Zip it

frussell · Jan 13, 2015

I had a steer sold as horse Long Half Belt that came with some pretty visible scratches on the sides of the zipper area, on the front panels. Looked like someone was dragging their fingernails on the leather while trying to get the dinky zipper to pull up. I didn't really mind, as I intended to beat hell out of it, but I never did get to like that zipper much. Thankfully, it rarely gets cold enough here for me to wear gloves, or I'd have had trouble getting that zipper done up. I also had to visually look every time I seated the bottom to pull it up. I prefer the buttons on my Teamster. Plus, since it was a longer jacket, there was no sitting down with it zipped up, unless I wanted to look like a turtle with my head halfway in the shell. Frank.

ProteinNerd · Jan 13, 2015

Sloan1874 said:
Historically, those zips didn't appear til the late 60s

So the double ended zipper on the cafe racer (based on a 60's style) should be considered historically accurate then?

Sloan1874 · Jan 13, 2015

If I remember correctly, this was on an old Lounge thread, the two-way zipper became popular in the late 60s. The Cafe Racer's a late-50s, early-60s creation, no? But I suppose they've never really gone out of fashion pr production, though, so having one fitted wouldn't be heresy, design-wise.[huh] I personally prefer the smaller, minimal look; I don't even have a leather puller for the Hookless on my DB.

zebedee · Jan 15, 2015

The nickel zipper on my LHB actually cuts into the leather (or seems to have done- maybe it won't do any more damage) and is sharp to the touch.

lp01 · Jan 17, 2015

Worf said:
Sheesh how hard is it to offer us an option? I'd pay an extra bob or two to get a larger zipper! Hell fire man when you're paying over a grand for a bespoke leather jacket chintzing on the size of zips doesn't make any sense!

Worf

+1
Not to have an option should be no option!

Plumbline · Jan 19, 2015

The older Aero "Big A" Aero zippers ( from the famed knitting needle manufacturers) was a GREAT M/C zipper and must have been at least a No. 10 equiv..... indeed I'd be so bold as to suggest that anything less than a No. 8 zipper is useless when using gloves for MC applications.

Hookless zippers ... only had 2 jackets with them and got shot fairly quickly ... look cool but a royal PITA to use.

The No5 and No 6 Talons are really fiddly ( especially on a heavyweight leather jacket and with the tiny bottom pin ) .... the No. 6 is managable but the No. 5 is a bit of a struggle TBH.

It would be a great option to have ... Vanson and the like will give much more flexibillity on zipper choice on their custom builds ..... I'd quite happily pay extra for a No. 8 Talon on Aero jackets.

Never had an issue with flaking plating, have had some marks on leather from teeth of zippers but nothing overly significant and my shearlings and a couple of vintage highwayman jackets had to have the zipper replaced due to the cloth tearing at the male part of the zipper bottom tearing.

By and large I'm happy with the metal zippers used rather than plastic ... but the No. 8 is my favoured size ... must be old age

gtdean48 · Jan 19, 2015

I like the size of the zipper on my Vanson Enfield. The zippers on my Aero & AL are serviceable but could be larger IMHO.

Peacoat · Jan 19, 2015

gtdean48 said:
I like the size of the zipper on my Vanson Enfield. The zippers on my Aero & AL are serviceable but could be larger IMHO.

Yes, Vanson uses a nice size zipper as does Johnson Leathers. Aero's zipper needs to be at least twice as large.

Edward · Jan 19, 2015

Sloan1874 said:
I don't even have a leather puller for the Hookless on my DB.

I've always habitually removed those as well. I tend to like a smallish zip myself, asthetically speaking, though I habitually stick the gloves on last, so I'm not generally trying to fiddle with them gloved. The Hookless on my Dustbowl is a little bit on the fiddly front, but I like the aesthetic. Just a matter of getting used to it. noneo fm y zips have ever failed. I did have a problem once with a repro Talon on an MC jacket that wa just too tight for me in the waist, but I suspect it would have been fine had it not been too snug. I suppose it all depends what you're after, really. I remember the LE run of jackets Aero did with Iron Heart a few years ago; those all had chunky, seventies-style bike jacket zips on them. Probably operated easily, but they looked really ugly to me and killed the period feel of the jackets. Put me in mind a bit of the little flying jackets you used to see sold for Action Man (GI Joe in the US?). Nie little mini-Irvins and such in many respects, but these comically over-sized zips. I'm sure they worked well enough, butI can see why any company wanting to sell their brand off the back of being historically correct period style jackets would shun them. [huh]

Stand By · Jan 22, 2015

I've been away on "staycation" for the last two weeks and haven't looked in on the FL and am catching up here on what's been discussed while I've been away …
And I must say, I'm surprised at the lack of love for the Aero zippers! I opted for one on my ANJ-3 and it worked like a charm every time and ran as smooth a butter. It never felt small to me and I thought it looked the part in its antiqued brass finish too … I later replaced it with a NOS Talon purely because I wanted my jacket to be as authentic to an original as possible for its year (1943) - but I had NO issues with it whatsoever.

morrison2951 · Jan 22, 2015

gtdean48 said:
I like the size of the zipper on my Vanson Enfield. The zippers on my Aero & AL are serviceable but could be larger IMHO.

Yep- the Vanson Enfield zipper is awesome!

Size matters! Ha ha ha

Worf · Jan 22, 2015

Just got my hands on a Lost Worlds with a zipper... Oh my word!!!! The things the King Kong of Zippers! It is... dare I say it... almost too large? (ducks head from multiple thrown objects)

Worf

Sloan1874 · Jan 22, 2015

There's no more manly a zipper in the jacket world, and Lost Worlds will wrestle anyone who says differently - naked and oiled if necessary...

zebedee · Jan 23, 2015

:eeek:

2wheelgrplr · Jan 24, 2015

Thought I was the only one not too happy with my Aero zippers! Have to fiddle around a bit with them, get them aligned properly, before I can pull them up. Very difficult with moto gloves on. Like others, I find myself wishing they were a size or two bigger. Whole another world with the zippers on my Vanson and Lost Worlds - those I like for motorcycle jacket purposes - big, beefy & bombproof!

Another not-so-happy issue are the diamond-shaped pulls I specified on the chest pockets of my Aero Fontana Cafe Racer. Like the main/chest zip, these look great and period-correct, but man, they're delicate! The pull chain on one of the chest pockets broke apart the very first time I tried pulling it - one of the links just broke off. Now I have to push the slider with a finger to open/close that pocket, not very happy. Have to contact Carrie about any chance for a replacement, keep forgetting to send that email.

Carrie did tell me these were the least-sturdy of the three designs offered by Aero, but I wanted the whole period look, so opted for them. Not again. if I order Aero again, next time I'll be opting for their sturdiest option, the one with the bigger zipper & leather pull tabs, same as the main/chest zip.

nick123 · Jan 24, 2015

That's about the only room for improvement I've noticed in Aero jackets, minor as it is. When you look at the pictures, you envision the puller to be this sturdy, cool to the touch piece of metal. Rather, the ball and chain pullers are these two halves of thin metal or plastic spheres fused together. If they could source solid metal pullers, I feel it would improve the jackets greatly. Not sure whether or not the diamond pull is made from the same stuff as the ball and chain.
One idea is to just use a generic leather pull in lieu of the metallic one. It actually looks very nice.

FarWalker · Jan 24, 2015

I have to say, I don't get all the fuss. I have a brass hookless and it works fine once the leather around it breaks and you get used it. It is certainly much more serviceable than the side straps, which don't say in place so appear to be mostly for aesthetic purposes.

AdeeC · Jan 24, 2015

The zips on my Aero A2 and Grizzly are identical replica Talon zips. Almost the same as the original Talon zip on my WWII Dubow A2 and only the most pedantic will tell the difference.

Peacoat · Jan 24, 2015

FarWalker said:
I have to say, I don't get all the fuss. I have a brass hookless and it works fine once the leather around it breaks and you get used it. It is certainly much more serviceable than the side straps, which don't say in place so appear to be mostly for aesthetic purposes.

If the "side straps" don't stay in place for you, then they have been installed backwards or you aren't fastening them properly. The roller part of the buckle should be installed toward the rear of the jacket.

There was a thread on this about 5 or 6 years ago with pictures showing how to properly fasten the buckles. As it turned out, at least one poster (may have been the OP) had his buckles installed backwards.

Peacoat · Jan 24, 2015

Below is one link I found on buckles from two years ago. There is another one about 4 or 5 years before that.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...ting-strap-on-my-Highwayman-keep-coming-loose

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