The common zipper is a remarkably durable device that has remained ostensibly unchanged for more than a century. And today, zippers remain popular as the simplest, most reliable way to quickly open and securely close everything from jackets and jeans, to tents and backpacks. However, when a zipper stops working properly it can send the most mild-mannered among us into a fit of rage. Here are five quick ways to fix a faulty zipper—without losing your cool. Hard-to-Pull ZippersWhen a zipper works, but requires a fair amount of strength to slide it up and down, try this: Take an ordinary lead pencil and rub its sharpened tip along the teeth on the zipper. The graphite in the pencil lead will act as a dry lubricant, making the slider slide more easily. If the pencil doesn’t work, rub a wax candle along the zipper teeth. Also, inspect the zipper to ensure that all the teeth are perfectly aligned. If you find any teeth that are bent out of alignment, straighten them out with needle-nose pliers. Stuck ZipperIf you’ve ever been trapped inside your jacket or zip-up sweatshirt by a stuck zipper, then you’ve experienced one of the most common zipper failures. Ordinarily a zipper becomes stuck when the fabric hem that runs alongside the zipper gets jammed in the slider. Start by removing the garment by pulling it over your head; that’ll make the repair much easier. Then, use needle-nose pliers to grab onto the jammed fabric. Be sure to position the pliers very close to the slider. While tightly holding the fabric, gently pull on the tab to free the zipper. However, don’t yank on the tab too forcefully or it’ll break off. Apply even, consistent pressure until the slider breaks free. If the slider won’t budge, you’ll have snip away the offending piece of fabric with a razor knife or manicure scissors. Regular scissors are usually too large to work in such a tight space. Once the fabric is cut off, pull the tab to free the slider. Zipper Won’t Close CaoChunhaiGetty Images It’s not unusual for a zipper to suddenly not close when you pull up the slider, even though the slider moves freely and the teeth are in perfect condition. That’s because over time, the narrow gap between the front and rear of the slider can widen, preventing it from pulling in and engaging the teeth. To fix this problem, simply use a pair of pliers pinch closed the two halves of the slider. Just be careful not to crush the slider or pinch too forcefully, otherwise the slider won’t slide at all. Misaligned Zipper Occasionally the right and left halves of a zipper will become misaligned, causing a wrinkle in the zipper. And when this happens, the slider can’t fully open or close the zipper because it’s misaligned with the zipper teeth. For example, the slider might be riding about ½-inch up from the bottom on the right side of the zipper, but on the left side, it might be up ¾ of an inch or more, which creates the wrinkle. Here’s one way to fix this problem: Cut away three or four teeth from one side of the zipper at the very bottom. Move the slider down to the bottom and pull apart the two zipper halves to eliminate the wrinkle. Now, realigned each half, so the teeth line up correctly and pull up on the slider to engage the teeth. Pull the tab up and down several times to ensure the zipper teeth are perfectly aligned. Then, use a needle and thread to stitch closed the zipper where the teeth were extracted. Pants Zipper Won’t Stay ClosedThe only permanent cure for a zipper that won’t stay closed is to replace it with a new zipper. But, here’s a temporary fix: Tread a split key ring through the zipper tab, close the zipper, slip the key ring over the waistband button, and then button your pants. Problem solved.