Plastic Tooth Zipper Issue Diagnosis

Written By: Brittany McCrigler
  • Comments: 6
Plastic Tooth Zipper Issue Diagnosis

Difficulty

Very easy

Steps

5

Time Required

5 minutes

Introduction

This guide outlines common plastic tooth (Vislon®) zipper issues and whether they can be repaired with a zipper slider replacement or require a full zipper line replacement.

Correct issue diagnosis is the second step in the Patagonia zipper repair process. Patagonia replacement parts can be obtained by calling or messaging Patagonia Customer Service.

The 3 Stages of Patagonia Zipper Repair

  1. Identify the zipper type
  2. Diagnose the issue
  3. Repair the zipper

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    • Slider

    • Pull

    • Top Stops

    • Box and Pin

    • Teeth

    • Zipper Tape

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    • A common issue for a plastic tooth zipper is slider damage:

    • A loose slider won't keep the teeth together effectively and they will split open after the slider has been pulled up (reference image #1).

    • A compacted slider will be too tight and it will be difficult to pull up the slider (reference image #2).

    • If either of these are the case, or if the slider is missing entirely, it's likely that a Plastic Tooth Zipper Slider Replacement will fix the issue.

    • First check that Steps 3 - 5 do not apply to the zipper and then proceed with the slider replacement.

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    • The zipper in the first photo has missing teeth. The zipper in the second photo has melted teeth. The only way to permanently fix these issues is to replace the entire zipper line.

    • Check out Advanced No-Sew Zipper Repair Techniques for a temporary quick fix.

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    • The zipper in the first photo has a damaged zipper box. The zipper in the second photo is missing the zipper box entirely. The zipper in the third photo is missing the zipper pin. The only way to permanently fix these issues is to replace the entire zipper line.

    • Check out Advanced No-Sew Zipper Repair Techniques for a temporary quick fix.

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    • The zipper in this photo has a torn zipper tape alongside the plastic teeth. The only way to permanently fix this issue is to replace the entire zipper line.

    • Check out Advanced No-Sew Zipper Repair Techniques for a temporary quick fix.

Author

Brittany McCrigler

Member since: 05/03/12

89748 Reputation

6 comments

The link in Step 5 for the slider replacement guide is incorrect. It points to a Powerbook HD replacement guide. TG.

tgarrity -

What if there's no reason other than one side of the slider came off?

Donna Brock -

What about if the zipper zips up but the teeth do not keep closed. I.e. zip up the jacket, part of the teeth stay interlocked but from one point on the teeth become undone and do not lock.

Juan Umana -

That's an issue with the zipper slider itself and I have experience fixing it. It's difficult to maneuver the tool because of fabric in the way and it's in a generally awkward spot but possible. Take needle pliers and squeeze down *a little bit* on the back of the zipper slider itself. Doesn't need too much of an adjustment, so squeeze a little and check, and squeeze a little and check. It's the small end of the zipper slider.

Malm -

I have the same problem as Juan Umana: one tooth at the bottom (beginning) of the zipper is broken off, so the teeth won’t mesh properly and the zipper teeth stay apart. Ideas welcome.

Robin Cunningham

Robin Cunningham -

If it's a plastic zipper, it needs to be replaced. If it's a metal zipper you can scavenge one tooth from the top of the zip and pry it apart. Then use pliers clamp it in the missing space taking care to align them properly.

Shannon Stephens -