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Replacement Zip Runners -
Saltwater and/or a salty atmosphere
can ruin most metal zip runners and the zip
itself.
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If you leave your
bag for any length of time, you will find that the runner will
quickly start to corrode and if left to its own devices will render
your bag all but useless. A small amount of TLC can save most of the
zip problems from becoming big dramas. Zip maintenance is very
easy. Here are a few dos and don'ts
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Here are a few Don'ts |
Here are some Do's |
| Don't leave salt
water residue on your zip |
Use fresh water to clean your
zip |
| Don't use WD40 on
as a zip lubricant |
Use silicon spray as a zip
lubricant |
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Don't
use mineral grease as a zip lubricant |
Use silicon
grease as a zip lubricant |
| Don't force the
runner if it is corroded |
Use Vaseline as a zip
lubricant |
| Don't store your
bag in a damp atmosphere |
If you store your bag over
the winter, move the zip occasionally |
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If you leave your bag for any length
of time without moving the zip runner, you will find that the runner
will quickly start to corrode and if left to its own devices will
render your zip and therefore your bag all but useless. |
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Zip Runner
Resurrection
If the zip runner on you bag looks like the image on the left, you
may be able to bring it back from the dead and save the zip itself
in the process.
 Soak the zip runner with Vinegar for
about 5 minutes (we have found the "malt vinegar" seems to work the
bet for some reason). Before your very eyes you will see the
corrosion dissolving, then gently scrape off any hardened corrosion
that has been left. you may have to repeat this process 2 or 3 times
as necessary. The image on the right is the same zip runner after
the "Malt Vinegar" treatment and is now running OK.
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Zip Runner Replacement
If the zip runner on you bag is beyond resurrection, even after the Vinegar
treatment, you may still be able to save your bag by removing the old corroded
runner and replacing it with a nice bright shiny new one.
- First of all, remove the old runner as carefully as
possible without damaging the plastic zip itself, i.e. the zip teeth...
- Once the runner has been removed, clean the zip with
good old Malt Vinegar. this should dissolve any corrosion residue so you can
clean the zip teeth with a stiff brush.
- Now you can either un-stitch the end of the zip and
thread the new runner into place, (this can be tricky if there are lots of
loose threads getting in the way)
- Or you can cut an opening in both sided of the zip by
using sharp wire cutters and insert the runner at this point.
- Once you have successfully inserted the new runner in
place, you must now seal the zip closed behind the runner so that the runner
cannot slide out through the insertion point. this is best done by either
stitching over the insertion point or gluing over the insertion point.
- The zip will may now have a shorter opening aperture
but at least it will be operational again.
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Replacement Zip
Runners:
The most common zips used for
equipment bags are YKK continuous coil zips
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Continuous coil
Zip runner replacement
YKK Metal Runners for Continuous coil zips. Most board bags use the
YKK "coil zip" size No. 10, you can check the size of your zip
by
measuring across the closed zip plastic teeth, this is usually 10mm.
indicating the zip size of No.10
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Vislon Zip runner replacement
YKK Metal Runners for Continuous Vislon zips. (the original toothed
style of zip) Most board bags use the YKK "coil zip", However if
your bag has the Vislon style of zip you will need the Vislon
runner. You can check the size of your Vislon zip
by
measuring across the closed zip plastic teeth, this is usually 10mm.
indicating the zip size of No.10
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