Free Corroded Zipper

[Double-Wide]

Can anyone give me an idea of how to free up a corroded zipper? I have an AC backpack from the Valencia event that I am trying to save. I have used BP Blaster and even that has not helped.

Also, any ideas on how to prevent zippers come suffering salt water corrosion?

Cam

[Vasco]

grease them with zipper grease which, to me, looks like just some sort of silicone grease.

[Microship]

Vinegar can help if it's not a solid block, but once the cast cars are heavily corroded, it's usually too late. They are rather precise devices, and are fiendishly good at retaining saltwater. I've been migrating from metal to plastic zips whenever possible.

[donradcliffe]

While the boat canvas has all plastic zippers, the backpacks suffer from spray in the dinghy rides. My usual solution is repeated applications of hot water from the tea kettle, combined with working the point of a knife on all sides. Be gentle with the knifeblade, but if the zipper head is so corroded it breaks, you are SOL.

[Double-Wide]

I tried the boiling water trick and it worked perfectly. This was after trying several anti corrosion products including PB Blaster.

Cam

[Kamaloha]

The vinegar trick works nicely, but it leaves the item smelling like pickles. Figuring it was just a mild acid I next tried lemon juice. That seems to work pretty well too and I like the smell better. Once all the goo has been dissolved, spray with Sailkote periodically to keep it from happening again - it will corrode MUCH faster the second (and third and fourth) times.

[cookiehh]

Good advice re the lemon juice. But found I also needed persitence, gentle tapping on the body of the zipper, and a penknife blade to remove built-corrosion deposits in the side groove between the zipper body and the zip.