Care for a new dry suit?

[ScubaDadMiami]

Thats odd. I emailed YKK a few years ago asking about drysuit zipper care. They told me to only apply hard wax to the outside of the zipper and liquid wax to the inside. They even sent me a nifty kit containing a hard wax stick and liquid wax bottle for free.

Interesting. I never heard of putting anything on the inside before. Last year, at DEMA, I met with the YKK Rep, and he also gave me a free kit which consisted of zipper cleaner and a wax stick. He didn't give me anything for the inside of the zipper.

Then, he actually applied the wax to a zipper he had there for the demonstration, pretty much making the point that most people put way too much wax on the zipper when they apply it. He definitely only applied it to the outside. I wonder if there has been some kind of change in zipper material over the past couple of years that would account for this.

BTW, the cleaning solution, he said, is basically used for when the zipper gets sand and crud attached to the wax. The solution in the cleaner allows the removal so that you can apply wax anew to a clean zipper. Over a year later, I have yet to use the cleaning solution since only boat dive rather than beach based diving.

I do not talc my seals for normal storage (diving in a week from now, etc.) though I use it in order to make it easier to don the wrist seals. When I am keeping an extra set of seals in storage, I then talc them.

On the other hand, I do use McNett UV Tech on my seals fairly often. This keeps them from drying out and from deteriorating due to sunlight effects.

 

[scubagirl15]

Well that would be because the inside of the zipper is where the actual contact is made with the two surfaces, thus it needs wax for that "perfect" seal, the outside of the zipper is waxed so that the train can slide easier on the surface.
The glob is good on the ends to prevent water from leaking into the slight tiny openings left my the mating and the train.

You almost got it Andrea....better luck next time!

That's exactly what Whites said. I didn't want to repeat this info like I knew it first hand. Whites' explanation makes sense, and that's what they recommend we do, so I do.

On the other hand, why would YKK say otherwise? After all, Whites uses YKK zippers?

 

[drkwing]

Thanks for all of the great replies! I turned it inside out because I was told to dry the inside first and then let the outside dry. I feel like i'm being to overly cautious with my suit, but i guess its better to be too carefull with it than to not take good enough care of it. How do I know how much wax is enough? & is it necessary to wax after every day of diving? Thanks again, you guys are awsome!

 

[andrep1]

Here what I essentially do...

BDM zippers .

Essentially I use zipcare, a liquid lubricant/cleaner inside and ziptech a soft solid wax for the outer teeth. They're both made by McNett, I use those because they are easy to find and work well. I used those products on Viking and Whites drysuit. Essentially, never use parafin/hard wax on the inner elements of the zipper.

For the wrist seals, some swear by the silicone stuff but I use Unscented talc.

 

[scubagirl15]

... Essentially, never use parafin/hard wax on the inner elements of the zipper....QUOTE]

How come? Now I'm really curious: do you or don't you wax the gripping portions of the zipper?

 

[DUTCH BRIDGES]

Submerge Often IN Salt Water...................OH AND ANOTHER THING,IF ANYBODY COMES TO YOUR DOOR AND TELLS YOU TO TAKE OFF ALL YOUR CLOTHES BECAUSE THEYRE DOING A SURVEY,DONT BELIEVE THEM ,ITS A SCAM ,THEY JUST WANT TO SEE YOU NAKED.I WISH THAT SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY, I AM REALLY EMBARRASSED AND FEEL REALLY CHEAP.

 

[Tamas]

... Essentially, never use parafin/hard wax on the inner elements of the zipper....

How come? Now I'm really curious: do you or don't you wax the gripping portions of the zipper?

Well according to the site that he has posted:

"Paraffin wax has been used in the past, as has beeswax, but experience has shown that neither give lasting service, and if applied to the inner elements may even hasten failure as the waxes fill the gaps between the elements preventing the inner elements from inter-locking. (The same as jamming the proverbial "woolly bear" in there.)"

But I guess that goes without saying that you only apply as much as is needed, never overdo it and it should be fine. Also I don't think that today's synthetic waxes would have the same results as some of the older untreated and uncured waxes.

 

[Tamas]

Submerge Often IN Salt Water...................OH AND ANOTHER THING,IF ANYBODY COMES TO YOUR DOOR AND TELLS YOU TO TAKE OFF ALL YOUR CLOTHES BECAUSE THEYRE DOING A SURVEY,DONT BELIEVE THEM ,ITS A SCAM ,THEY JUST WANT TO SEE YOU NAKED.I WISH THAT SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY, I AM REALLY EMBARRASSED AND FEEL REALLY CHEAP.

LOL!!!! Right on! Where do you live? I am doing a survey.

 

[andrep1]

... Essentially, never use parafin/hard wax on the inner elements of the zipper....QUOTE]

How come? Now I'm really curious: do you or don't you wax the gripping portions of the zipper?

That's why I use the liquid stuff, it IS a lubricant. It just takes less space between the inner element...

 

[MarkH]

Submerge Often IN Salt Water...................OH AND ANOTHER THING,IF ANYBODY COMES TO YOUR DOOR AND TELLS YOU TO TAKE OFF ALL YOUR CLOTHES BECAUSE THEYRE DOING A SURVEY,DONT BELIEVE THEM ,ITS A SCAM ,THEY JUST WANT TO SEE YOU NAKED.I WISH THAT SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY, I AM REALLY EMBARRASSED AND FEEL REALLY CHEAP.

I always go for the most expensive zipper wax products because they must be the best, right? I hear that worshipping at the altar of consumerism is emotionally fulfilling.