stuck zip on board bag
Ok, n00b question of the week; I went to open my board bag after about 9 months of non-use and found the zip was stuck. I think it may have corroded slightly. I put some CRC on it and let it soak overnight but I still can’t budge it. Any ideas? I’m a bit disappointed this has happened since I thoroughly washed the board and rinsed out the bag before putting it away for the winter.
Metal Zip?????
You’ll just have to persist with the CRC unfortunately!!!!!
Once ya get it movin, rub Surf Wax onto the teeth and work it in by zippin/unzippin!!!!!
You can try heatin up the Zipper Mechanism, but you’re most likely to stuff it completely if it goes wrong!!!!!
the little moving bit is metal but the teeth are plastic I think. Will keep going with the CRC.
is CRC the same as WD-40? Cos that is what I use.
Yep!!!!!
Board bags are notorious for doing that, thankfully my newest two boardbags cost $90 for my double and $100ish for my triple, they are awesome quality with all plastic zips so hopefully won’t have the same issues with zip dramas. I’m just bummed they don’t make snowboard bags!
Well I got it eventually. 3 sessions with the CRC, then a bit of gentle work with the pliers and both sliders came free. The label inside the bag (Balin) has a big reminder to always wash and lubricate the zips before long storage.
Use Surf Wax to lube it too mate!!!!!
Oils and Surfing don’t really mix!!!!!
Oils and Surfing don’t really mix!!!!!
I was thinking of maybe using some silicone spray, but I guess that falls into the same category as oils.
Yeah, silicone spray can be pretty slippery!!!!!
Somethin that won’t go well if it residue gets on ya hands/board!!!!!
I was thinking of maybe using some silicone spray, but I guess that falls into the same category as oils.
You should use silicon spray, WD-40 etc etc will bugger the chain part of your zip as well as play havoc with the shit thread they use in those bags.
At a guess its a #10 spiral zip. if you measure across the width of the closed zip and take a pic for me I can send you a new plastic version with instructions on how to fit.
For future reference, silicon spray the crap out of it, trying to blow away loose corrosion, use a needle to loosen more of it. If you have compressed air, use that too. If you keep at it, you should get it working again 
If its really shit itself, stick it in the post to me, I’ll sew a new one in for you
and don’t use wax to lube it either!! Anything petroleum based or waxy will let sand, dirt, grit etc stick to it and prematurely wear the zip & slide. Silicon spray is the go.
If you get it on your board, a quick wipe over with a rag splashed with shellite will clean it off and the shellite drys quickly.
Thanks, Azz, you’re a legend.
I was having a quick read on the Balin web site and it has this to say about covers:
Zip Slides are prone to corrosion. We tried Plastic but they wear and don’t last. YOU MUST LUBE AND WASH BEFORE STORAGE. We use a Spiral Style rather than Chunky teeth, they handle Sand better. Stating the obvious - Don’t Drag your covers along the ground. It will wreck your Zips.
So am I better off with plastic or metal sliders?
and don’t use wax to lube it either!! Anything petroleum based or waxy will let sand, dirt, grit etc stick to it and prematurely wear the zip & slide. Silicon spray is the go.
If you get it on your board, a quick wipe over with a rag splashed with shellite will clean it off and the shellite drys quickly.
Surf waxes have little or no petroleum base stuff in them these days!!!!! If you smear a minimal amount onto the zipper teeth, work it up and down, it will work a treat!!!!!
Your board bag should never go down to the sand anyways!!!!! Leave the sucker in the car where it belongs!!!!!
Miz ~ The wax will let stuff stick to it. DON’T DO IT!!!
I have repaired my fair share of board bags over the last 25 years. First thing I do is give them a blast with the heat gun to get the wax off and a wipe down with Wax & grease remover. I don’t want that crap coming off in my sewing machine, no faster way to kill a machine, fine particulates grinding a way at things spinning at high speed.
Muddy ~ I use #10 moulded (chunky) in all our boat covers with plastic slides. They are stronger than the coil slides.
Zippers 101
Zips are measured in millimetres across the width of the closed zip, not inc tape on either side. Popular sizes are
#5 ~ light applications
#10 ~ Most heavy applications, boat covers, wet suits, bags,
#15 ~ Very heavy applications i.e Sail covers, large boat enclosure panels subject to high pressures.
#20 ~ Off its guts strong!!!!! Moulded only
#10 is pretty much the industry standard and offers the biggest range of colours, sizes and quality.
You can get either moulded or spiral zips.
Moulded is far stronger and will still operate with a few teeth missing. #20 you can purchase replacement teeth.
Spiral is great for zips that need to be curved, tent doors, openings in clear enclosures on boats etc. The down fall of spiral is that if the teeth of the zip bugger up, you need to replace the zip. Spiral is also cheaper to buy, so that is why you see it in bags and other consumer products more often than not.
Zips come in continuos and open end. Continuos is as it says, coming on large rolls or spools. Continuos can only be used for point A to B zips, like an opening in a bag or wetsuit.
If you wish to join to items together, like a jacket you need an open zip. These zips are purchased in various lengths to suit application and are more expensive than continuos.
An open end zip has a pin (male 
) and a box (female hee hee hee) parts, the pin sliding into the box to create a point for the zip to join and start.
Funny thing with the pin & box, I have seen so many blokes get so frustrated over this simple operation. I wonder if getting an open end zip started is a metaphor for their love life, or lack there of. Mind you once they get it in and started, they have no problems pulling it…... 
#20 is large enough for you to create your own open end zips as the pieces are bolted on with tiny bolts.
Black zip is the best for UV stabilisation, if you are buying white zips, look at the teeth, they should be off white in colour, if they are bright white like the tape on the sides, it has no or poor UV stabilisation and will fail if used in the direct sunlight for extended periods.
If you look at the slides for the two types of zip, you will see the spiral has a smaller amount of material on the bottom of the slide, where the moulded has an even slide, same amount of material top and bottom. I find the lesser amount of material on the bottom of spiral slide is the weak point, where it joins to the top at the pin in the front of the slide. A spiral zip with spread towards the back easier than a moulded. You know when you do a zip up and the slide moves along, but the zip remains open? This happens on spiral more often. To fix, get the slide back to the fully open position, then with players or such, lightly squeeze he back section of the slide together, do both sides and test. Don’t put too much pressure, you will jam the zip.
You can get stainless steel slides.
Make sense?
Its simply really;
Silicon spray for lube YES
Petroleum based products NO
Clean after use YES
Wax NO
I gave up on board bags when I lived at the beach.
Never gone back to owning a board bag after mine seized up and then the inside started disintegrating.
Built a board rack to store your boards, in the car use towels or blankets for protection. I won’t carry my board on the roof - had too many stone chips and it only takes seeing your loved one become airborne at 100km once in the rearview mirror to never want to see it again. Boardbags won’t save your board from road damage or occy straps.
Boardbags are only for travelling on plans - but don’t fill them with marijuana when travelling to indo - only boards!