ZIPS

[ColinJ]

I was in a hurry to get out a few days ago when it was cold and rain was forecast so I got my heavy duty rain jacket out of storage only to discover that the zip tab was so stiff that I feared I was going to break it trying to do it up. I solved the problem by wetting a bar of soap and running it up and down the teeth of the zip. I got the tab moving by levering it with a knife rather than pulling harder on it. I ran it up and down the length of the zip a few times and it was okay after that.

I imagine that pre-emptive soaping would have stopped the problem developing?

 

[Blue Hills]

I'm surprised no one has recommended chainsaw oil!

Oo

I rather went off that idea after colins reports of glooping.

 

[Katherine]

Rubbing a pencil over the teeth of a closed zip used to be the recommended method of easing a sticky zip mechanism. I guess that the graphite helps to lubricate the sliding.

Pencil lead as said above, it is a dry lube.

This ^^^^ Can't beat graphite for this use. Soft lead pencil eg 2B (rather than 'H'). And very easy and quick to apply/use.
This maintenance is good for all zips that are not going through the washing machine (or submerged in water) and saves unnecessary (and unwanted) jerks when opening/closing bar and top tube bags on the move.

Another vote for the pencil.

Another vote for graphite from me.

 

[Globalti]

Another vote for Pledge or Mr Sheen. It's pure wax. Smells nice too.

 

[slowmotion]

A really thin smear of silicone grease.....not oil or spray. You can get it at plumbers' merchants.

 

[Lozz360]

Bees wax is recommended for the heavy duty zips you have on dry suits. You buy it as a solid bar and is very quick to apply.

 

[Blue Hills]

This might be worth trying:

(Though it does say that it is for air/water tight zippers)

http://www.lomo.co.uk/acatalog/mcnett-zip-tech.html

Lomo sell a fair bit of stuff of use to the cyclist/touring cyclist, and since they aren't a cycling brand as such their stuff is often good value.

 

[slowmotion]

Bees wax is recommended for the heavy duty zips you have on dry suits. You buy it as a solid bar and is very quick to apply.

You can get a small bar of it from decorators' merchants.

 

[nickyboy]

I created a thread about how I managed to free a couple of completely stuck zips on my overshoes

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/in-praise-of-scuba-divers-stuck-zip-advice.212901/

TL, DR...soak them in warm water overnight, then apply vinegar and hey presto

However, that doesn't prevent them sticking in the first place. I have this with the zip on the under-saddle wedge bag. I'll give the pencil idea a try

 

[ColinJ]

If your're using the pencil method, and you don't have a very soft pencil handy an alternative is that you can buy little tubs of graphite powder for lubricating locks.

If you have to nip out to the shops to buy the graphite powder, wouldn't it be easier to buy a pencil instead?

 

[Winnershsaint]

What about KY Jelly? That's reputed to get things slipping and sliding!