FW Mullholland ball chain replacement

[sirkris]

I would like to say Hallo to everybody. I am new registered user but I have been reading the forum for years.

FW Mullholland pocket zippers:
I am thinking of removing ball chains from three pockets zippers and replacing them with just puller or small black leather straps.
But as I can see it is not so easy. I do not want to damage a chain as I may one day sell the jacket and I may recover the ball chains.
Below is the photo how the chain is connected to the slider.

There is a main ring "B" permanently mounted to the slider (impossible to unmount it witout cutting it). Then the first ball "C" has welded small ring and is connected to the ring "B". It seems also to be impossible to disconnect it without breaking the metal.
The only way I can see to unmount the chain is: opening second ball "A" (It has a sew so it will open like a shell) .
This will disconnect the chain. and then I will close the ball "A".
I would end with something like I have shown on the sketch.

The new puller is easy to attach with the ring to the main ring "B". But two single balls need to stay attached to the slider.
Has anyone tried something similar? I do not want to damage the chain, so if there is a risk I may damage opened/closed balls I may leave ball chains. (For chest pocket I can hide the chain inside as I am not using that pocket, so the ball chain is almost not visible)

But I would like to modify pullers at least for bottom pockets if possible.
I am thinking also to ask jewellers or on jewellery forum.

 

[jchance]

It looks to me like there is no removal needed. You can simply add another ring zipper onto B, as there is still enough room on B. Use the new ring zipper hanging from B and don’t touch C+A.

The easiest ring “zipper” you can DIY use is a keychain ring, which looks like a Talon ring zipper.

 

[sirkris]

But the main reason for the new puller is that I do not like ball chain puller and want to get rid of it (but with possibility of ball chain recover). I do not want to add additional puller - I want to replace ball chain with new puller.

 

[Bennarion]

Most likely, the main ring is not whole and has a cut in this place

 

[AeroFan_07]

This might be one of those times to ask "what's it really worth to me"? That's one very expensive jacket, even used and to take on something like this could result in a very undesirable outcome. Just a thought.

I would ask a professional leather repair person or even consider new zippers in the jacket if that is what you really want. @photo2u since you are indeed a zipper specialist, any thoughts here?

 

[photo2u]

This might be one of those times to ask "what's it really worth to me"? That's one very expensive jacket, even used and to take on something like this could result in a very undesirable outcome. Just a thought.

I would ask a professional leather repair person or even consider new zippers in the jacket if that is what you really want. @photo2u since you are indeed a zipper specialist, any thoughts here?

Several options are available. Personally, I do not like those big rings. I think big rings look like an inexpensive solution. They remind me of the 70s trends. A nice leather strip will work nice and can be replaced when they wear out or break due to usage. However, I have seen Californians and Lost Worlds with leather pulls that are strong and look the part. Lastly, a solid brass smaller ring can be used to link a high quality puller. I would highly recommend a vintage over a newer puller.

 

[sirkris]

I was looking more carefully at small balls : they are squeezed but also they are covered with melted metal (soldering or welding). So opening shell and squeezing it mechanically will not recover them to original state.

By the way the big ball has a "Whizzer" word on it. I think it is stamped on the melted metal on its surface (closing the sew).

So my conclusion is the only solution I can see is to break main ring "B" and replace it with small detachable ring and mounting ball chain into it.
It is not bad solution and will not be noticeable but it would change the original zipper slider structure which I want to avoid.

So for now I am stopping with the puller customisation ideas - this will protect me from the next thread "How I destroyed zippers in my Mullholland" ;-).
I have just decided to hide the chain on the closed chest pocket (which I do not use).
And I will keep open side pockets with hidden chains.

Maybe in future if I decide to keep the jacket and not sell it I will cut main rings and will replace them with small wire rings. Now I will test it with hidden ball chains.
Thank you guys for looking at it.

 

[pj_odin]

"B" is not permanently fixed on the slider. It is an open ring that can be stretched out and then removed as a whole

 

[pj_odin]

 

[sirkris]

Thank you @pj_odin ! This is very helpful info.
That ring on my photo looks quite thick and fragile - I am not sure if I am brave enough to try to bend /stretch it.
I am afraid it may break. Maybe after heating it it become more plastic?
Have you tried to stretch it? How to do it? Using bent nose pliers?

 

[pj_odin]

My method is to use a pair of tweezers and insert the pointed end of the tweezers into the ring of "B". As the insertion deepens, this ring will naturally be stretched open.

A pointed-mouthed pair of pliers should also work, as long as its tip is thin enough

 

[sirkris]

Thanks a lot @pj_odin !
You have just solved my problem.
No slider damage and now I can add my own puller and recover ball chain with original ring any time I wish.
I have used tweezers as per your instructions. The ring was looking massive only on my macro photo.

 

[sirkris]

So I bought three cheap standard pullers £3.0 (UK) and I created new rings using a wire I had home (I think it is 1.3 or 1.5 mm wire). I bent it to form ring like shape. I did not want to use original ring and also it would not be possible to fix the puller on original ring because of its shape .

I swuezed the ring on the slider and the final effect is like this:
Closed pockets and the puller hiddden behind the edges of the pockets:

Open pockets (or puller outside the pocket edges):

 

[jchance]

Glad it worked out for you.

All ado about nothing, if you ask me. What’s wrong with the ball and chain look? It’s a vintage-style 1930s zipper!

To be fair, I’m all for customizing and personalizing a jacket (or any clothing item for that matter) to your liking, but this seems to be the case of making it worse (my subjective view)…

 

[sirkris]

“What’s wrong with the ball and chain look? It’s a vintage-style 1930s zipper!.”

Nothing. It is just me: I used to wear an Eastman Ostmann jacket, and zippers with straps were hidden behind the pocket edges. (Like on one of my FW last photos). Everything else my brain now interprets as weird.
Eastman Ostmann pocket zipper pullers:”

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[AeroFan_07]

Hey you got it to look the way you wanted it! Great- and congratulations!
Glad it was easier than you thought as well.

 

[pj_odin]

I'm very glad you solved it. Ball chains are cool, but they are also very easy to break, which is why they have become increasingly rare since the 1930s. If a pocket needs to be opened and closed frequently, a ball chain is not a good choice

 

[whitetail_country]

This might be one of those times to ask "what's it really worth to me"? That's one very expensive jacket, even used and to take on something like this could result in a very undesirable outcome. Just a thought.

I would ask a professional leather repair person or even consider new zippers in the jacket if that is what you really want. @photo2u since you are indeed a zipper specialist, any thoughts here?

I strongly concur. It is quite ironic in this field where we try to buy an item for life, but almost always end up selling it down the road.

 

[charlieknie]

Most likely, the main ring is not whole and has a cut in this place View attachment 735418

That is the case for my Rainbow Country Hercules Jacket - that cut was the reason my heart sank like 1 month after buying it when I pulled a bit too hard and it just came clear off. Benefit of the cut is that it's just as easy to put it back on (or put a new ring on if you prefer).