Q: Which zipper suits a leather jacket?
A leather jacket takes a size 5 metal zipper, usually brass or an antique finish, or a size 5 vislon on a lightweight lamb style, open-end, with a two-way slider on longer cuts. The tape must be thin, because leather will not compress the way fabric does and a thick tape leaves a hard ridge along the front. On a lined jacket, back the zip with a leather strip so the stitching has something to grip.
- Size 5 metal or vislon, open-end; two-way above 75 cm.
- Thin tape and a leather backer strip.
- Slider with a smooth underside so it cannot scuff the finish.
The critical pitfall is placement: needle holes in leather are permanent, so a wrongly positioned zip cannot be unpicked and resewn without leaving a line of holes. Mark the position, sew a test piece and only then commit. The second issue is abrasion, because a rough metal slider will scratch the panel it rubs against; specify a polished or coated slider and check the clearance at the collar.