Stuck Cushion Zippers

[dprice]

Anyone have any magic tricks/tips to free up  frozen cushion zippers ?

Thanks
Dave

[Roc]

Defrost setting on the microwave  

Roc-

[Jim Price]

Try WD40 or silicon spray and two needle nose pliers to get a good grip and have the check book ready when all hell breaks loose.

[tsoko]

Dave,
I assume you're talking about the coil zippers in the cockpit cushions?  I gave up on trying to get mine loose.  I finally cut the sliders off (carefully), and got replacements from:
http://www.zipperrescue.com/
Give them a call and they will send you what you need for just a few bucks.  4mm sliders? 5mm sliders?  Take out the foam, turn the cover inside-out.  Cut the thread holding the zipper together at one end, put on the new slider, and sew up the end again.  Hardest part was getting the new slider started.  Good Luck.

PS-If the new sliders pull the teeth together most of the time, but not all of the time, gently 'flatten' the back end of the slider with a pair of pliers a tiny bit.

[Gary Wilson]

The trick for me was to work the zipper back and forth, fairly gently, for a long time.  I first poured boiling water from a tea kettle on the slider, just in cast there was something soluble (like soda pop) that had spilled into it.  Then I sprayed silicone lubricant into it and kept working it until it loosened up.

[jentine]

I found that the best treatment for the zippers on the original Catalina made cockpit cushions was to replace them with Bottomsiders.  We haven't had a stuck zipper since.
The cushions in the cabin have never been a problem.  They are kept dry and free of crud.
Jim