Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Contents
Preparation
Take the zip and open it. Measure how long you want to make the zip and place a pin in the tape behind the first tooth that needs to be removed. Also place a pin on the opposite side in the tape
Time needed: 5 hours
Removing the teeth from a zip
- The metal zip: the first tooth
Pick up the zip and hold firmly between thumb and index finger. Take the side cutting pliers, place on the tooth and twist off.
- Remove the rest of the teeth
Place the zip with the tape in a small vise, remove the rest of the teeth. Tip: keep tension on the tape, that makes it easier to remove the teeth
- The blocktooth zip: the first tooth
Pick up the tape of the zip and hold tight between thumb and index finger. In your other hand you take the side cutter pliers. Place it on the tooth and twist off. With this zip you place the pliers on the tooth at an angle, because you have more chance of taking it off in one piece.
- Remove the rest of the plastic teeth
Now place your zip in a small vise and remove the rest of the teeth with the same method as you used when removing the first tooth. If the teeth are not completely removed (lets say with the root) from the tape, then you use the side cutter pliers to remove any leftovers.
- The spiral zip: the first tooth
Get your scissors, place it (opened up) on the tooth and twist outwards. Cut through het first tooth. Do not cut through the tape, ONLY the bit of the tooth that protrudes from the tape.
- Remove the rest of the spiral teeth
Turn the tape so that you can cut of the rest of the protruding teeth off. Now you are left with half of the teeth. Remove those by inserting a seam ripper through the teeth (on the side of the tape) and pull them out.
