Zipper experts?

[regius]

The question here is not about historical authenticity of repro zippers or choice of zipper on clothings or who made what zippers, but the anatomy and functionality of zippers itself. Some cheap YKK and TALON chrome, bar pull zips are used on my Wested Indy and WPG pants, and there's nothing wrong about the robustness of the tape nor the security, but one thing bothers me that is, the super smoothness of the sliding action. The slider has no resistance, no "texture" so to speak, the bar just flops around loosely, and the slider just glide along like on ice. Older zippers, other brands (say RIRI), has a strong mechanical feel and makes the chain sound when sliding. I thought it's to do with the spring load inside the slider, so I swapped an older slide to the cheap zip, but it turned out to be just smooth, so it's to do with the surface texture of the tape and tooth???

 

[Skyhawk]

Yes probably. Cotton zipper tapes have more "resistance" than nylon or other synthetic tapes. That could be different feel you are noticing.

-Jay