How to Repair a Separated Zipper on your Bag Video

Red Oxx YKK #10 VISLON® Zipper Field Repair Tip Video

In this video, CEO Jim Markel demonstrates how to repair a self-locking zipper with separated teeth using simple and available hand tools. Whenever you encounter a popped or separated zipper on one of our bags, the first thing to remember is not to panic. Red Oxx covers broken, popped and separated zippers under our famous "No Bull" lifetime warranty.

While you can send your bag in and we’ll repair your zipper free of charge, sometimes that just isn’t quite so easy as you glance around the African Savannah and there’s no Post Office in sight! In reality, repairing a popped zipper while in the field isn’t as difficult as it might sound. In fact, you can repair your zipper using any blunt-faced hand tool available and a hard wedge-shaped corner.

Zipper Repair Procedure:

• Don’t panic.
• Back the zipper-pull away from the separated section, opening the bag (not the hole) as much as possible.
• Find a smooth-faced hand tool or blunt object such as a flat blade screwdriver, pocket knife* or dull camping cooking utensil, even a cell phone will work.
• Locate a smooth hard surface with a corner on it such as a desk, armrest, vehicle fender, tool chest, hardcase or even a wedge-shaped rock.
• Position the popped zipper over the corner of your wedge surface lining up the edge of the opening of the separated zipper with the corner.
• Line up the teeth as best you can.
• Gently press down on each tooth, massaging back and forth with the flat of your tool or object until you feel it pop into place, working your way up the zipper channel from the zipped end towards the open hole, then across until each tooth has slipped back into position and the zipper hole is closed.
• Conduct a quick zip check making sure the zipper glides smoothly closed and open.
• Congratulate yourself on your new found zipper repair skills.

* Never use a sharp knife blade as you could slip, cut the fabric or the zipper or worse, cut yourself! Instead, use the knife handle with the blade folded closed. A dull butter knife also works fine.

To prevent future zipper separation, try not to force a bulging bag closed and avoid positioning blunt objects that might push against a closed zipper inside your bag. Instead, work to reposition your contents so that you can smoothly, and easily open and close your zipper.

If you experience a zipper that is sticky simply apply paraffin wax or the lubricating spray ZIPPYCOOL® to the front and back side of the zipper and move the slider up and down several times to work in the lubricant and make the slider work smoothly. Wipe off any excess before packing your clothes in your bag.

If your zipper has experienced a missing or mangled tooth, this repair procedure may not work or may only work temporarily. In which case as soon as you can, we recommend that you send us your bag and we will replace the entire zipper free of charge under our Red Oxx 'No Bull' Lifetime Warranty.