-insulator-jacket-EV251862

diamonddog

Have the new zip fitted it will be less hassle in the long term, the rogue tooth will never sit right.
I have had several jerseys and jackets altered including a short zip jersey made into a full zip one at a local clothing alteration shop and they have done a great job every time.

pblakeney

Ask the tailor/clothing adjustment shop for a quote.
It may be so cheap as any botches are more hassle than they are worth.

daniel_b

Thanks chaps - as I had no reply from either tailors, decided to try CD and Fenixes suggestion of brute force.
Could have sworn it was only one tooth out, but when I looked today it was 3 teeth out, struggling to figure out how that could have happened, and for it to have become completely undone at the bottom.

Anyway, managed to somehow flatten, push in the bit of metal that was stuck out, and then forced the zip down - two moments where I thought this is either going to fix it or break it, and we were undone, with seemingly no damage.

Put it on, VERY carefully zipped it up, and all seemed fine - it's certainly not as easy a zipping event as a normal jacket, or some other cycling jackets if that makes sense, as the meterial around the zip is pretty thin - not that it looks it in the pics, but it is.

Repeated the process, and hopefully that was a one off, but if I like it as much as I think I will (Not for bike related activity) I'll look at getting a new zip should it have any issues in the future.

Thanks for the suggestions, and help!

Dan

fenix

Hurrah !

daniel_b

Fenix wrote:

Hurrah !

Totally! I hate it when something breaks that is brand new - don't mind AS much if it has had at least some use, but brand new, does my head in :evil:

Am going to visit my Bro in the Italian mountains in February, to this was the jacket I was aiming to take.
As niche marketing goes, this probably tops the lot, as this is aimed for fat bikers (That's the bike and not necessarily the rider) who cycle in snowy and cold conditions.

redvee

Had a zip fail similarly on my Gore jacket, too old for a warranty replacement so visited a local tailor who told me what I needed with regards zip length which cost me £3 from the haberdashery shop 100yds away and a new zip was fitted for £20 . Had zips fitted to some PlanetX shorts for £10 each cause the waistband was above my navel and meant comfort stops weren't, with the zip it's much easier. The shorts were bought on one of their numerous sales so only cost me £20 each.

term1te

Another trick for a sticking metal zip is to run a pencil up and down it a few times. The graphite helps to lubricate the teeth.

I had a zip on a cycling top jam when it was nearly at the top. It took about 20 minutes to pull it down far enough to get the jacket over my head. I was about to cut the collar to just get it off.

daniel_b

Cheers chaps - still can't quite figure out how the side I put into the actual zipper came out AND slipped down by 3 teeth - very bizarre.

Good call on resurrecting kit, or even improving it by adding zips, or having prpfessionals do it, could even pick one in a different colour to keep my colour coding obsessions at the forefront ;-)

keef66

Term1te wrote:

Another trick for a sticking metal zip is to run a pencil up and down it a few times. The graphite helps to lubricate the teeth.

If you've got a light coloured jacket or white bar tape and don't want graphite everywhere you can do a similar job with candle wax.

Hmm, maybe that's a way of using up the various wax based chain lubes I've tried over the years...