Zipper fray

[Davidchee5]

Hey guys,

Just got this gorgeous straight zip chp with an original talon zipper. The zip works great but the little plastics fabric protector is long gone and the fabric is starting to fray. Anyone know of any ways to resolve this. Or should I bring it to a professional.

Thank you much

 

[Yamahana]

https://www.joann.com/prym-dritz-fray-check-sealant/1052851.html

 

[TartuWolf]

Will use this opportunity to share my thoughts / ask opinion.
This zipper fray issue seems to be the most common I've seen in terms of problems/wear that first arises on a worn jacket.
Why don't makers (of jackets, of zippers..) address this?
It's always the same thing - the tape between the male insert part and the leather gets frayed / worn out.
So why not make that part out of metal for example? And rivet it to the leather securely.
Wouldn't this eliminate this extremely common issue?

 

[Carlos840]

Will use this opportunity to share my thoughts / ask opinion.
This zipper fray issue seems to be the most common I've seen in terms of problems/wear that first arises on a worn jacket.
Why don't makers (of jackets, of zippers..) address this?
It's always the same thing - the tape between the male insert part and the leather gets frayed / worn out.
So why not make that part out of metal for example? And rivet it to the leather securely.
Wouldn't this eliminate this extremely common issue?

Some zippers are like that, i don't have pics at hand, but some FW jackets have zippers where the entire male part is metal.
Other makers add a reinforcement, LW for example sews a little strip of fabrick onto the tape at that exact area to strengthen it.
I think it's like everything, more expensive to build and thus not as common as traditional ones.

To answer the OP, I would not worry about that amount of fraying, i have had jackets that looked like that and stayed like that for years. In some cases it won't get worst, in some cases it will go to crap real fast.
Yours looks pretty minimal.
If it was me i would cut of the loos strands and run a lighter (soft flame not torch) on if for a couple seconds to "seal" the strands.
(Test the cut strands first to see if plastic or cotton, don't do lighter trick if cotton.)

Edit: i would also trim the loose threads that are visible in the picture shorter, you don't twant to accidentally pull on them, it could loosen stitches.

 

[Peacoat]

There is extensive discussion about the same problem in this thread. Several years ago I put it in a sticky at the top of the page in Outerwear. (Start Here: Links to Important Threads)

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...e-thread-behind-the-male-insertion-pin.86432/

 

[Davidchee5]

There is extensive discussion about the same problem in this thread. Several years ago I put it in a sticky at the top of the page in Outerwear. (Start Here: Links to Important Threads)

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...e-thread-behind-the-male-insertion-pin.86432/

thank you much!

 

[Batoidea]

Some zippers are like that, i don't have pics at hand, but some FW jackets have zippers where the entire male part is metal.
Other makers add a reinforcement, LW for example sews a little strip of fabrick onto the tape at that exact area to strengthen it.
I think it's like everything, more expensive to build and thus not as common as traditional ones.

To answer the OP, I would not worry about that amount of fraying, i have had jackets that looked like that and stayed like that for years. In some cases it won't get worst, in some cases it will go to crap real fast.
Yours looks pretty minimal.
If it was me i would cut of the loos strands and run a lighter (soft flame not torch) on if for a couple seconds to "seal" the strands.
(Test the cut strands first to see if plastic or cotton, don't do lighter trick if cotton.)

Edit: i would also trim the loose threads that are visible in the picture shorter, you don't twant to accidentally pull on them, it could loosen stitches.

Will use this opportunity to share my thoughts / ask opinion.
This zipper fray issue seems to be the most common I've seen in terms of problems/wear that first arises on a worn jacket.
Why don't makers (of jackets, of zippers..) address this?
It's always the same thing - the tape between the male insert part and the leather gets frayed / worn out.
So why not make that part out of metal for example? And rivet it to the leather securely.
Wouldn't this eliminate this extremely common issue?

My Flat Head leather jacket that has an all-metal male part of the zipper. It's a nice feature (though the zip itself drives me up the wall for other reasons).

 

[zebedee]

Easy fix is to use a small bit of sail tape. It has an adhesive side and is thin enough not to interrupt the zip's functioning. That amount of fraying probably isn't a worry, though.

J.

 

[Leather Walker]

@Davidchee5 Sharing here my own comment from this thread where I show the steps to fix that issue: https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...ind-the-male-insertion-pin.86432/post-2864786
Here I show how I fixed a Serval zip using the same method: https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...eather-jacket-repair-tips.104840/post-3039407
And here, I repaired a Talon zipper from a Cal-Leather: https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...eather-jacket-repair-tips.104840/post-2940560

I do know there are another ways to fix this problem, including sewing itself the own part of the tape, but lately I'm opting to repair this by gluing on a small piece of fabric, just like some vtg zippers came from stock. I haven't dared to glue plastic to the zipper fabric because 1) I don't know what plastic to use and 2) ignoring what glue is appropriate.

I have considered the option of sail tape, but since that part has to be ironed, I don't know how I could do it in such a small area.