OK, fine. But read my reply to vasco. By the time I'd have found the paraffin or wax I'd have exploded with impatience. Besides, usually that's only a temporary

OK, fine. But read my reply to vasco. By the time I'd have found the paraffin or wax I'd have exploded with impatience. Besides, usually that's only a temporary solution as the lubricant comes off in the wash, thus the cycle repeats. Moreover, I've noticed repeatedly that once a zipper starts to give trouble it's inevitability on a downward slope to compete failure. Similarly so zippers with metal teeth and diecast-type zip housings suffer from clothes washing, as they are prone to progressive failure from being attacked[1] by washing powders and inorganic stain removers. (I've only zipped my weener twice in my entire life, and I don't think I drew blood) Granted, this is less of a problem nowadays as many zippers now use rounded interlocking nylon wire that's less likely to 'bite'. However, that once wasn't so especially in the days when jeans were more work clothes than a fashion statement. Their zippers were made strong and to last and had large brass interlocking teeth that could do real damage, and impatient guys like me were often 'bitten' to the extent blood would flow (I recall from experience). Presumably, the reason for the change arose from victims' complaints. __ [1] The sodium percarbonate in these cleaners attacks the metal, similarly so with metal the rivets and buttons in jeans (as in 501s, etc.), especially on the unpassivated underside that clamps to the material. The oxides that then build up rot the nearby fabric and the button can then detatch.