Sweaters usually have two zippers. And what, one may ask, is its purpose? 2-way zippers are actually designed so they can open from the bottom as well as the top. As such, one would have a couple of options. Aside from that, the wearers get more room at the hem of the coat. This way, the wearer gets to be more comfortable, especially when sitting down.
2-way zippers in sweaters are popular features in many brands. Most of the time, buyers get to ask questions about why sweaters have such a design. Buyers, before the purchase, would always clarify the purpose of 2-way zippers.
Here are a few facts that answer these clarifications. These would be able to provide you with hints and tips on how to use the 2-way zippers.
We also give you an idea of how to fix them. Plus, we discuss more on why 2-way zippers are such great features.
The Purpose
2-way zippers are actually designed, so it opens from both ways. It can open from the top. At the same time, it can also open from the bottom.
Having a 2-way zipper on one’s sweater also has another advantage. This provides for more room at the hem. When there is more room at the hem of the coat, this adds more comfort to the wearer. This is especially true when sitting down.
Another advantage of this is that it lets in some air. Plus, when the wearer has to get something from a pocket underneath, there is no need to undo the whole zipper.
How to Use It
The first thing one has to ensure is that both parts of the zipper are firmly seated. This should be before one inserts the free zip edge into both.
From there, slowly pull the top slider upwards. One must do this while holding the bottom slider firmly. Make sure that the bottom sits firmly in place.
Zip up the coat.
From there, one can pull the bottom slider up. This should now open the coat from the bottom all the way up.
More Benefits
Having a two-way zipper may sound confusing. It may sound daunting, even. But it has major advantages. One is that it lets the wearer unzip from top to bottom of the garment. This is while leaving the other side closed.
And most important of all, it pays homage to the rule of elegance. This is the rule that states that one should never find a jacket closed all the way to the bottom.
We know of elegant men refusing to button the bottom button of suit jackets. This is the same.
Elegant men would never zip outerwear jackets all the way until the bottom.
This two-way zipper helps men do that. It is practical and convenient.
Plus, it helps remind men how to be elegant.
List of Contents
How do you get a double zipper unstuck?
Once in a while, we get two ends of the zipper stuck. To unstuck them would be a pure challenge in itself. But there are ways. To unstuck, wiggle the fabric back and forth. Do this gently. Sometimes, this step alone is enough to unstick the zipper. If this does not work, one can firmly hold the zipper. Pull it down in a straight motion. Most of the time, this works.
When a zipper on a sweater gets stuck, this is no fun.
Most of the time, to have them unstuck is a tedious process. Once in a while, we may even go to the point of replacing zippers.
And this is no fun, especially if the zipper gets stuck while one is wearing it. The wearer is actually forced to the awkward position of pulling the jacket over the head.
Lucky you, there are ways. Just because a zipper gets stuck does not mean you get to ruin it. Because a zipper is stuck does not mean one has to always take it off over the head.
A few common tools in the household can help. Pliers are one of them. Then, some wax. These two are pretty basic and would ensure the stuck get unstuck.
How to Fix a Stuck Zipper
Right before one does anything, there is one important factor to check. See the back of the zipper. Is there a loose thread? Or is there a bunched fabric that is causing the zipper to stick?
Should this be the case, one only needs to move the zipper tab up and down. This would dislodge the fabric or the thread. Once dislodged, the zipper is unstuck.
Problem solved.
When the zipper is finally cleared of the fabric, unzip the jacket all the way through. Test and see if the fabric gets stuck again. See if it creates a bunch in that specific area.
Sometimes, it does. And if it does, the way to resolve this is to use a hot iron. Press the fabric away from the zipper. This should solve the problem.
There are also times when the zipper is so sticky. It seems not to want to move that well.
When this happens, use a bit of paraffin. Apply it to the teeth above the slider. What one can do is pull the tab up and down. This should result in the zipper gliding with less effort.
Now, there comes a time when paraffin is not available. One can always make use of an unscented, white taper candle. This should be a good substitute.
Other Ways to Fix a Stuck Zipper
Now, there are times when the zipper is almost at the end of the jacket. Then, it jams. This would be a bit harder to fix. But a pair of pliers would come in handy in these situations.
Here are a few steps one can follow.
First up, one should slide the zipper tab to the bottom of the jacket. Do this gently. Also, try to reach as far as it can go to the bottom.
The second step is to hold the two ends of the zipper firmly. Wiggle it back and forth. At times, doing this can help unstick the zipper. Sometimes, it helps the zipper to continue sliding.
Now, there are times when the zipper won’t slide. Should this happen, pull it down firmly. Most sweaters are actually made to have the zipper breakaway on the right part if you do not know it yet.
If in case the zipper does not budge, wiggle the right side with one hand. The other hand should be tugging on the slider.
If the zipper is already unstuck, use the pliers.
Now, the role of the pliers is to reshape the pin at the bottom of the zipper.
What one can do is rub the pin. The same goes with the teeth above. Rub it with paraffin. Then try to re-zip the jacket.
Tug the pin-up and down about a couple of times. This should be able to lubricate the zipper.
When properly lubricated, the zipper would work smoothly.
What do you use on a zipper that is hard to zip?
We know of graphite that can help zip a zipper that’s hard to tug. But aside from it, soap can also help lubricate and loosen the tension in a zipper’s teeth. This can help get the zipper to move again. Rub the dry bar of soap against the sides of the teeth. This should cover the area that’s hard to move. This should make everything slippery. Then, tug. This should make things smoother.
Zippers are actually pretty basic. We see them all the time. But most times, we tend to ignore them.
But these staples keep everything closed tight. It keeps jeans and jackets closed. Plus, aside from them, duffel bags and lunch boxes also get closed because of zippers.
Zippers may look simple. But even if it’s simple, once it does not work, one can get frustrated.
Most zippers present the possibility of not budging at times. Once in a while, the fabric gets stuck inside it. This is something a little jiggling and wiggling can help you with.
But there are times when the cause of zipper failure is actually a mechanical failure. Other times, it can be an outside culprit. Examples of these can be rust or residue.
Rust and residue may be simple things. But these can leave your zippers in a jam.
Lucky you. The solution is as simple as things you can find at home.
And these are relatively simple quick fixes as well.
Read on to find out what they are.
Pencils
When we talk of pencils, we think of writing. It can also be sketching.
Pencils use graphite. Most times, graphite helps us write and erase our thoughts and imaginations. But it can also be a dry lubricant. And it is a great dry lubricant, too!
So, if you got a zipper stuck, you should only get a pencil. The pencil can aid in a zipper that needs release.
What one should do is put the pencil in the affected area. Rub the pencil over the front and back of the teeth. Do this gently.
Doing this should be able to ease the friction between the metal parts of the zipper. Aside from that, this should also help out in pulling the zipper’s tab. This should help out the tab glide up and down smoothly.
Naturally, there will always be pencil markings after this process.
But fear not. Because this is what erasers are for.
One should only rub the pencil markings with an eraser. This should erase all the markings in a jiffy.
Soap It
Aside from graphite, others can also help out a zipper in need.
When a zipper gets stuck and does not have a pencil handy, try a dry bar of soap.
Soap, like graphite, can also work well as a lubricant. Dry soap can help the zipper loosen up.
When a zipper gets stuck, there is tension between the teeth. A dry bar of soap can help loosen this tension up. Doing so would make the zipper work smoothly again.
Now, how do you do it?
What one can do is rub a dry bar of soap. This should be for both sides of the zipper’s teeth. Doing so would allow the soap to cover the problematic area. This should make everything slippery.
Finally, tug at it. Do this until the affected area becomes loose.
Once done, one can always go back to the part covered with soap. Use a rag or a piece of tissue. These should be able to clean up soap remains.
But if there is one thing one should know, it is this added advantage of soap. Once the soap is actually left behind, this can serve as a protectant. Leaving dry soap behind would prevent the zipper from rusting that easily.
Should dry soap be not available, there are options one can choose from. It can be a bit of lip balm instead of soap.
Or one can also get a hold of petroleum jelly.
Lip balm or petroleum jelly can also work well with a stuck zipper.
Spray it Up
Here’s another option by which one can make zippers work again.
Glass cleaners are also great options in making stuck zippers work again. It so happens that these not only work well with cleaning glass surfaces. These can also help you with zipping it up.
What one can do is spray the pull tab. Also, make sure to spray the surrounding teeth with the glass cleaner. If one is wondering how much spray there should be, one pump is enough.
Once done with that one pump of spray, wait for a few minutes. The liquid spray, by this time, will be able to do its magic. This would help out loosen whatever is causing the zipper to stick.
After about five minutes or so, gently move the zipper. Pull it back and forth along the zipper teeth. Do this slowly at first. This should loosen things up. This should also allow the zipper to free itself from whatever is causing it to stick.
The chemicals in the glass cleaning spray would work together. Pair it with a jiggle and a wiggle, and this would loosen the zipper and make it work again.