ELC repairs = $200 plus. Options?

[Fletch]

My old favorite ELC Werber A-2 needs a new sleeve cuff and a new slider, pull, and rivet for the amazing but flimsy Hookless Fastener.

Eastman got right back to me offering to fix and ship for £135. That's $216 in my money. Not counting the cost to ship to Jolly Olde.

You know they'll do it right, but is there any other option? Especially for the Hookless? A typical wartime Talon slider won't fit these teeth - I tried.

(I have a crochet addict friend who checked out the torn cuff and said she could whip up a new one easily.)

 

[aswatland]

When the zip puller went on my first Werber Gary sent me a replacement which I installed myself by removing the end stop. He might sell you one for a few pounds and will also sell replacement knits for around £18 plus postage. I always do my own repairs myself, but a local tailor would do the work for a few dollars. I think the price ELC is charging is very high for what amounts to about an hour's work.

 

[andy richards]

I agree with you aswatland.
Andy

 

[aswatland]

I forgot, ELC may also sell you a replacement rivit too. The Hookless zipper is not the most robust, but of course a NOS Wartime Talon would be entirely wrong for this Werber.

 

[Fletch]

They're not letting me have just the parts - they're insisting on doing the work themselves. Maybe because I'm overseas???

Update: A British VLJ'er is offering to be my go-between.

 

[Corky]

A low tech option...

 

[Fletch]

Well and good...now build me a slider! lol

The reason zippers took over is they benefited both the consumer and the manufacturer. The consumer got to fasten his clothes in a twinkling - the manufacturer got to sell a whole new unit whenever anything broke. Win/win.

Update: ELC is now refusing to sell parts or complete zips to anyone. I'm sending my go-between a picture of the broken parts, which I think fell victim to metal fatigue, in case they're willing to replace anything defective.

 

[deluxestyling]

I always understood that Eastman have never supplied zips but where willing to replace broken ones with their originals themselves. They replaced a broken Talon for me on an old original G-1 about 9 years ago at a very reasonable cost but did say at the time that they would have to fit it.

I contacted them earlier this month about replacing a zip, collar mouton and knitwear on a different 55J14 G-1 jacket but they said they were too busy to take on repairs at the moment but were happy to supply me with all the parts I wanted except the zip. Again all at a very reasonable cost. I was very grateful for their help and managed to buy a Talon from M.A.S.H Japan no problem.

It's a shame though understandable that they wouldn't carry out repairs on jackets they didn't manufacture. But they really did go all out to help me with the all the parts I needed.

Sorry this doesn't help you with your problem Fletch, just thought I'd share my experiences with Eastman.