In praise of scuba divers stuck zip advice

[nickyboy]

I can be a lazy so and so.

After I last wore my neoprene overshoes last winter I just chucked them in a cupboard and forgot about them. Of course the roads are salty in the winter and, guess what, when I've come to get them out of the cupboard both zips are completely immovable.

No amount of pulling and yanking had any effect. Around the metal bit of the zip was some white residue, presumably from the interaction between the salt and the metal.

So I started googling. And I finally found a scuba diving website. Obviously they have similar problems what with diving in the salty sea. They suggested the following....

1) Soak overnight in warm water to dissolve as much salt as possible. Then rinse
2) ....and here's the weird bit.....liberally douse the zip in vinegar

So I did (1)...absolutely no effect at all. The zips were just as stuck as they were before. Then I did (2)...and amazingly the zips, with a bit of pulling, started working fine. Just rinse, dry and then I'll probably put a bit of grease on them

So thanks Scuba Divers, you've avoided me having to buy a new pair of overshoes

 

[Haitch]

Work candlewax into the zip (i.e. rub it with a candle).

 

[Cubist]

Work candlewax into the zip (i.e. rub it with a candle).

A squirt of furniture polish if you can't find beeswax.

 

[numbnuts]

If you have a lot of zips you'll need fork handles........OK OK I'll get me coat

 

[ColinJ]

I wish I had read that tip last winter - I had the same problem and broke one of the zips trying to force it!

On the subject of Scuba ... I called in at Hebden Bridge on a ride on Wednesday and spotted a new diving shop. It is about 50 miles from the sea and I have never heard of diving in the local reservoirs. Who is going to be using the shop?

 

[MichaelW2]

WD40 or Duck Tape. What was the question?

 

[User6179]

I am now wondering if putting vinegar on my nipples will loosen them up .

 

[PeteXXX]

I solved the stuck zip problem by
buying some from Planet X with heavy duty Velcro fastenings

 

[jefmcg]

Then I did (2)...and amazingly the zips, with a bit of pulling, started working fine

Did it fizz? If the salt was - for example - sodium bicarbonate, then you would have an acid/base reaction, dissolving the salt and releasing CO2

 

[nickyboy]

Did it fizz? If the salt was - for example - sodium bicarbonate, then you would have an acid/base reaction, dissolving the salt and releasing CO2

No fizz at all. It was most strange. There was still lots of white deposit after soaking overnight and the zips were still completely jammed so I didn't hold out much hope. Sloshed a bit of vinegar on them a hey presto...a bit stiff at first but they moved. I put a bit of grease on the zips this morning and they're good as new

 

[oldroadman]

Once the zips work, rub them with a soft pencil. The graphite will lubricate the zip without any real mess.

 

[Globalti]

You will have had a situation not unlike that with a stuck alloy seatpost where the oxide takes up more space than the metal and eventually the increased bulk jams the thing. Acetic acid will have dissolved the oxide salt and freed up the zip. Dry the oveshoes then lubricate with Mr Sheen, which is an excellent lubricant and rust preventative.

Divers also know that liberal applications of the excellent dry lubricant, talc, on tight drysuit collars and cuffs helps with donning and doffing. Many cyclists still have not made this connection with sticky new tyres that they can't seem to get onto their rims.

 

[Dogtrousers]

OT but when I was a lad I worked in an ironmongers shop. We used to sell graphite powder as a lock lubricant.

Anyway I sometimes think about how similar brifters are to locks and wonder whether graphite would be a suitable lubricant.

 

[Tim Hall]

Did it fizz? If the salt was - for example - sodium bicarbonate, then you would have an acid/base reaction, dissolving the salt and releasing CO2

Surely the salt in this case is NaCl, so unlikely to fizz.

 

[classic33]

A squirt of furniture polish if you can't find beeswax.

Can damage some materials though.