Drysuit zipper wax

[SDAnderson]

I've been told that candles often have petroleum distillates in them - which would be bad news for dry suits. I've been using beeswax from the fabric store for years and haven't had any problems with it. As to technique, I put it on the outside of the zipper and the hardest thing about the whole process is to avoid putting too much on. I basically use no downward pressure, just lightly drag the stick along the zipper and keep a toothbrush nearby to remove any glomps.

 

[Hoosier]

BEESWAX!

Great. thanks for your info.

I've been told that candles often have petroleum distillates in them - which would be bad news for dry suits. I've been using beeswax from the fabric store for years and haven't had any problems with it. As to technique, I put it on the outside of the zipper and the hardest thing about the whole process is to avoid putting too much on. I basically use no downward pressure, just lightly drag the stick along the zipper and keep a toothbrush nearby to remove any glomps.

 

[fergyjohn]

I Use candle wax, good on any zippers.

 

[matt_unique]

Hey, I gotta wax my zippers on my drysuit. My LDS said inside, and my instructor said outside. Which side of the zipper do I wax?

I had my drysuit zipper replaced this past winter. The shop who replaced the zipper said you should definitely wax the tiny zipper inside the suit (not to be confused with the larger zipper teeth at the top).

I spoke with other experienced shops who said you should not wax the small inside zipper because it snaggs junk from your thermals and ruins the zipper faster.

So there seems to be a bit of debate as to the best way to maintain a zipper, at least from my local research. I now just wax the larger zipper at the top of the suit on both sides of course.

--Matt

 

[crpntr133]

Watch out for scented candle. I would wagger money that the oils would do damage to the seal.

 

[Dean810]

My understanding is that the only two acceptable items to use is paraffin and bee's wax. Silicon and petroleum products are a no-no. I'm not sure what the zipper sticks are made of, am sure the print on the label is too small for my eyes, but I assume its paraffin softened up to make it easy to go on.

How about a candle instead of the dry suit wax? It is too much primitive technique?

 

[Avic7]

It not that expensive to just buy the wax from the store, why go through the hassle of using other products when ur not sure if it will harm that expensive drysuit that you bought?

 

[Hoosier]

It is not money matter, but KNOWHOW!

 

[metaldector]

Using any other type of wax will inbed into the drysuit fabric. When this happens it becomes impossible to replace the zipper as the fabric has degraded and won't hold stitching for the new zipper. So instead of the replacement cost of a zipper (over $100) you now can replace the whole suit for ?$$$?.
Buy paraffin wax at the grocery store in the canning section. One package should last a lifetime. Use lightly on the zipper. Apply with zipper open, placing the paraffin on the zipper and stroking towards you. Do an inch at a time until you've coated the complete top zipper left to right then do the bottom zipper the same way. You shouldn't have clumps of wax between the teeth, as someone said earlier this is a lubercant not a seal. The zipper seals! Once or twice a year use a dry toothbrush to brush out the zipper of grit and old wax. Then re-wax.

 

[mweitz]

Pure paraffin is what we were told to use in our DS class.

Just a light coat as SDM said.

You are also supposed to clean the zipper out with a zipper cleaner and toothbrush every now and again.

If you have an over zipper (like on the TLS 350) you should zip it up for travel so the wax doesn't get on the drysuit. The proper way to transport the TLS 350 BTW is to leave the inner zipper open and the outer zipper closed. I've seen a few people doing it the other way recently.

Mark