arthritic rings (not what you think)

Developing some arthritis in the fingers, really a bother at times, but still a long way from not riding. To help out with grasping zippers on boots, pants, jackets, etc. I am using split key rings. The rings come 2 on a card for a dollar ninety nine. I use the 3/4" size and find them to be a great aid. Easy to find when gearing up without having to look. Few seconds with the needle nosed pliers and they are on the zipper. Very handy on boot zippers.

Been doing that for years. It really helps.

Maybe time to get an ES clutchless FJR i’ve Had a Honda ST1300 for a good few years but had been finding problems with the clutch pull! Looked at all sorts of items to reduce the force needed but found the ES and loved it this last year, can get back to long runs again.

I'm kind of wondering what he thought we'd think. :lol:

Good idea though, James. And they also work when the little metal pull tab on the zipper breaks off somehow.

Through the years I've used many things to replace zipper pulls and even the zipper tab. Small key rings do work as pulls, but they mount at 90 degrees when attached to the zipper, so they stick out....which is more of a problem on locking zippers.

I've used hair ties, safety pins, and have just taken pulls off from other jackets or bags. However they do make very small split rings for fishing. A small one of these can be used to hold a larger one so the pull lays flat.

Other fishing tackle options are snap swivels, which are also available in different sizes (and are fairly cheap) Also these can work well if you lost the tab off the zipper.

They also make "split snaps" which have a quarter twist that make them ideal as pulls.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Spro_Split_Snap_8pk/descpage-SSNP.html

I used a snap swivel in conjunction with a key ring to replace the pull on my tank bag. Easy to grab even with heavy gloves.

I sometimes use the key ring trick too but as mentioned above, they do stick out at 90 degrees which is kinda annoying to my Navy-trained OCD. When needed I generally use plain ol' cotter pins: cheap, easy to find, various sizes, clip right on, lay flat. Ticks all the boxes so far!

Thanks, JamesW. My Aerostich zipper pulls all have split-rings (actually, two each, like knifemaker to avoid rbentnail's issue) and they get snapped into the closures at the end of each zipper. Makes it easy to adjust with gloves on, too.

The only exception is a three-inch Dos Equis ribbon key ring at my throat; my "moto necktie".

rbentnail said:

I sometimes use the key ring trick too but as mentioned above, they do stick out at 90 degrees which is kinda annoying to my Navy-trained OCD. When needed I generally use plain ol' cotter pins: cheap, easy to find, various sizes, clip right on, lay flat. Ticks all the boxes so far!

Click to expand...

That 90 degrees makes it easy to insert the finger tip and pull.

rbentnail said:

I sometimes use the key ring trick too but as mentioned above, they do stick out at 90 degrees which is kinda annoying to my Navy-trained OCD. When needed I generally use plain ol' cotter pins: cheap, easy to find, various sizes, clip right on, lay flat. Ticks all the boxes so far!

Click to expand...

Maybe it was something about the Navy vs. the Air Force, but I was never too obsessed about things like that. I wore fatigues to work every day. We were having an outside inspection team coming in one day and my boots were really beat. Doubt if I'd ever put polish on them at all. Know what works though? Glossy black spray enamel! They looked like patent leather. At least for the rest of the day. :lol:

The buttons used to pop off my work shirt pretty regularly. Solved that one with safety wire, with a little twist of the pigtail to keep from stabbing myself in the heart. Never had one come off again.

Needless to say, probably, I never planned to make it a career.

I like to use a little piece of rawhide doesn't stick out or bang against anything. Just my two cents.

All great ideas here. I, too, have arthritis, although it's not as bad as I know it will get. My best friend's mom has rheumatoid arthritis (mine is only osteoarthritis, which is bush league compared to the real thing), and her hands and feet are so deformed that she has a hard time doing even the most basic things. I've been lucky so far, and I haven't had to resort to these great ideas, YET, but I know they're in my future, so I will thank all of you in advance for these wonderful solutions.

As others noted, the title of this thread frightened me, and brought on familiar feelings of dread. Recently, I was on the doctor's Table of Shame, and am continuing ongoing treatment for a defective "ring". A lot of you more "experienced" gentlemen here know what I'm talking about. Any younger ones here, who have some dignity left, and may be faint of heart, quit gagging and puking. Your time will come. This forum is capable of finding solutions for almost any problem imaginable, which is a beautiful thing, and someday, it may be able to provide comfort and aid in your time of need.

As you were........

I have used the rings from flashbangs on a couple of things. On my old Tourmaster, my zipper pull broke. I used one of those 550 cord key chains that was on a ring. That has been attaxhed for years, and the guy in have it to still uses it like that.

The arthritis is at work in my thumbs, but not too bad yet. I did find replacement zipper pulls online to fix missing ones on some gear and they would be good for weakened hands. They are 1.5 inches long and also come with rubber sleeves that make them thicker and easier to grasp with gloves on. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Zipper-Pull-Replacement-3-Colors-Available-With-Red-Silicone-Cover-Pack-of-3/271389735676?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=570262308455&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649