Source for replacement zippers for packs?

[Falstaff]

I have a couple small rucks I got from CTD that have bad zippers. These are/were really nice backpacks except for one thing, the zippers. Each pack has about 6 zipper pulls. The problem is, the zipper sliders are made out of a very weak brittle pot metal that crumbles under even a light load. I was trying to zip the pack around a box and first one, then the 2nd zipper slide just broke apart rendering the main compartment useles as it cant be closed around the cargo now..

The packs are like new, and aside from the cheap/defective zipper sliders are very heavy duty looking. I went to a sewing store, they didnt have any zipper pulls that big. I searched google but could only find complete sew-in nylon zipper assemblies.

Any idea where I might find replacement zippers?

[bohoki]

all i could suggest is browsing thrift stores for various bags and things with zippers cause there are a lot of different zippers width and pitch and very few are compatable

[mschliebs]

JoAnne fabrics or your local canvas / upholstery supply house. Not an upholstery shop but, supplier. JoAnne is probably the easist to locate. You want YKK nylon zippers or the LenZip brand, which is what we use most of the time. Either one will last for years of rough use.

[olhunter]

How do you replace the slider if the ends are sewn in? How do you get it started at the beginning? Sorry, I took wood shop and skipped home-ec.

[echo1]

I get most of my gear repaired at a local upholstery shop, an old one with nice ladies that own it. They usually have a box of pulls. I had them rezipper my tac vest, $15 including heavy duty plastic zipper. PAX

[Falstaff]

Well I found some, I learned alot about zippers too, who knew? There are 2 main types "Vislon" (straight teeth) and "Coil" (curved teeth) zippers. Most backpacks and clothing use the coil type. Zippers are called out in size increments (#2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,#10) which stands for the width of the zipper in millimeters when closed (zipped). My backpack has the #10 coil zippers. You can replace the slider on an existing zipper that's sewn in by slightly prying open the slider, first on one side, then the other. Then after the new slider is slipped/forced back over the zipper, you use pliers to crimp it back down tight, then when you move it all the way to the unzipped start location, and move it back up it should zip.. I don't know if this is gonna work, but the new sliders cost .75 cents a piece so it's worth a try.

Hey echo1, where is the upholstery shop you mention? I'm in san Joaquin County too. If my repair attempt fails, I could take my packs to them.

[Falstaff]

JoAnne fabrics or your local canvas / upholstery supply house. Not an upholstery shop but, supplier. JoAnne is probably the easist to locate. You want YKK nylon zippers or the LenZip brand, which is what we use most of the time. Either one will last for years of rough use.

Joannes did not have #10 sliders. They had many smaller ones though.

[Tanner68]

Here is a good source....

http://www.owfinc.com/Zippers/zippers.htm

[pinwheels]

REI is another good source for zippers, webbing, plastic hardware (buckles, adjusters, etc.), as well as rope and cord.

[Falstaff]

I found some ykk #10 zippers at www.sailrite.com (A sailboat sail parts site)
I will try the owfinc site if the ones I already ordered don't work. I will check REI too
thanks for all the sugesstions

[Falstaff]

FYI: I was able to repair my "Mil spec" back packs from CTD with the new zipper slides I bought. Was tricky bending them open enough to slip over the zipper, but once i figured out how to do it it was easy. They are good as new- I'm actually considering just replaceing all the cheapo zipper puls they put on them now.

[bohoki]

FYI: I was able to repair my "Mil spec" back packs from CTD with the new zipper slides I bought. Was tricky bending them open enough to slip over the zipper, but once i figured out how to do it it was easy. They are good as new- I'm actually considering just replaceing all the cheapo zipper puls they put on them now.

you shouldnt be bending a zipper you should seam rip the rear and feed it from the bottom then stitch the start so the zipper cant go past or use a metal staple with needle nose pliers to really lock it down then stitch it up

[imtheomegaman]

why not a little cord pull? or was the zipper itself damaged?

[Falstaff]

you shouldnt be bending a zipper you should seam rip the rear and feed it from the bottom then stitch the start so the zipper cant go past or use a metal staple with needle nose pliers to really lock it down then stitch it up

replacement zipper sliders are designed to be gently spread to pass over the zipper teeth without having to de-sew the zipper tape assembly. After the two halves are pried apart, you can insert the zipper teeth into it, then you slip a pair of pliers and crimp it down. The trick is crimping it down just right, too much and the slider won't move, too little and it wont mesh the teeth together. I saw this video and decided to give it a try: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeSgG...eature=related

I really didnt want to invest the time ripping the stitches out and trying to sew by hand with nylon string (spent many hours repairing ALICE packs with needle and thread back in the day... ever noticed all the stitching/repairs on a surplus ALICE pack?). The endpoint of the zippers I was repairing were at the bottom most heavily reinforced area of the pack, it would be very difficult to remove all the overlapping webbing thats all stitched together down there. I even found a guy who's got a patented replacement zipper slider thats actually 2 pieces; it fits together like a clamshell and is held together with a thumbscrew. http://flipanzip.com/default.aspx

So, don't throw away tents or other camping gear just because the zipper broke, it's pretty easy to fix them with no sewing necessary!