stuck zippers

[JusDreaming]

anyone have any secret ways of freeing a stuck bimini zipper?

[delmarrey]

If it's the old bronze type and corroded, good luck.

But the heavy duty plastic, one can use a little spray-on silicone lube. Then just get it started moving and work it back & forth. It should loosen up. The plastic just gets full of dirt and doesn't want to move.

[Microship]

I had the problem with metal zipper cars on an inflatable kayak after extensive salt-water use... soaking the encrustation with vinegar for a few hours helps, followed by careful use of pliers to grab the car (not the pull, which can break off easily) and gently twist side-to-side to get it started. The long-term solution was to have the manufacturer replace all the cast-metal parts with Delrin.

Steve