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Cal Leather & Serval zip. Is it ok?

Albe64

One of the Regulars
Messages
258
I have a Cal Leather with a Serval central cross zip and talon zips on the sleeves (chain zips on the pockets)...May I assume that thery are all original? Why did Cal use different zip's brands in the same jacket? Thank you for your help!
20230523_213231.jpg
 
Messages
18,010
I have a Cal Leather with a Serval central cross zip and talon zips on the sleeves (chain zips on the pockets)...May I assume that thery are all original? Why did Cal use different zip's brands in the same jacket? Thank you for your help!
View attachment 519683
I've had Cal's with Serval, unbranded paperclip and Talon. I suspect they just went with what was available for a batch production.
 

Albe64

One of the Regulars
Messages
258
Thank you. Frankly I was hoping in an answer like this....Happy to know that my Cal could be all original
 

Leather Walker

Practically Family
Messages
680
Location
Barcelona
I have a Cal Leather with a Serval central cross zip and talon zips on the sleeves (chain zips on the pockets)...May I assume that thery are all original? Why did Cal use different zip's brands in the same jacket? Thank you for your help!
View attachment 519683
I have a Cal with #10 Talon zipper and Serval on the cuffs, another with Serval as main zip and Talon of cuffs, and other with all Talon (cuffs and pockets) but the big one was replaced by YKK :')
So, yes, yours is original. You can determine the period of making by the hardware, so I guess this Cal was made in the early 70s.
Show that jacket! Looks like fantastic.
 

Albe64

One of the Regulars
Messages
258
I have a Cal with #10 Talon zipper and Serval on the cuffs, another with Serval as main zip and Talon of cuffs, and other with all Talon (cuffs and pockets) but the big one was replaced by YKK :')
So, yes, yours is original. You can determine the period of making by the hardware, so I guess this Cal was made in the early 70s.
Show that jacket! Looks like fantastic.
Thank you! I will show some pics in short time!
 

Iacovos

New in Town
Messages
28
I have a Cal Leather with a Serval central cross zip and talon zips on the sleeves (chain zips on the pockets)...May I assume that thery are all original? Why did Cal use different zip's brands in the same jacket? Thank you for your help!
View attachment 519683
Greetings everyone.
Have all Serval Zippers had the name printed on the puller and on the puller's attachment (base)? Just like the picture here?
I saw with the name printed on puller but not on the base
In the quest to replace a main zipper are there any replacement zips that work with these Serval pullers?
Thanks a lot
 

photo2u

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,864
Location
claremont california
Greetings everyone.
Have all Serval Zippers had the name printed on the puller and on the puller's attachment (base)? Just like the picture here?
I saw with the name printed on puller but not on the base
In the quest to replace a main zipper are there any replacement zips that work with these Serval pullers?
Thanks a lot
To answer your question, Ideal zippers as well as some talons do work with serval zippers. However, finding #10 serval zippers is not as hard as finding talons.

Serval is a good company with very good products. The logos on the zipper boxes are just details that companies like Crown and Talon include in their products. The extra steps required to stamp/cast logos into their products are an additional production cost. However, what it reflects to me is attention to quality and pride of craftsmanship.

Serval zippers have been making zippers since 1937. However, the big contracts during World War II and Korea mainly went to Crown, Talon, and then to Conmar. During this period, Star glove-Cal Leathers used Crown, Talon, and Conmar zippers. In the late 50s, Serval started to show up in Cal with their jackets.

Using different brands of zippers was a practice used by Cal, along with other big companies such as Buco and Schott. Furthermore, I often see the conmars being used in the pockets and sleeves principally.

I have several 50s Cals with the big box #10Talon and bar pull conmar sleeve zippers. My Buco has a main #5 Talon with Conmar Bell shape sleeve pulls.
 

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