Easy DIY Fix Your Bag Yourself Solutions

HOW TO FIX FRAYED THREADS

There are some things that might happen to your bag that can be easily remedied DIY style if you find you don’t have enough time to send it in. Sometimes, due to the nature of the construction of the bag (they are stitched together after all) you may encounter frayed threads. While this is not structurally detrimental to your bag, it can be annoying to deal with as it’s frustrating when it gets tangled in the zippers.

Here is a simple two-step process to taking care of those pesky frayed threads yourself:

Step 1: Trim the threads.

Step 2: Use a lighter to "heat seal" the ends of the thread, making sure not to burn the bag’s fabric.

A SIMPLE SEPARATED ZIPPER FIX

Another easy fix is the case of the separated zipper. Whether it’s just one popped zipper tooth or a whole chain, usually, it can easily be pushed back into place. As long as there are no missing zipper teeth, it will be as good as new.
Here’s a cool video where our CEO Jim Markel demonstrates fixing your zipper out in the field. You will also find much more detailed DIY repair instructions on that page. View the images below for simple instructions.

Zipper teeth have separated and are off track.

Place zipper over a flat smooth hard surface.

Use a tool to push the zipper tooth back into the track.

Zipper tooth is back on track – fixed!

HOW TO FIX A BROKEN ZIPPER TAB

YKK makes the toughest zippers and sliders available. But sometimes the slider tabs can break off. Over the years, Red Oxx has seen some super creative fixes by our customers. These simple fixes can help you get by until there’s time to send your bag in. Key rings, paper clips, baling wire, Cable Locks, zip ties, even glue; these are just a few of the fixes we’ve seen.

A SIMPLE MISSING ZIPPER TAB FIX

The entire slider with tab is one piece, so sadly we can’t send part of the slider to fix it yourself if one breaks. If it was available, the whole seam would have to come apart to replace it. If the whole slider is missing, the FixnZip® Zipper fix it kit is quite handy when you don’t have a lot of time to devote to repairs. With this in mind, the Quality Control folks inspect every slider/slider tab on your bag and for all warranty issues worked on. Zippers and sliders that do not meet our standards are replaced. 

SCARS TELL A STORY AND ARE PRETTY, TOO

Warranty repairs are sometimes not pretty. Depending on the size of the hole, “darning” is a better fix than a patch. So in effect, a warranty repair is not a
satisfaction guarantee, in the sense that, "But it shouldn’t it look like new?" Sure, an ideal goal, but the underlying principle of a repair here is function. Your bag will be repaired so that is can continue to function for your needs. In this case, it’s often "function over form".

What you can expect from a warranty fix is that it may have patches, or it may have darning’s, etc. In other words, it will not look brand new. It will now have scars with stories to tell, much like ourselves.

An example of a repair patch over a small hole.

THAT DARN HOLE ANYHOW

A darning is when the seamstress runs their machine back and forth cross-hatching over the hole. The principle comes from back when your great grandmother used to darn her socks to make them last longer. Sometimes it’s not pretty, but it is very effective for repairing small holes.

An example of a darning repair over a small hole.

PATCH IT UP, I’LL TAKE IT

A patch made from the same material as the bag (either CORDURA® Brand Nylon or Ballistic Nylon) is selected to match as closely as possible the color of your bag. NOTE: Dye-lots can vary from lot to lot, let alone a lot several years old. The edges are folded over and stitched into place. Usually both sides of the hole inside and outside will be patched.

Hat tip to Sam for contributing content.