Zipper Slider in Nowak CS Jacket Broke

[lantzn]

I'm sure this has happens to others. My zipper slider is no longer keeping the teeth together. It looks like some mechanism in the slider has warn down or broke off. From the looks of it I might be able to fix it myself by removing the top stop on the slider side, remove the old slider, put on the new and replace the top stop.

Has anyone done this? Does anyone know where online I can get the exact zipper? It looks to be antique brass and has a number 8 on the zipper slider's tab.

Thanks

[afalzon]

No need to change the slider.
Just take some pliers and gently press the slider (on the side that doesn't hold the teeth) until the gap between its top and bottom sides closes by 0.1-0.2mm.

Then it should work fine.

[lantzn]

I'm not following. The slider is not pulling the teeth together far enough and the teeth are separating as they come out of the slider at bottom. The slider is a solid piece of metal. What am I supposed to be changing by squeezing it with pliers? It seems like something inside the slider has worn so that the rows of teeth are too far apart. Can you clarify what I'm suppose to be squeezing?

[afalzon]

Clear?

[lantzn]

Clear?

Yes that's clear. What threw me off was is seemed like it was an issue with width and not height of the slider. I'll give this a go. Thanks

[Forrest For the Trees]

Hope that works out for you. The zipper slider and pull on the Nowak CS are really light weight. I've always suspected mine might fail one day.

[lantzn]

I had to press it together until the halves touched leaving a very thin gap and it worked!
Is it OK to lube a slider or is that not recommended? I was thinking of using some Obenauf's heavy oil to pack in it and may lube the teeth so it glides smoother.

[Kt Templar]

Good old fashioned method is to rub the teeth with candle wax and pull the slider up and down a few times.

[Tibor]

Good old fashioned method is to rub the teeth with candle wax and pull the slider up and down a few times.

Yup, what he said.

[lantzn]

Well sad to say the fix didn't last but a couple of full zip ups. I wear the jacket almost daily since I got it in Jan of 2009 so it gets used. Does anyone know of a good heavy duty slider that I can use with this zipper?

[afalzon]

Sorry to hear. If you know what size is the zipper you can find a slider (or whole) zip almost anywhere incl. ebay.

[lantzn]

Sorry to hear. If you know what size is the zipper you can find a slider (or whole) zip almost anywhere incl. ebay.

There's a number 8 on the slider itself.
Since nothing is wrong with the teeth I thought I could save some money just swapping the slider. Does anyone know where TN was getting the zippers. Even if I had to buy the whole zipper it could still just swap the slider.

[Indiana Jeff]

Check as a craft or sewing store. I would think you could just buy a slider without getting an entire zipper.


Regards,

Indiana Jeff

[Texan Scott]

YKK or Talon should work. As some have mentioned before brass is self lubing

[lantzn]

I can't believe I've been looking for the right parts for over a year now. Trying to find a #8 zipper in antique brass has proved troublesome but I finally found one and it works perfectly on my jacket. I even like that the top stop is now brass also.
Here are some photos, the new parts are on the jacket and their labels are in the photo next to the original parts.

[Odo]

I've to replace the zipper on my CS Nowak, too. Actually, it didn't work properly from the begining, and it broke soon, in 2008...I just let it like that and used it unzipped, obviously, cause I didn't want to get it repaired anywhere... but Indiego (Steele & Jones) will replace it for me. Though the jacket is great, and it's a great piece of work -art, would say-, and leather is aswome, the zipper was a cheap one... nothing that can't be solved, thankfully...

[lantzn]

Yes I've heard the cheap zipper comment before. To me it appears the teeth are still in great shape after years of daily zipping. The slider on the other hand had warn channels in it where the metal teeth dug in. Also there some sort of release in the top of the body that the zippers pull tab lifts, which was warn down.
So for very little money and about 15 minutes work I have a perfectly working zipper. Also I didn't have to send my jacket away. I looked at a lot of zippers in stores trying to find a slider and do believe the brass teeth on the zipper are very good.

[Odo]

The teeth in mine are also OK, I'll get the slider replaced...

[Forrest For the Trees]

Same on mine. Slider isn't broken at all, but you can tell it won't last. Screen accurate, in this case, wasn't the best choice.

[Odo]

Well, actually I love the jacket, and would buy it again, but certanily a better zipper should have been used (YKK would have worked, it wasn't so difficult!)

[Kt Templar]

Riri is not a cheap zipper. It is a Italian brand and more expensive than YKK. They are considered a sought after high end zip on garments.

Looks like a case of the wrong size for the weight of the jacket.

Anyway Riri seller in the us:

http://www.pacifictrimming.com/default/riri-zipper.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Michaelson]

Agreed, KT. It's a great zipper, but used on WAY too heavy a weight leather.

When I had my CS Nowak, the jacket came with the same light weight zip. I sent it back to Tony who installed a heavy weight brass zipper, equal to the heavy cowhide weight, and it solved the problem.

Considering the jacket was never zipped up in the film, they probably didn't even give the zipper that much thought as an actual functional item.

Regards! Michaelson

[Odo]

I had no idea of the zipper, mine is not written anywhere... That's why I thought it wasn't from any known brand...

[lantzn]

I had no idea of the zipper, mine is not written anywhere... That's why I thought it wasn't from any known brand...

The original slider has only a number 8 on it and I could not find it anywhere to know what brand it was. Probably made in China.

[lantzn]

Agreed, KT. It's a great zipper, but used on WAY too heavy a weight leather.

When I had my CS Nowak, the jacket came with the same light weight zip. I sent it back to Tony who installed a heavy weight brass zipper, equal to the heavy cowhide weight, and it solved the problem.

Considering the jacket was never zipped up in the film, they probably didn't even give the zipper that much thought as an actual functional item.

Regards! Michaelson

What brand of zipper did Tony use to replace yours?

[Michaelson]

It was a YKK, if memory serves me right. I no longer have the jacket.

Sorry.

Regard! M

[SpeedRcrX]

It happened the same thing on my TN Surrogates jacket, I had to replace the slider.

I was kind of disappointed it broke so easily.

[lantzn]

Buckleguy now carries these.

https://www.buckleguy.com/riri-kta-zipp ... ple-sizes/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[xmasters]

Interesting to read this thread. I didn't know that the CS jacket had a zipper that wasn't quite up to the job. I presume reproductions of Tony's jacket use a more hard wearing one. I'd certainly request it myself.