#5 Metal Luggage Style Zippers Source

[georgeandgracie]

My customer wants some bags with brass luggage-style zippers, the kind with two sliders that meet in the middle of the zipper when closed. I thought I could make these myself with parts but sadly, that appears to be possible only with plastic-tooth zippers.

I don't need custom sizes; I can tweak the bag dimension to fit standard lengths such as 30", 36", and so on. If necessary, I would be happy to order 10 at a time or some such quantity, but certainly not a thousand zippers.

Where on earth can I find these? Google is not helping locate a source.

[Troy Burch]

I bought some brass toothed zippers and stops from Tandy a few years back, I guess they still have them. You can buy the zipper by the foot and the stops seperate.

[MonicaJacobson]

Pacific Trimming has....er... expensive Riri ones.. don't know how much help that is. And they only seem to have m4 or m6..

[DavidL]

O type zippers are the ones you are looking for. I think anyone that sells YKK zippers has them. A heads up, theres another zipper that has two sliders in one zipper but both run the same way, which wont work for your situation.

This is just guess work (I've always used pre fabricated zips)it might be worth buying a regular zipper, buy an extra slider and install it on the other end. Im not sure if O type zippers use different teeth or if you can install a slider the other way.. I do have some backpacks that use O type zippers, it seems like its just a matter of adding another slider.

Al stohlmans book has instructions on how to remove zipper teeth and add zipper stops to create a zipper with a stop to prevent the slider from going past center all while in one continuos tape.

[Troy Burch]

You can also go to a taylor shop or a place that does alterations and they will sell or order what you need. I like to use the metal zippers that are used in levi jeans. Theres a dress shop down the road from me that makes wedding and prom dresses and does alterations that orders what I need in any length, I'm sure they can order any kind of zipper made.

Edited April 6, 2015 by Troy Burch

[georgeandgracie]

What I have learned is that this type of zipper is weird, odd, obscure, and will drive you to desperation if you want them. You cannot just make them the way you can with other types of metal zippers. With plastic teeth, yes you can, but not with metal. And no, not every zipper place has them. Also, some online zipper suppliers are abrupt and unhelpful when you email to ask.

Riri zippers are twenty dollars apiece!! How does the Riri sizing system work? I understand YKK sizing: the number matches the mm width of the closed teeth.

DavidL, thank you for the information that these are called O type zippers.

[georgeandgracie]

Here is the best response I've gotten yet from a zipper company, Supreme Zipper:

"You are in need of a very particular type of metal zipper that would allow for double slider application (head to head). We carry #5 brass & nickel Excella (two-way) zipper chains that is made specifically for this purpose but have a very limited selection of tape color options. I must also let you know that this is very costly. If you provide me with more details such as length/yardage I can get you pricing."

[blue duck]

You might try wawak.com and or the buckleguy.com

I got some of those from one or maybe both of them.

[SantaFeMarie]

Ohio Travel Bag has these, possibly others as well - I didn't do an exhaustive search.

[gzvunm]

whether this kind of metal zipper you are talking about?

https://docs.google.com/a/kingcamry.com/file/d/0B_9oHAG6U8szUkNNNnlpZThZRUk/edit

[georgeandgracie]

SantaFeMarie: thank you so much, but that is the opposite of what I need. What you show has the zipper sliders at the ends of the zipper when the zipper is closed. I need them to meet in the middle of the zipper when closed. I've emailed to Ohio Travel Bag to inquire.

I have had some limited success trying to make these odd zippers using two existing one-pull, one-closed-end zippers. I take the open-end stops off one zipper and open it up to a Y. Then I take the slider off the other zipper and winkle its wide end openings onto the raw ends of the Y. The result is the right configuration, lacking only another closed-end stop. But the added slider doesn't slide very well - it feels like it's going against the grain of the teeth.

[blue duck]

http://www.buckleguy.com/metal-6-riri-zipper-closed-end-brass-teeth-go-red-rust-tape-kta-pulls-16cm-6-3-in/

I know this isn't the color you probably want but pretty sure it is the zipper. Have a look, lots of colors and sizes both finished and not.

I would post the picture, but that would require a few more computer smarts.

Edited April 9, 2015 by blue duck

[coreysyms]

http://www.zipperstop.com has brass YKK, best quality zipper you can buy, do not buy any other zipper than YKK, it will ruin all your hard work. lol.

zipper stop has all different colored bands, different metals, and different pulls. I usually buy from zipperstop on amazon because I have a free shipping prime account. just search their store for what you want. Oh, they will also custom size your zipper for $1.

Corey