Dry Suit Zipper Wax Technique

[richerso]

Fellow Divers,
I just bought my first dry suit. Everyone tells me to use the wax crayon and "color" the zipper. I zipped the dry zipper closed and then used the wax crayon to "color" the zipper. As I see it, this colored both sets of teeth at the same time; but it only colored the exposed surfaces of a sealed zipper. Is this the correct technique? Or should I go back and "color" the zipper using some different technique?

Perhaps, open the zipper (unzip it) and color each string of teeth separately? This would certainly allow the wax crayon to touch three sides of a tooth/teeth set as opposed to just the one exposed surface when a zipper is sealed shut.

Thanks,
JR

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I've always been told to only wax the "outside" of the zipper and not the part that seals, so waxing with it closed is the easiest way to do this.

 

[ScubaSarus]

I'm statring to like the lube better. I simply lube the zipper when getting the suit ready with the other equipment to night before. I also dont like having to remove the old wax from the zipper. I may still use wax but ever so lite amounts now and then.

 

[The Kraken]

ScubaSaurus,

What is this mysterious lube of which thou dost speaketh???

Yea, I have yet to embrace its wondrous effects!!!

the K

 

[brianstclair]

For someone who doesn't own a dry suit, what does waxing the zipper do?

Brian

 

[The Kraken]

It facillitates using the bathroom when urgently needed . . .

the K

 

[xiSkiGuy]

For someone who doesn't own a dry suit, what does waxing the zipper do?

Brian

It gives you very easy horizontal trim and allows you to use a modular approach to your buoyancy needs. Oh wait. Wrong piece of equipment.

Wax makes the opening and closing of a thick and sometimes awkward zipper a little bit easier.

 

[richerso]

For someone who doesn't own a dry suit, what does waxing the zipper do?

Brian

Brian, here is your most technical answer:
The wax crayon is just that, a piece of wax. I don't really know if it's the same material as classic candle wax or not; but the wax is hydrocarbon based, I believe. Anyway, the wax acts as a lubricant similar to motor oil or grease. Opening and closing the zipper is a mechanical action involving friction. Like all action involving friction, mankind has determined that lubricating those motions makes the action easier and more efficient and it also improves performance in general - in this case it makes it easier to zip the zipper.

You wouldn't beleive how difficult it is to operate these dry suit zippers without lubricant. Of course all of this difficult operation owes to the fact that the zipper must be water tight. Hence, the mechanical fit is extremely tight.
JR

 

[gaschef]

Dear Richarso

Forget the rubbish that is spouted about drysuit lube. The best lube is Zipslip which is beeswax in a spirit base, most good dive stores will stock it. To apply first place the bottle of Zipslip in a cup of very hot water, the wax will then melt into the spirit. Open the zip and give a light coat to the internal teeth with the brush provided in the pot. then close the zip and give the external elements a light coating. Then gently work the zip open and closed a couple of times. If the Zip is properly lubricated one finger operation is all that is needed.

Always keep an eye on the edge of the zip material that stands up in the middle of the zip when it is closed, if it is starting to fray with loose threads visible very carefully remove these with a pair of scissors. Quite often it is these frayed threads that cause the zip to jam

NEVER NEVER NEVER lubricate your zip with silicone sprays or grease. It does not harm the zip in any way, but gets into the material of the drysuit. again it does no harm, however when you need to get a zip replaced, the silicone stops the glue bonding and you have a very expensive repair to your suit

As a working commercial diver I lubricate my dry suit zip about every two weeks or when it starts to get stiff. A working suit normally lasts me about 4 to 5 years when it is finally patched beyond repair. In 28 years of work as a diver I have only ever had to have one zip replaced. Look after them and in recreational diving it will last the life of the suit

Regards

Gaschef

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Forget the rubbish that is spouted about drysuit lube. The best lube is Zipslip which is beeswax in a spirit base, most good dive stores will stock it.

Not in my experience.

I tried a beeswax-based lube with one of my drysuits ... based on a recommendation from a drysuit manufacturer ... and what happened is that the beeswax built up between the teeth and inside the zipper slide, collected sand and grit, and the resultant glop wore holes in the material around the metal teeth ... I got maybe 120 to 130 dives on the suit before the zipper started leaking.

When I brought the suit in for a zipper replacement (cost was $420), the guy who repaired the suit immediately pointed to the wax buildup and told me to stop using anything with a beeswax base on my drysuit zipper. To quote him ... "Beeswax is a drysuit repair person's best friend. It gets me a lot of business."

... Bob (Grateful Diver)