Zipper Replacement Already?

[OneEyeMan]

My Aero Highwayman is only about 4 years old. Yesterday, after getting up from sitting I noticed that the jacket had unzipped from the bottom. So I forced the pull down to open it up and rezipped it. It took only a tiny bit of tugging on the bottom two sides to separate it again and again. I noticed that the zipper backing on the male side had started to pull away and fray. I assume this is what's causing the separation. I'm a little upset at how quickly this happened but that's life. Guess I'll contact Aero and ship it off to them for replacement. Might as well also have them replace the liner as it has a few holes in it already from my stupidity. I just hope they can reuse most of the needle holes and my jacket doesn't return looking like it was attacked by a child with a stapler. : ) Any comments, suggestions? Thanks for listening to my tale of woe.

 

[ClassyMica]

hahaha the stapler joke cracked me up I absolutely love the highwayman look! It is such a quality and classic jacket so first of all great choice! depending on how much you wear the jacket, 4 years before a zipper issue seems to be okay if you are wearing it as a primary jacket and not seasonally. If anything sending it back to have it repaired will only make it look new again and will last longer!

 

[Sloan1874]

Aero did find itself landed with a short-lived stock of faulty Talons a few years ago, but I'm not sure if there are any still out there - they tended to self-destruct rather quickly. There shouldn't be any problem for Aero to replace the zip using the original holes.

 

[zebedee]

My LHB did that, too, and I had to wrestle it over my head to get it off and then uncouple the zip (which has always been dodgy). As the cordovan was bleeding anyway, I wasn't upset about just one thing.

The zip hasn't stuffed up any more, although the jacket still bleeds. Huh. I kept it anyway.

 

[Otter]

I had an Aero M/C jacket I managed to totally destroy the zip on before one year. Repaired at no cost, you would never know it had been changed. Similarly I ripped a couple of stitches on the windflap of my A2 after a few years, I paid the shipping but the repair was not charged, again a flawless repair.

 

[GHT]

There shouldn't be any problem for Aero to replace the zip using the original holes.

Ha! You obviously have never replaced a zipper in a leather. It took my missus almost two days to replace the zip in my A2, that's because she painstakingly sewed one stitch at a time to make sure that the needle went through all the original holes.

Is it that important? Well no, not if you don't mind that when, close up, either side of your jacket zip looks like it's got chicken pox. Truly, that's how big the holes are. But I'm surprised that the zip has given up the ghost so early. I have a 40's Aero a 40's military parka and a number of leathers all over 20 years old. Only the Aero has needed a new zip, and that was after 70 years.

 

[Sloan1874]

Ha! You obviously have never replaced a zipper in a leather. It took my missus almost two days to replace the zip in my A2, that's because she painstakingly sewed one stitch at a time to make sure that the needle went through all the original holes.

Is it that important? Well no, not if you don't mind that when, close up, either side of your jacket zip looks like it's got chicken pox. Truly, that's how big the holes are. But I'm surprised that the zip has given up the ghost so early. I have a 40's Aero a 40's military parka and a number of leathers all over 20 years old. Only the Aero has needed a new zip, and that was after 70 years.

You're absolutely right, I haven't. But Areo have people with 30-odd years experience of replacing zips and they'll be using the same machines that stitched the original one in, so I'm guessing they'll find the task a bit easier.

 

[tweedydon]

I have no doubt Aero will be able to replace the zipper without this being noticeable at all! I've had two Aero zippers replaced (both Talons) by Dena at Great Leathercraft, and you couldn't tell the zippers weren't the originals.

 

[Peacoat]

Anybody else with a ThunderBay have trouble with that tiny zipper they use? I have had trouble with mine from day one. It is a pain to get it started—I have to stand by a window wearing reading glasses so I can see the thing—and even then, half the time it doesn't get started correctly and the insertion pin separates from the retainer box with the teeth split at the bottom. Then it's a struggle to get the pull back down and past the insertion pin. If this takes more than two or three minutes, claustrophobia sets in and my wife has to attempt to calm me down, before a full fledged panic attack sets in.

Before I got this ThunderBay, I would scoff at panic attacks, thinking only women and weak willed men had them. Hah! They are as real as cold in winter. I now keep a sharp X-Acto knife next to the window in case I have to cut the thing off. It's gotten to be so burdensome that I think I only wore it once this winter. And I never wear it if I am going to take it off once I get to my destination as I don't want to have to go through the war again. Wouldn't do to have a panic attack in public.

Rather than let it sit around unused forever, I think I will talk to Great Leather about having a larger zip put in. I haven't measured the zipper that is on now, but it looks to be about a # 6. Would a # 8 zip be the best size, or should I go up to a # 10? Whatever I do, I want a zipper that is beefy enough for that heavy jacket. What's on there now isn't doing the job it's intended to do.

 

[ton312]

Peacoat a #8 riri would change your life and that jacket. That's a beefy jacket to say the least. A puny #5 talon was never meant to carry that load! Alan at JL could handle this as well, and you know he's every bit as trustworthy. He put #8 riri's on my jacket and they handled the 4.25oz steer like it was linen.

 

[El Marro]

The zipper on my Bootlegger broke after I had had it for 1 month. I purchased a #8 riri zipper online and had it installed by my local tailor. He did a great job using the original stitch holes and even matched the olive drab thread that Aero had used.
I love my Aero jackets but I find the small repro zips they use to be puny and unsuitable for heavy leather like CXL. The #8 riri is a great size for the heavy leather and now I don't worry about babying the zipper for fear of breaking it.
Peacoat, I think you should be fine with a #8. I bought a #10 as well but it seemed much beefier than necessary.

 

[mygar]

Peacoat a #8 riri would change your life and that jacket. That's a beefy jacket to say the least. A puny #5 talon was never meant to carry that load! Alan at JL could handle this as well, and you know he's every bit as trustworthy. He put #8 riri's on my jacket and they handled the 4.25oz steer like it was linen.

Have contacted Alan to shorten my sleeve and zips on my CR. Good to know he does good work.

 

[pak]

Anybody else with a ThunderBay have trouble with that tiny zipper they use? I have had trouble with mine from day one. It is a pain to get it started—I have to stand by a window wearing reading glasses so I can see the thing—and even then, half the time it doesn't get started correctly and the insertion pin separates from the retainer box with the teeth split at the bottom. Then it's a struggle to get the pull back down and past the insertion pin. If this takes more than two or three minutes, claustrophobia sets in and my wife has to attempt to calm me down, before a full fledged panic attack sets in.

Before I got this ThunderBay, I would scoff at panic attacks, thinking only women and weak willed men had them. Hah! They are as real as cold in winter. I now keep a sharp X-Acto knife next to the window in case I have to cut the thing off. It's gotten to be so burdensome that I think I only wore it once this winter. And I never wear it if I am going to take it off once I get to my destination as I don't want to have to go through the war again. Wouldn't do to have a panic attack in public.

Rather than let it sit around unused forever, I think I will talk to Great Leather about having a larger zip put in. I haven't measured the zipper that is on now, but it looks to be about a # 6. Would a # 8 zip be the best size, or should I go up to a # 10? Whatever I do, I want a zipper that is beefy enough for that heavy jacket. What's on there now isn't doing the job it's intended to do.

Being a bit ham handed I would have a 10 on and jacket made of a heavier leather. My workwear with zippers are all YKK # 10s(nylon and brass) and for many years have been flawless.

 

[Worf]

Anybody else with a ThunderBay have trouble with that tiny zipper they use? I have had trouble with mine from day one. It is a pain to get it started—I have to stand by a window wearing reading glasses so I can see the thing—and even then, half the time it doesn't get started correctly and the insertion pin separates from the retainer box with the teeth split at the bottom. Then it's a struggle to get the pull back down and past the insertion pin. If this takes more than two or three minutes, claustrophobia sets in and my wife has to attempt to calm me down, before a full fledged panic attack sets in.

Before I got this ThunderBay, I would scoff at panic attacks, thinking only women and weak willed men had them. Hah! They are as real as cold in winter. I now keep a sharp X-Acto knife next to the window in case I have to cut the thing off. It's gotten to be so burdensome that I think I only wore it once this winter. And I never wear it if I am going to take it off once I get to my destination as I don't want to have to go through the war again. Wouldn't do to have a panic attack in public.

Rather than let it sit around unused forever, I think I will talk to Great Leather about having a larger zip put in. I haven't measured the zipper that is on now, but it looks to be about a # 6. Would a # 8 zip be the best size, or should I go up to a # 10? Whatever I do, I want a zipper that is beefy enough for that heavy jacket. What's on there now isn't doing the job it's intended to do.

Wow Peacoat. You know I've the same jacket. Never had ANY trouble with my zip on mine BUT I stopped wearing my LHB for similar reasons. I've also had trouble with the zip on my Bootlegger. It can sometimes take minutes of sweaty fumbling to get the zipper seated and started correctly. Why in Gods good name can't Aero put a decent sized zip on a $1,000 plus jacket? Never had a problem with my Vansons or Langlitz though.

Worf

 

[Peacoat]

Yes, @Worf I knew you had the same jacket and zipper with no problems with the zip. That's the major reason why I have held off doing anything to see if mine started working right. It hasn't.

And @ton312 thanks for the suggestion of Alan. Yes, they do great work, and I have two of their jackets. Just never thought about them doing repair work, only custom work. I will call Alan in the next few days and see what he says.

The # 8 sounds like a good suggestion. Thanks @El Marro.

 

[torfjord]

I had trouble with the zipper on my newly purchased Bootlegger. From the start it didn’t run smoothly, and it felt a bit loose at the bottom on the left side. Then one day the zipper came undone when I was wearing it. I barely got out of the jacket and only because my wife helped me. This was after having used the jacket for 1,5 weeks. After that the zipper became a chore to get zipped, “minutes of sweaty fumbling” certainly describes it well.

I contacted Aero and Holly were certainly very helpful. The jacket is in Scotland now to have the zipper replaced, no charge to me for shipping or replacement of course.

But yeah, it seems I am not the only one who’s had trouble with an aero zipper. Even though they are good sports about making it right, I have to wonder why they can’t offer bigger zips for heavier leather?

 

[Downunder G Man]

My Aero Highwayman , bought used from the UK and then posted to Australia arrived with the stock OEM zipper that I immediately identified as "weedy" to say the least.

The jacket was not a 100% fit ( close but close tho' !) so I resold it on Gumtree to a Finnish dude in Melbourne. ( yes from Finland !). Got all my coin back including post.

His son who was in Perth WA for work came and collected it , facetiming him to show it properly.

Compared to my Schott and Eastman jackets , and even my Australian made Walden Miller Brando , the Aero zipper was indeed "weedy"

 

[Sloan1874]

Aero’s zippers are historically accurate. Chunky zips didn’t appear until the late 60s / early 70s, and to my eye are clumsy ugly things. My Dust Bowl has a Hookless zipper, and while it took a little effort to get a hang of it (the secret is to pull the male part hard into the female and hold it while zipping), I’ve never had a serious issue with it or any of my jackets.

 

[Mark Ricketts]

If it is generally accepted that the leather in new Aero jackets is significantly heavier than vintage jackets, historical accuracy does not seem to be of paramount importance to Aero. It might be sensible to offer lighter zips with lighter leathers to create a jacket indistinguishable from an original, but if the heavier leather is already anachronistic, why not have the option of an anachronistic heavier zip as well.
Personally, I have no problem with the aesthetics of a heavy YKK, and if it cannot last at least 15 years of hard daily use, I would be unhappy.

 

[Mich486]

Yep I find the #5 they use is ok with Vicenza but really feels like the weak spot on my CXL highwayman.

I think they should use a#8. With the leather pipes running along the zip and a conservative puller I don’t think it would make that much of an impact visually.


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