How To Fix Broken Zips On A Suitcase

Boken zip pull. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Problems
The Zip pull is broken. In fact two of them have broken. On one, the end of the pull has broken. I have two nasty sharp points digging into my fingers and scratching my skirt.

On the other zip, nothing to pull. The zip is stuck half way around. So on holiday to extract my clothes is a tug of war. Re-packing is a nuisance, takes longer.

Answers
The missing zip pull was replaced by a wire tie. It worked, but hard to grasp and looked untidy. The broken one was in the way.

Ordering Spare Parts Sets
I ordered a zip repair kit on line. It arrived with three pairs of zips in different sizes. One pair was a match.

I left the pack it alongside the suitcase needing repair. At the weekend we got out the repair kit. How would we detach the broken zip pull and attach the new one.

Tools Needed
We needed a pair of pliers.

Pliers and zip pull to repair. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

We looked at the zip. The set of zips had no instructions. But we already knew that when replacing a zip on a garment or pocket you simply take off the end of the zip by slitting the stitches, slide off any broken pull, slide on the new pull, then sew down the zip ends.

That doesn't work on a suitcase because the end of the zip is robustly fixed and hidden under the fabric or seam.

The Parts


At first extracting, the broken bits seemed a challenge. But it came off.

After thought - Old Broken Suitcases For Spares?
Having done that, the family Mr Fix-It said: 'But we have zips on old broken suitcases which we use for storage.'

We have in the past thrown away broken suitcases, ones with faulty wheels, or slits, or just battered and stained. Now we keep them for storage.

If you have an old plastic handbag which has disintegrated or got stained, you might save the whole zip, or just the zip pulls, for immediate use or for stock.

Storing Spares
How will you find them when you need them?

1 Keep them in the front pocket of the broken item with a label attached to the handle.
2 Label a box of 16 screw drawers with the word ZIP PULLS.
3 Keep them in your sewing kit - if you have only one sewing kit.
4 hang them on a key peg or store with your suitcase keys.
5 Send yourself an email headed sip pulls saying where you have stored the zip pulls. Attach a photo of the zip pulls and the drawer or bag or box where they are stored and say in which room.

Job done: Zip repaired. I feel zippy! Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer. Author of How To Get Out Of The Mess You're In.
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