Stuck or Broken Zipper on Your Leather Jacket? Here's the Fix

The Weak Link: Metal Hardware

The zipper is the only mechanical part of your jacket. It fails in 3 specific ways.

1. The "Stuck" Zipper (won't move)

Cause: Friction or a bent tooth.
The Fix: Lubrication.
1. Rub the teeth with a graphite pencil tip (graphite is a dry lubricant).
2. Or rub a bar of soap/candle wax on the teeth.
3. Gently wiggle the slider up and down.

2. The "Separating" Zipper (pop open)

Cause: The Slider (the moving part) has loosened over time. The metal jaws are too wide to lock the teeth together.
The Fix: The Pliers Pinch.
1. Zip the jacket to the bottom (open).
2. Use pliers to GENTLY squeeze the top and bottom of the slider body. Do not crush it. Just a tiny squeeze to narrow the gap.
3. Test. This fixes 90% of "broken" zippers.

3. The "Missing Teeth" (The End)

Cause: Ripped out teeth.
The Fix: Replacement. You cannot glue teeth back on. You must pay a tailor to unpick the leather stitching and sew in a brand new zipper unit.
Cost: $50-$100. Always ask for YKK or Riri brand zippers.