How to insert a dog in a zipper on a jacket?

Evaporation and replacement of a zipper is a laborious process that requires time and the use of a sewing machine. However, there is no guarantee that in the end the thing will look as aesthetically pleasing as before the start of work. That is why girls try to avoid the procedure in every way possible. And they do it. At least in cases where a slider malfunction pushes active manipulation of the clasp . How to fix it if it breaks down?

Why change the zip lock in a jacket?

Quite often, such a decision comes when the dog breaks down or falls out. However, the situation with a worn-out slider can be solved in a less dramatic way. You just need to purchase another slider in the sewing store, but not the first one that is caught, but completely identical to the previous one . In order not to make a mistake with the choice, find out the type of dog used in the jacket.

Types of runners on the jacket and their marking

To buy the right dog, look at the back of the old one. A number and a letter are engraved there. Useful notes regarding the number:

  • the numerical indicator of standard sliders varies from 3 to 10;
  • steel lightning can be outside the specified range, exceed it or vice versa;
  • a digit is not just a number, it is the width of the slider in millimeters (you can’t see the engraving, measure the width of the slider).

The letter component of the marking is also indicative. Its values ​​are:

  • X - lightning cast and one-piece, number of locks: 2;
  • L - the fastener does not open, the number of locks: 1;
  • N - one-piece type lightning, number of locks: 2;
  • D - the lightning completely opens, there are 2 locks with 2 connectors;
  • A - no lock is provided for in the design of the lock;
  • In - there is a connector, the number of locks: 2;
  • C - there is a connector, the number of locks: 1.

The dog itself, or rather, its shape, serves as a specific reference . On it you can find out the type of castle. In a twisted lightning, the traditional slider has an oval shape, in an iron - a triangle, in a tractor - an oval or trefoil. There are products of other forms, but they are less common on the market than the classic versions.

Important! If the old dog is not preserved, then just take the jacket with you to the store. An experienced seller will be able to "by eye" choose the right kind of slider. In an extreme case, he will do it empirically.

What is needed to replace a dog?

In the course of the work, the following items and tools will be needed:

  • needle;
  • threads
  • new slider;
  • screwdriver;
  • pliers or pliers;
  • nail scissors.

In some cases, the list is replenished with new limiters (metal staples are better) and glue (universal, colorless, strong, without acetone and additives based on vinegar). In other situations, it is possible to cope with the task without scissors, a screwdriver and thread with a needle, only with the help of a dog, pliers and a clamp.

DIY step-by-step replacement process

Method One:

  1. take the pliers and bite or remove the upper latch of the runner (the limiter, which prevents the dog from falling out of the lightning arbitrarily; the plastic bites off, and the metal unbends and removes);
  2. we put the slider on the zipper (it can go tight, there is no need to hurry and pull, you need to move carefully, slightly swaying the dog from side to side and top to bottom);
  3. putting on a slider, lower it down;
  4. we take a new metal bracket-limiter and install in place of the previous retainer;
  5. so that the bracket sits well, squeeze it from the sides with pliers or a side cutter;
  6. in a similar way we change the second upper limiter located on the other side of the jacket;
  7. try to fasten the zipper with a new slider;
  8. if it hangs, sits too loose, then gently squeeze it from 2 sides with pliers (you don’t need to apply excessive amount and force and leave too little clearance, otherwise the slider simply will not be able to work or will start tearing the fabric).

Important! Changing the latch on the second side of the jacket, which, at first glance, is in no way connected with the slider, is imperative, as contact between the dog and this limiter still takes place. This happens when zipping up to the stop. And if there is a small limiter on one half, and a large one on the other, then this can later cause the castle to diverge or the runner to crash.

The second way:

  1. remove the retainer and the previous slider;
  2. scissors to slightly incise the upper edge of the zipper (just a little bit and as close to the beginning of the teeth as possible);
  3. put on a dog;
  4. put in a new clip;
  5. change the limiter on the 2 side of the jacket;
  6. stitch the notch that was previously made with a zipper using stitched seams.

This method is good because it facilitates the process of stringing the slider on the zipper . Its shortcomings are also obvious: you have to make an incision, then sew it, which in the future can cause premature failure of the zipper (it will begin to tear further, creep along the previously cut and the holes from the needle).

The intricacies of replacing a slider with a zipper jacket

Useful notes and tips:

  • if the dog does not want to put on in any way, then slightly increase the distance between its wings using pliers (do not forget to squeeze them back after successful putting on);
  • black zippers are mainly sold in sewing stores, you can try to dye them, but most likely this will lead to an increase in the size of the dog and a reduction in the size of its flaps, and in the future, colored places in contact with the cloves will begin to be wiped and clumsy ugly ;
  • so that the new slider can easily put on and move well, you need to lubricate the lightning before manipulating the dog (plastic wipe with dry soap, iron with oil);
  • the slider will snap into place faster if you hold it slightly at an angle during donning;
  • if the stopper goes beyond the edge of the jacket, then gently pry it with a screwdriver;
  • the principle of working with twisted lightning as a whole is not much different from the options proposed above, except that only instead of a limiter, you can put a second dog;
  • if you haven’t bought a metal brace in advance, instead of it, repeatedly sew the same point on the edge of the zipper (this will lead to the formation of a large “hummock” through which a normally compressed slider will not be able to cross).

Is it possible to make a dog yourself and install it?

If the tongue of the dog fell out, and the slider itself remained in place, then the replacement of the slider will be postponed until later. You just need to find an item that after several manipulations will become suitable for use as a tongue. It can be a paper clip, invisibility or hairpin .

The sequence of steps for the independent manufacture of dogs:

  1. bend 1 side of the paper clip (if an invisible or hairpin is used, then not only bend, but also with the help of flat-nose pliers give the shape of an unfinished circle or oval, one edge of which is bent slightly to the side and forms a “G”);
  2. insert the workpiece into the opening of the tongue;
  3. scroll so that the end of the workpiece is as far as possible from the edge of the paper clip;
  4. to fix a woolen thread on a clip (it is thicker than a sewing thread, therefore it suits more);
  5. with a hook, wrap the entire paper clip with yarn;
  6. at the end of the process, complete the binding with the fixing unit.

The use of the thread is caused by the need to soften the makeshift tongue, decorate it with the color of lightning and provide the hands with additional protection. If the listed nuances are not on the agenda or there is simply no time, then it is quite possible to do without winding, that is, simply insert a paper clip or invisibility into the hole in the slider.

Important! If the slider broke down on the street and there is no office or hairpin at hand, then remove the keys from the ringlet and use it together with the tongue of the dog.

With large dogs you can do without a metal blank - paper clips or invisibility. It is enough to purchase a cord in the same color as the zipper . In addition to it you will need: side cutting tongs, decor (optional) and a lighter. Beads, key chains and metal balls with holes are suitable for the role of decoration.

Sequencing:

  1. thread the lace into the hole of the dog;
  2. cut off excess;
  3. string decor on a rope;
  4. tie the ends with a knot;
  5. light the ends of the lighter so that they do not open.

In addition, it is possible to form a decorative knot, which does not carry a practical load, approximately in the middle of the attached lace, and then put on the beads. The option is also aesthetically pleasing, in which decor is not used at all, provided that a contrasting jacket is used in the rope.

When to repair, not change?

The problem requires drastic measures in the event that part of the cloves has fallen out or bent . The first failure usually haunts the owners of plastic lightning, the second - iron. By the way, a plastic lock is generally a very unreliable design. Especially if she is put on a children's jacket.

In this case, parents will have to deal with torn pins and with the appearance of a broken bend, which will not allow the dog to work normally (the row of teeth is bent). Therefore, if possible, do not purchase things with this type of lock or immediately after the purchase, change it to a more practical metal option.

Important! It is impossible to do without stitching a new zipper even if the fabric part of the lock has broken through (its correct name in case of going to the store: textile tape), but the broken clamps are not the basis for immediate drastic measures. Almost all lightning elements are interchangeable.

It is also worth considering the root cause of what is happening . If the situation arose because the lock on the jacket began to diverge, and you repeatedly pressed the dog with the tool, but after a certain period of time it again stopped working normally, and with the next attempt to solve the problem the runner was squeezed with pliers too hard, why did he cracked, then not a dog is to blame. Even if you install a new one, you will soon again encounter the divergence of the castle. Therefore, for normal wear of outerwear, the old zipper will have to be flogged and a different one put in its place.