Canvas hood zip lubricant

[Simpo Two]

Noticed that my zips are getting harder to use... what's the best product to lubricate them? Candle wax - WD40 - 3-in-1 - silicone spray? But I'm wary of using sprays for fear of staining the fabric.

[TheEnd]

I've always seen pencil lead described as the best for zips.
Get something like a soft carpenter's pencil and rub it over a few times.

[perdu]

TheEnd said:

I've always seen pencil lead described as the best for zips.
Get something like a soft carpenter's pencil and rub it over a few times.

Graphite dust is often prescribed but it is difficult to avoid over blacking the rest of the 'hood with it

Carpenter's pencil sounds just about perfect

[SpeedYellow]

Will have to check who makes it but use an American spray designed for keeping zips and poppers working in salty environments without staining the canvas.

Now, not joking it's called Stud Lube.... Only Americans huh

[Simpo Two]

Thanks folks - I had't thought of a pencil - graphite is a well-known lubricant. Not sure how I'd get it between the teeth though.

[NDA]

I wonder if a rag with silicon lubricant would work?

[Hooli]

You can buy spray lubricants for zips etc out of caravan shops, I doubt the operating conditions are that different?

[Mojocvh]

http://www.fertan.co.uk/item-graphite_oil.htm

since you can't get rustola OIL anymore this is the next best thing IMO....it's actually IPA and holds the graphite in suspension, it's very good at penetrating and evaporates to leave the graphite in situ....

[Simpo Two]

Thanks - have mailed them for a price.

The other option was a pot of silicone lubricant but it wold have got very messy trying to apply it I think!

[northwest monkey]

Simpo Two said:

Thanks - have mailed them for a price.

The other option was a pot of silicone lubricant but it wold have got very messy trying to apply it I think!

You can get it in a little toothpaste style tube - a plumbers merchant should have it

[NDA]

I use silicon in a tube for gaskets on swimming pool stuff. It's quite sticky and I don't think would suit a zip. If you bought a spray, I'd soak it with a healthy squirt of lubricant and then rub that up and down the zip.

A soft wax candle is another option.... But silicon spray would be my choice, but obviously not sprayed directly.

[Fishtigua]

I was given a load of sample tubes of Copperslip and Superlube synthetic PTFE grease. They all went straight into my toolbox.

The PTFE has been great around the boat.

[Mojocvh]

Simpo Two said:

Thanks - have mailed them for a price.

The other option was a pot of silicone lubricant but it wold have got very messy trying to apply it I think!

OK. Saved myself £100 odd plus labour plus possibly a new windscreen [another topic from AS site] by NOT paying AUDI to do this...

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/a4-a4-cabriolet-s4-fo...

..which is of course the correct way to do it.

PS car passed MOT last week no problem [from the wipers that is ]

[Fishtigua]

A bit O/T but have you found out who makes the Audi canvas dressing? It's the best I've ever used. Better than Porsche's or BMW's rubbish.

Brilliant on boat canvas tops.

[MOTORVATOR]

Beeswax

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Beeswax-Lubricant-Drysuit-wax-Z...

[Simpo Two]

I have some beeswax! It's in an old glace cherry pot for some reason, and looks like earwax.





At least I hope it's beeswax...