Zip it

[LouisBailie]

Symmetrical 2 way separating or one way are the solution to these problems 8mm are strong enough for any jacket....it is the teeth engagement design that makes them the better zipper.

 

[Big J]

Late to this party, but I got 5 Aero A-2's, the repro Talons are all great, as is the one on my Aero B-3.
The zip on my Aero M422a, on the other hand, is as fiddly as hell, although, to be fair, I've got fingers like sausages.

 

[oneterrifichog]

Just got my hands on a Lost Worlds with a zipper... Oh my word!!!! The things the King Kong of Zippers! It is... dare I say it... almost too large? (ducks head from multiple thrown objects)

Worf

Actually Stuart offers different sized zippers if you ask. I have a goat "Suburban" jacket coming in tomorrow that after some discussion I chose a #10 Zip over the #6 because it is similar to the #10 Zip I received on a J-23 Goat from him. I have a Crown Zip #10 on my Horsehide J-23 which is phenomenal. I have a number 6 on the B-2 that will be changed during this summer after I build up the money. I prefer the larger Zips as they are easier to work, however if I get out there and work off my gut the necessity for the larger zip may disappear.

I wonder if the manufacturers believe that the smaller zips keeps the emphasis on the leather and the design and that larger zips are a distraction. Just a thought.

 

[Cyber Lip]

vintage sized zips do look better. larger zips make you look like Mr Zipper, or Zipper Man

 

[Mark]

My first Aero HWM came with the larger chunky zipper and was a breeze to zip-up. My more recent HWM replacement came with the new tiny Talon zipper that I found a pain to engage and zip-up. It a little better now that its bedded in and had some use. It does IMO look much nicer than the bigger zippers, less of a distraction from the jacket I think. The point of my post is that I asked Holly if I could have the old larger zipper on my new HWM and she told me that the Talons are much better quality than the old zippers they used. So I went with the new Talon zippers. I think on balance i'm glad I did as they look so much cooler.

 

[tmitchell59]

I have replaced the zipper in two pre-owned LW jackets and my less than one year old LW Test is seperating on the male side. They were all marked Talon and all sucked! I suppose reissues? I have many vintage jackets with different brands and they all work better than the LW zippers. When they do work they are very difficult to zip feel cheap and sound cheap. I have a Talon marked zipper in my Alexander and BK, both are very nice working/feeling zippers so I'm confused.

 

[zebedee]

If I order another Aero, it won't be one with a zip. I could have sent my Aero back for a check, but as I had sent pictures and was informed that it didn't look like a new zip was needed (which is probably correct), I figured on not wasting time and just living with the teethmarks- they are, in all likelihood, cosmetic. The next Aero, luckily, will be a button up option- the boxes on those talon zips need to be deeper.

 

[Aether]

zebedee - I have those teethmarks on my 50's HB too.

I seem to remember a discussion on here about Aero hammering (literally) the leather when they fold it, so I assume they got a little over-enthusiastic when doing the zip area? Doesn't really bother me because only I can see it.

*edit - just seen your other thread!

 

[Damo]

Interesting thread. Sounds like aero compromised function for authenticity and aesthetics.

 

[AdeeC]

Interesting thread. Sounds like aero compromised function for authenticity and aesthetics.

I have two Aero jackets, an A2 real deal and a Grizzly. Both have the same vintage style talon zippers. I quite like the authentic approach. Getting used to these zippers is only a minor annoyance for a little while. Aero is mainly in the vintage reproduction business and glad to see they are avoiding the corrupting of their vintage styles to suit the lack of manual dexterity in modern fingers.

 

[xOUTLAWx]

I'm with the vanson crowd, of all the jackets I ever owned it has the best zipper. bombproof, right size and easy to operate with gloves on. The talon zips have that cool distinctive look tought.

 

[pak]

My leather jackets and vests are not dainty garments. I do not want dainty hardwear on these leathers. Heavy zips and snaps. If I could not specify heavy zips/snaps on a jacket from a manufacturer, that is a deal killer.

 

[AdeeC]

The Repro Talon zips on my two Aero's are identical to the zipper on my original well worn mission used Dubow A2 from 1942 that still works perfectly. Dainty they are not.

 

[Damo]

Only zippers I've used are vanson's and schott's. They work fine for me. The aero zipper issue some people have wouldn't be a deal breaker for me.

 

[Edward]

I wonder if the manufacturers believe that the smaller zips keeps the emphasis on the leather and the design and that larger zips are a distraction. Just a thought.

I'd say it's definitely an aesthetic consideration, but moreso one based on the jackets having a period correct look than showing off the hide.

zebedee - I have those teethmarks on my 50's HB too.

I seem to remember a discussion on here about Aero hammering (literally) the leather when they fold it, so I assume they got a little over-enthusiastic when doing the zip area? Doesn't really bother me because only I can see it.

*edit - just seen your other thread!

AFAIK, they do have to hammer the leather a bit to getg the several folks in a thick hide that are necessary in that area flat enough to sew.... Doesn't usually seem to be a problem, though the process does seem to lead to the odd mark. There was a thread on an AL a while back that had quite a bit of damage in that area when it was shipped to the buyer, though one would assume that this isn't common as a result of that particular process or various companies would have tried oher approaches by now.

Interesting thread. Sounds like aero compromised function for authenticity and aesthetics.

Depends what you mean by compromised, really. These vintage style zips, like the Hookless, take a little longer to get used to than a chunky, more modern zip, but once you're familiar with them, they're fine. When you're used to them, it's not an issue at all, so I wouldn't really consider that to be compromising function..... Bit like switching from driving RHD in the UK to LHD in the US, or vice versa.... It makes sense, really, given that they're selling a niche product aimed at people who want a certain level of period authenticity. When you shell out for a premium productl ike an Aero or a Lewis or a Lost Worlds or what have you, its that sort od detail you're buying into. If they put huge, chunky zips on them like you see on some modern gear, or many Seventies British bike leathers, they'd be taking away one more detail that makes their niche product what it is, which would be a bad move in their target market.

Only zippers I've used are vanson's and schott's. They work fine for me. The aero zipper issue some people have wouldn't be a deal breaker for me.

Never had a Vanson (though I do rather fancy their take on the Perfecto), but my Schott does have nice zips. Schott don't seem to have changed the size of their zips significantly over time.

 

[frussell]

"AFAIK, they do have to hammer the leather a bit to getg the several folks in a thick hide that are necessary in that area flat enough to sew.... Doesn't usually seem to be a problem, though the process does seem to lead to the odd mark. There was a thread on an AL a while back that had quite a bit of damage in that area when it was shipped to the buyer, though one would assume that this isn't common as a result of that particular process or various companies would have tried oher approaches by now."

Dear Lord! They actually sew the leather with "several folks" in there? That sounds dangerous.

 

[l0fielectronic]

Interesting to read this. I recently bought from the AL sales page and the only issue I seem to have is the zipper which seems far to weak for the jacket. I've been hoping with some wear it will get better but as it is I've had several occasions when its poped open at the bottom. I've been thinking of contacting them to see what might be done as other than that I'm very happy with the jacket. Once broken in some will post some photos.

 

[zebedee]

Same issue and thoughts about my LHB. The reply that you might get is that you can send it in for a check over, but that a zip replacement may not be needed. Once you get used to always carefully making sure the pin/box placement is secure, the zip won't bust out at the bottom. On my LHB, this happened up to halfway when it was fully zipped up. I tell you, you can't pull it over your bonce like a sweater. I bowled round my apartment for 30 mins trying the over-the-head approach (no dice), followed by angling the zip diagonally downward and then forcing the ba***rd down the track. Took ten minutes to do, but then I could remove it. After that, I had to use a blunt knife edge to straighten a couple of buck zip teeth. The zip is now always aligned with the utmost p-r-e-c-i-s-i-o-n before I do it up. Aero should give ya a choice, methinks. I'd sacrifice period accuracy for being free of wandering about in a chest-clasp FQHH gown again.

 

[LouisBailie]

Seems that one of the Scottish jacket makers are discontinuing use of the "modern Talon" zippers. Seems they have had too many Talon zipper failures so they are going to try RiRi symmetrical models for their appearance and durability.

The way to eliminate zipper problems with jackets that the zipper is below the belt line is to use HD 2 way separating symmetrical brass zippers....

 

[zebedee]

Which Scottish maker 'seems' to be doing this, oh seer? It seems that both AL and Aero may have had zip probs. I reckon the leather might be too heavy- I don't know whether HH jackets were historically made of the same thickness as the FQHH jackets we're buying. My next one might well be goatskin or a medium-weight hide. Of course, if the zip problem corrects itself, I'll update. The Aeros I have are still, hands down, the best jackets I own.