David Combs wrote:
I stupidly zipped up my coat when I hadn't perfectly
lined-up the bottom ends of the two sides.

(Actually, it's been acting up a bit (getting old?) and
the "male" left side bottom-end doesn't so easily and surely slip into
the matching "female" right side.)

Anyway, it's zipped up a couple of inches, but off by 3 or so
"notches" (due to that male-female problem).

Any idea on how to get it unzipped?


(Wife says "get a new winter jacket" -- but I *like* this
one, and besides Costco hasn't sold anything as good as it
for several years now. It's the best I've ever had -- best
made, etc.)


Ideas?

Force it unzipped with a pair of pliers, and start over? (after
tightening the slider thingy ever-so-gently with the same pliers, and
lubing the zipper teeth all the way up with a candle stub?)

BTDT, and I feel your pain. Realistically, your wife is right- the
cost-effective cure is replacement. I have had zippers replaced, but it
is absurdly expensive, so unless the coat has sentimental value or is a
specialty item, it really doesn't make sense. And unless you have an
industrial sewing machine at home, it isn't a DIY project unless you are
willing to spend hours hand-sewing with a sailmaker needle. I had my
last one done at a luggage repair shop, and I had to bring in the
zipper. They do sell zipper repair kits, but finding one with a slider
big enough for a coat is hard, and the imported coats tend to use weird
non-standard zippers.

Side rant- zippers without contrasting colors on the little tab at the
start, and fabric flaps the same color as the zipper, too close to the
moving parts. I'm well into middle age, with eyesight to match. It makes
me feel like a 5 year old again, fighting with a zipper to get it
started, only to have the fabric edge get caught 3 inches later and
jamming the thing.

--
aem sends...