Many bag customized buyer or consumer who would like to buy bags face a selection: how to choose the most suitable zip for their own bags? Many bags’ owner maybe encounter one problem, how to fix the broken zip for their favorite bags? This article will help you out with these problems.
1. What is the construction of zip? And how it works?
2. How many kinds of zipper are there?
3. How to choose the most suitable zip for your bags?
4. How to fix the broken zip by yourself at home?
What is the construction of zip? And how it works?
A. What is the construction of zip?
Zip is composition by 18 different parts:
1. Tape: The cloth part is a flexible belt woven by cotton yarn, chemical fiber or mixed chemical fiber, which is used to carry chain teeth and other zipper components;
2. Bead: Reinforcement: the edge of the cloth belt is used to carry the strengthening part of the metal or plastic chain teeth;
3. Rope: refers to the rope composed of multiple strands of fibers in the middle of the reinforcement;
4. Scoops: Chain teeth refer to the teeth in certain shape which are made in metal, plastic and other materials ;
5. Filler cord: The core thread is made of multiple strands of fiber thread, which is used in the production of nylon zipper tooth chain.
6. Teeth chain: a continuous line of teeth;
7. One side zipper chain: the tooth chain is fixed on the cloth belt, which is called tooth chain belt;
8. Zipper chain: the chain belt is formed by meshing the two tooth chain belts;
9. Top stop: it is fixed on the tooth chain belt, and the pulling head slides out of the stop of the tooth chain belt when the tooth chain is pulled;
10. Bottom stop: a stop that is fixed on the tooth chain belt, and the pull head slips out of the tooth chain belt when the tooth chain is opened, and makes the two tooth chain belts cannot be completely separated;
11.Back and forth head tape: the cloth belt without chain teeth on the zipper is called the head, the top end is the front head, the bottom end is the back head;
12. Pin seperable: a tubular part fixed at the end of the tail-opening zipper and used to completely separate the chain belt;
13. Socket: a square piece fixed at the end of the zipper of the case opening and used to completely separate the chain belt;
14. Box retainer: a tubular stopper matched with intubation for double tail-opening zipper;
15. Strengthened tape: a composite sheet used to enhance the bonding strength of intubation, socket and cloth tape, and to improve the service life of the zipper of bags and suitcases;
16. Slider: the moving part that enables the chain teeth to engage and pull open;
17. Head of slider: a component of the puller head, which can be designed into various geometric shapes and connected with the puller body or connected with the puller body through middleware to realize the opening and closing of the zipper;
18. Intermediate connection: connecting the intermediate component of the puller head body and the puller sheet;
B. The working principle of the zipper
The working principle of the zipper is to drive the two zippers through the tension of the chain head, so that it can be opened and locked casually. According to the analytical sight of mechanics, the principle of the zipper is on the combination of resultant force and component, under normal circumstances, when unzipped, the chain of the triangle head between the chain and zipper movement, along with all the hand the tension in the chain of head to produce two component, when the component is greater than the tensile strength of the hand, is unable to direct separation of zipper, zipper is strong. The tight of zipper is also because of the existence of the chain teeth, which work in the principle that each tooth is like a small hook, can be matched with the opposite of the other chain teeth, we could not open the zipper until we slide the chain head to open the teeth.
2. How many kinds of zipper are there ?
A. Classification by material
Classification by material: nylon zipper, resin zipper, metal zipper
1. Nylon zipper: invisible/conceal zipper, L-tape nylon zipper, weave nylon zipper, reverse zipper, waterproof zipper, etc
2. Resin/Plastic/Delrin zipper: gold (silver) tooth zipper, transparent zipper, translucent zipper, luminous zipper, ray zipper, diamond zipper
3. Metal zipper: aluminum zipper, copper zipper (brass, copper, copper, copper, etc.), black lace zipper
B. Features of different material zipper:
1.Resin zipper
Features: resin zipper texture tough, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, colorful color, suitable for a large temperature range. In addition, because of the large area of the upper and lower plane of the chain teeth, it is conducive to inlay diamonds or gems on the plane, making the zipper more beautiful and luxurious, doubling its value, and becoming a practical craft decoration.
Disadvantages: due to the larger particles of the chain teeth, there is a hand feel of roughness, and the sliding degree of pulling is slightly less than that of other types of zippers (nylon zipper, metal zipper) of the same model.
2. Nylon zipper
Features: nylon zipper soft, smooth surface, bright color. The most outstanding characteristics are light, thin chain teeth, and can be wound. Among them, waterproof zipper is also a branch of nylon zipper, is after some special treatment of nylon zipper: paste PVC film, paste TPU film, waterproof agent immersion, coating waterproof zipper and so on.
Disadvantages: polyester material is easy aging, high and low temperature range of application is narrow.
3. Metal zipper
Features: durable, soft, elegant and solemn.
Disadvantages: the chain teeth are easier to fall off and shift than other types of zippers. Due to the high price of raw materials, the price is higher than other types of zippers. Among them, aluminum zipper and copper zipper of the same model, its strength performance is almost. But after the surface treatment, it has a copper-like, multi-color decorative, because the price is lower than copper, its sales price has a certain competitive advantage.
C. Classification by size
The size of the zipper is determined by the width of the pulling teeth, for nylon zipper, there such as nylon 3# zipper, width of 3.6mm nylon 5# zipper, width of 5.6mm nylon 8# zipper, width of 8.6mm nylon 10# zipper, width of 10.6mm, so there are nylon N36, N56, N86, N106 zipper.
1. Nylon 3# zipper common specifications are 25mm, 26mm, 28mm(width).
2. Nylon 5# zipper common specifications are 30mm, 32mm, 36mm(width).
3. Nylon 8# zipper common specifications are 32mm, 36mm, 38mm, 42mm, 46mm(width).
- Nylon 10# zipper common specifications are 40mm, 42mm, 46mm(width).
For Metal zipper and plastic zipper, please check the below form.
| Zipper typeModel | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 | #6 | #8 | #9 |
| Plastic zipper | 3.9~ 4.8 mm | 4.9 ~ 5.4 mm | 5.5 ~ 6.2 mm | 6.3 ~ 7.0 mm | 7.2 ~8.0 mm | 8.7 ~ 9.2 mm | |
| Metal zipper | 2.5 ~ 3.85 mm | 3.9 ~ 4.8 mm | 4.9 ~ 5.4 mm | 5.5 ~ 6.2 mm | 6.3 ~ 7.0 mm | 7.2 ~8.0 mm | 8.7 ~ 9.2 mm |
Different size of the zipper could apply to different bags, generally speaking ,the inner bag we often use the small size one, the most usual is we use 3# zipper, big bag we will use the big size zipper.
D. Classification by its close way
According to the close way of zipper , the zipper could be classified to one-way close end zipper, two-way close end zipper, one-way open end zipper, two-way open end zipper, finished zipper, chain zipper. We could also take the below form as a reference.
4. How to choose the most suitable zip for your bags
To select a suitable zipper for your bags, we think you should consider the below several items
- What material you would like to use for your own bags ? If you would like use genuine leather or pu leather, we suggest you must choose metal zipper. if you would like to make your own bags in PU leather or polyester bags, we suggest you should choose plastic bags; but if you would like nylon or polyester bag, we suggest you should choose nylon zipper.
- Consider the size of the bags you would like to make to choose the right size bag. If you would like to make big bags, you must choose big size zipper, if small bags you could choose the small one.
- Consider the color of material you would like, generally speaking, people likes to use on tone zipper tape with the material, you could mark that clear to your vendor that you would like on tone zipper tape or the compared zipper tape before you make your bags.
5. How to fix the broken zip by yourself at home?
What if the zipper doesn’t fit?
The zipper of the bag couldn’t close because the two slides of the zipper head were a little loose, and it was ok to clamp both sides gently with pliers. If the clamp is too tight and does not pull up smoothly, gently rub the chains on both sides with a candle.
What if the zipper doesn’t smooth?
Here are some ways to smooth out the zipper:
- Pull the back of the zipper, straighten the zipper, and then repeatedly pull it up from the bottom to check if it is smooth. If it is not smooth, many times it is because the zipper is stuck on something else, so it is not smooth. Just remove the obstacles, and we will be back to normal.
- 2. Coat the surface of the zipper with a layer of wax and use the wax to lubricate the zipper.
- 3. Use a candle to wipe the zipper back and forth on the surface., then pull several times from the bottom to the top, the zipper will be smooth. Make sure that a small amount of was remains on the zipper when you use the candle; after you use the candle, gently pull the zipper at the beginning to prevent excessive force from damaging the zipper.
- In addition to was can also use lubricating oil, to pick a more transparent, clean kind, in the zipper , zipper position drop on a few drops, repeated pull a few times, also can achieve the smooth goal.
- If you don’t have candles or lube, apply soapto the zipper surface for a smoother.
The zipper unzip itself?
This kind of problem is because you pull the head too long, the caliber has become bigger. If you want to solve the problem temporarily, just clamp the head and tail with pliers, we’re gonna have to replace the zipper if we’re gonna fix this thoroughly.
Zippers could not be closed.
After long time use, the chain of the upper and lower two pieces of the distance between is widened or changed. Just need to use pliers up and down or left and right clamp on the line, but do pay attention not to excessive force, it is easy to clip broken.
Missing zipper teeth
Use a needle-nose pliers or a tweezer open the zipper teeth to pry off a few teeth in the original tail of zipper, installed these teeth to the missing place, and then use the needle-nose pliers to press on the edge of the tape, so that it can bite tightly.
The Zipper could not be slide
Sometimes the zipper won’t open, or it could not go on move on halfway, because the teeth in the zipper are crooked, or the fabric is loose. If the zipper teeth crooked, you can first use a steel needle, and then leveling, and then hit gently with a small hammer to pull the teeth flat, then it will work well. If the tape is loose, we can pull hard those tape that does not coincide, make the tooth of pull lock is arranged evenly, then it can slide well.
Do’s and don’ts for zippers
- Pay your attention to pull the slider, not force too strong, otherwise it is easy to damage the chain.
- Make sure the zipper is aligned at the bottom, and that the tube at one end of the zipper is inserted into the socket, or it won’t reach the zipper head.
- If the contents of the bag are too full, don’t use a hard force to close the zipper, if you do so, the teeth will easy to fall off, we could slowly merge the zipper after the zipper closer together.
Conclusion
This article is introduce basis of zipper common knowledge, there are many other details the writers do not know, writer will keep learning and do update for readers. If you have comments, please leave it. Many thanks for your reading.
