Zippers

Are different brands of zippers compatible?

I have a travel pack, which used to have a small day pack that zipped
on to the front of it with a YKK #10 spiral zip.

Somebody stole the daypack. I'm planning to get another daypack, and
sew one side of a zip onto it so I can attach it to my travel pack.
The zip I use must be able to mesh with the YKK which is already on
the main pack.

My local haberdashery-type shop has #10 spiral zips by the metre, but
not genuine YKK. Am I going to have problems if I try to use one side
of this zip with the other side of my YKK zip?

fs

Zippers

(Fakhina=A0Sohl)
Are different brands of zippers compatible?
I have a travel pack, which used to have a small day pack that zipped on
to the front of it with a YKK #10 spiral zip.
Somebody stole the daypack. I'm planning to get another daypack, and sew
one side of a zip onto it so I can attach it to my travel pack. The zip
I use must be able to mesh with the YKK which is already on the main
pack.
My local haberdashery-type shop has #10 spiral zips by the metre, but
not genuine YKK. Am I going to have problems if I try to use one side of
this zip with the other side of my YKK zip?
---
I do a lot of alterations, and have yet to find one zip which will
mesh with another, especially if they are from differing mfgs.
YKK has an online presence, with a contact phone number; you can order
from them, and they ship immediately. They will supply a zip to the
length you require.
If you let them know what product/length/type/#of zip, item the zip
you are replacing goes into, and that you wish to replace only one side,
they can probably send what you need.
NAYY, just a happy customer.
Cea

murmured while asleep:
Zippers

(Fakhina Sohl)
Are different brands of zippers compatible?
I have a travel pack, which used to have a small day pack that zipped
on to the front of it with a YKK #10 spiral zip.
Somebody stole the daypack. I'm planning to get another daypack, and
sew one side of a zip onto it so I can attach it to my travel pack.
The zip I use must be able to mesh with the YKK which is already on
the main pack.
My local haberdashery-type shop has #10 spiral zips by the metre, but
not genuine YKK. Am I going to have problems if I try to use one side
of this zip with the other side of my YKK zip?
---

I do a lot of alterations, and have yet to find one zip which will
mesh with another, especially if they are from differing mfgs.
YKK has an online presence, with a contact phone number; you can
order from them, and they ship immediately. They will supply a zip to
the length you require.
If you let them know what product/length/type/#of zip, item the zip
you are replacing goes into, and that you wish to replace only one
side, they can probably send what you need.
NAYY, just a happy customer.
Cea

Cea's got it right. But even YKK changes there "spec" every few years. So
you might have a #10 and a #10, but there might be a different # of coils
per inch. It's best to replace both sides of the zipper just to be sure.
The spec change is really noticeable with the tooth jacket zippers. But
with those, sometimes you get lucky.

Penny S

--
Specialty Outdoors
Modification & Repair of Outdoor Gear & Clothing
Factory Authorized by The North Face
www.specialtyoutdoors.com

"Penny S" wrote in message ...
murmured while asleep:
Are different brands of zippers compatible?
I do a lot of alterations, and have yet to find one zip which will
mesh with another, especially if they are from differing mfgs.
YKK has an online presence, with a contact phone number; you can
order from them, and they ship immediately.

The minor hitch is that I'm in Australia...but I'm sure YKK have a
local distributor that I can chase.

It's best to replace both sides of the zipper just to be sure.

My pack is rather nice, and I'm a very amateur sewer (with a regular
domestic machine). I really don't want to go as far as un-picking my
pack and sewing a new zip in to it.

I was just going to get a cheap day pack that I have no qualms about
making a mess of, and do all my dodgy modifications on _that_ side of
the zip.

The main pack is untouchable, the day pack is unimportant. They just
need to join together...

The spec change is really noticeable with the tooth jacket zippers. But
with those, sometimes you get lucky.

Thanks both for your advice.

It seems that, at very least, I'll need to take my pack with me to the
zipper shop, and check compatibiltiy in the flesh.

Cheers,

fs

On 6 Dec 2003 17:19:03 -0800 in rec.crafts.textiles.sewing,
(Fakhina Sohl) was alleged to have written:
My local haberdashery-type shop has #10 spiral zips by the metre, but
not genuine YKK. Am I going to have problems if I try to use one side
of this zip with the other side of my YKK zip?

Take the pack in and try it?

Zippers

(Fakhina=A0Sohl)
snip
The spec change is really noticeable with the tooth jacket zippers. But
with those, sometimes you get lucky.
Thanks both for your advice.
It seems that, at very least, I'll need to take my pack with me to the
zipper shop, and check compatibiltiy in the flesh.
---
Well, if you must try...I can save you a ton of searching time,
though, by reassuring you that you won't find a match. Every mfg. has
different molds with which they cast these plastic toothed coils. I
discovered this Eternal Truth the hard way. It also stands true about
the fruitless search for matching buttons.

YKK ZIPS
27 Allen St., NY.NY, 10002
TE# 212-226-3964
Fax: 212-226-3964
They will make the zip to the length you need.
In addition to the zip cost, there is a three-day priority shipping
charge of $4.00. (Stateside).
I was working on a formal gown, deadline looming. A local store
wanted a three to four week wait to order a zip for me, and an extra
charge of about $6.00, in addition to shipping charges.
(I laughed, went home, ordered from YKK.)
Cea

murmured while asleep:
Zippers

(Fakhina Sohl)
snip
The spec change is really noticeable with the tooth jacket zippers.
But with those, sometimes you get lucky.
Thanks both for your advice.
It seems that, at very least, I'll need to take my pack with me to the
zipper shop, and check compatibiltiy in the flesh.
---
Well, if you must try...I can save you a ton of searching time,
though, by reassuring you that you won't find a match. Every mfg. has
different molds with which they cast these plastic toothed coils. I
discovered this Eternal Truth the hard way. It also stands true about
the fruitless search for matching buttons.

YKK ZIPS
27 Allen St., NY.NY, 10002
TE# 212-226-3964
Fax: 212-226-3964
They will make the zip to the length you need.
In addition to the zip cost, there is a three-day priority shipping
charge of $4.00. (Stateside).
I was working on a formal gown, deadline looming. A local store
wanted a three to four week wait to order a zip for me, and an extra
charge of about $6.00, in addition to shipping charges.
(I laughed, went home, ordered from YKK.)
Cea

Just a note. I never get custom lengths made. I just buy one longer and
shorten if for my needs.
Most of the outdoors suppliers he
http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/sources.htm
will ship to OZ without batting an eye.

penny


--
Specialty Outdoors
Modification & Repair of Outdoor Gear & Clothing
Factory Authorized by The North Face
www.specialtyoutdoors.com

Cea, thank you SO much for this information. With the local store not carrying
black zippers, for heaven's sake, this information on ordering custom zips may
come in very handy.

Mwah, a big kiss for you!

Karen Maslowski in Cincinnati

Fakhina Sohl wrote:

"Penny S" wrote in message ...
murmured while asleep:
Are different brands of zippers compatible?
I do a lot of alterations, and have yet to find one zip which will
mesh with another, especially if they are from differing mfgs.
YKK has an online presence, with a contact phone number; you can
order from them, and they ship immediately.

The minor hitch is that I'm in Australia...but I'm sure YKK have a
local distributor that I can chase.

It's best to replace both sides of the zipper just to be sure.

My pack is rather nice, and I'm a very amateur sewer (with a regular
domestic machine). I really don't want to go as far as un-picking my
pack and sewing a new zip in to it.

I was just going to get a cheap day pack that I have no qualms about
making a mess of, and do all my dodgy modifications on _that_ side of
the zip.

The main pack is untouchable, the day pack is unimportant. They just
need to join together...

The spec change is really noticeable with the tooth jacket zippers. But
with those, sometimes you get lucky.

Thanks both for your advice.

An alternative - sew the new zipp to the old zip. That way you still
have the original zip, pack stiching untouched. I've done this on some
breathable water resistant pants when the zip failed. Still water
resistant as I did not sew into th ewater proffing .. just used the zip
material. Packs usauall have enought room to get at the zip material so
this could be a possiblity.

Zippers

(Frank=A0Warner)
Fakhina Sohl wrote:
My pack is rather nice, and I'm a very amateur sewer (with a regular
domestic machine). I really don't want to go as far as un-picking my
pack and sewing a new zip in to it.
I was just going to get a cheap day pack that I have no qualms about
making a mess of, and do all my dodgy modifications on _that_ side of
the zip.
The main pack is untouchable, the day pack is unimportant. They just
need to join together...
The spec change is really noticeable with the tooth jacket zippers. But
with those, sometimes you get lucky.
Thanks both for your advice.
---
An alternative - sew the new zipp to the old zip. That way you still
have the original zip, pack stiching untouched. I've done this on some
breathable water resistant pants when the zip failed. Still water
resistant as I did not sew into th ewater proffing .. just used the zip
material. Packs usauall have enought room to get at the zip material so
this could be a possiblity.
---
This is a good idea, Frank, especially with those impossible-to-sew,
hinky little angles on some cases and bags. If you cannot fit the case
under the needle, you could use a heavier, waxed thread, and backstitch
the new zip onto the old one by hand. (Backstitches are one of the most
secure, sturdy stitches--if one stitch fails from wear, the whole row
won't pull out.)
Just make sure the new zip, when sewn onto the old, has enough
clearance for the teeth to close.
Cea