Help with Aero Leather Jacket zippers !!

[navetsea]

Occasionally, the pull-tab or worst case scenario, the entire front of the zipper machine will break off clean, too.

I strongly believe that the main cause for zipper failure on Aero's main line jackets is 'cause they're burying them so deeply. Zipper tape must have some give in order to allow the teeth to align naturally which, held firmly in place by massively stiff, thick leather, becomes nearly impossible. Proof for this is that I don't ever recall reading about the same type of zipper breaking down on any of Aero's A-2 jackets, as they have fully exposed zipper tape.

Totally agree with Monitor, I use #5 ykk all the time on my jacket since at my size 36 anything bigger looks out of scale, the local jacket maker I go to, which would grant whatever whimsical ideas I throw at them, only ever refuse to do one thing. burying the zipper tape like aero does. its like stepping on brake pedal while giving gas every time you operate the zipper.

 

[photo2u]

@photo2u , do you know from what decade is this zipper from your picture (I cropped out the rest).

View attachment 410474

That is the famous design zipper used in the durable jacket from the wild one movie. I believe it was designed in the early 40s and put in production in the mid 40s. It was a military application zipper used in airplane windows and other military applications. This one came from a high altitude military garment from the 50s. As you can see from the original picture, the #10 crown in comparison to the big talon looks like a 4 cylinder Japanese truck in comparison to a 3/4 ton V8 GMC truck. Lastly, the box used for this zipper, was also used by the 10 talon, which is also very strong. Similar to the American made #10 YKK. In the 80s YKK made a killer nickel zipper that is a beast. Love that zipper and were often used in the Korean made HD jackets.

 

[Doctor Death]

Interesting that Aero uses #5 zips. Same as on most jeans, right? That's way too small for a leather jacket IMO.

So do all Schott Perfectos use #10 zips? I don't see any info about the zippers on the Schott site. On a heavy leather jacket, it's got to have a zipper like the Perfecto.

I've never had a broken zipper on any of my leather jackets (Schott, Fox Creek, Hillside, San Diego, Legendary). None of them have a small main zipper. Maybe the pockets have a #4 or #5 zip, but I don't use the outside pockets much.

 

[Aloysius]

Interesting that Aero uses #5 zips. Same as on most jeans, right? That's way too small for a leather jacket IMO.

Jeans use a #3.

And it really isn't. It's too small for Chromexcel maybe (even then, the YKK ones work fine) but vintage leather jackets used #5 zippers without issue, because they're basically all made of midweight hides. Cal-Leathers used heavier zippers because they (unusually) used heavy hides but they were the exception.

So do all Schott Perfectos use #10 zips? I don't see any info about the zippers on the Schott site. On a heavy leather jacket, it's got to have a zipper like the Perfecto.

Perfectos use an 8 or 10.

 

[Tom71]

Jeans use a #3.

And it really isn't. It's too small for Chromexcel maybe (even then, the YKK ones work fine) but vintage leather jackets used #5 zippers without issue, because they're basically all made of midweight hides. Cal-Leathers used heavier zippers because they (unusually) used heavy hides but they were the exception.



Perfectos use an 8 or 10.

This!

Aero refuse to size-up because they group their jackets in "generations" (1920-30; 1950; 1960+), and most historical jackets did use smaller zippers.

As a consumer who buys a "heirloom-piece" and just refuses to live with a zipper that is bound to fail on a heavy hide eventually, my answer is always to then at least get a sturdy repro. not ones that are KNOWN to fail.
As @Aloysius said, YKK makes very good ones, and after years of stubbornness, Aero now offer them as an optional choice.

Given the coice, I always opt for sturdyness over accuracy. FieldLeathers gave the option to size up to a no. 8 "paperclip" zipper over their standard no. 5´s. I have found that to be a well-working solution without throwing the optics off too much.

Schott, LewisLeather, Langlitz, Vanson, Y2 - long list of makers who offer larger sized zippers. On the flipside, Aero, Eastman and RMC are totally adamant on sticking to historical accuracies. And I have had multiple failures on Aero jackets (heavy, thick hides) and one on an Eastman.

 

[Doctor Death]

Yeah, historical accuracy, bah humbug! Failure is not an option for motorcycle jackets. I'd always go for the big zipper.

 

[MrProper]

YKK makes very good ones, and after years of stubbornness, Aero now offer them as an optional choice.

I have the “Universal” in all Aeros, including CXL, and can't complain in the slightest. I also don't have the impression that the #5 Universal is overloaded with the jackets. Only the Vicenza leather jacket does not have a universal and it is very awkward to close. I'm afraid that it will break sooner or later.

 

[Tom71]

I have the “Universal” in all Aeros, including CXL, and can't complain in the slightest. I also don't have the impression that the #5 Universal is overloaded with the jackets. Only the Vicenza leather jacket does not have a universal and it is very awkward to close. I'm afraid that it will break sooner or later.

Agreed. Just to be clear: "Universal" is a YKK product. I was referring to them, as I dont believe, Aero stocks any other YKK zippers.