Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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I CAN HAZ CROISSANTZ?

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Zippity Undo

 zip fastener snags begone!
  (+25, -4)(+25, -4)(+25, -4)
(+25, -4) 		  [vote for,
against]

Have you ever snagged your zip, so that it becomes totally stuck?

If only you had paid the little bit extra to get Zippity Undo fasteners, you would then have the prospect of turning the fastener over, to reveal a tiny screw hole on its back. Undoing this screw allows the fastener to release its back plate and separate very simply into its two component parts. Once the snag has been cleared, you re- assemble the fastener and continue zipping.

—xenzag, Oct 23 2008

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       //turning the fastener over, to reveal a tiny screw hole on its back//   

       Tough to do if you can't get your pants off or worse yet you have something personal stuck in it.   

       Maybe the front is the place for the release.
—theGem, Oct 23 2008
   

       This is a really great idea - zipper reset.   

       It would be nice if the screw only loosened the catch instead of having the parts completely separate; this would allow you to fix it without losing the parts and the tiny screw.
—nomocrow, Oct 23 2008
   

       //nice if the screw only loosened the catch//
The zipper tab could be attached to the screw. Twist the tab to open the slider. I agree it should not fall to pieces, but be a single mechanism. There's not much material in a zipper slider, so make it out of unobtanium.
—Amos Kito, Oct 23 2008
   

       ...Dah!
—RayfordSteele, Oct 23 2008
   

       It's called a "captive screw," and you could easily fit one on a zipper slide without any unobtanium.
—Smurfsahoy, Oct 26 2008
   

       Bun - the number of times I've spent 10 minutes trying to get out of a sleeping bag/coat/opening a suitcase, only to find a bit of the lining trapped in the zip. I really like the twist the zipper tab option - you might not have a screwdriver ready.
—MadnessInMyMethod, Oct 26 2008
   

       Tents *really* need this. Having to struggle out of your trousers is one thing, but the embarrassment of managing to lock yourself into a tent is quite another.
—wagster, Oct 26 2008
   

       Take That velcro!   

       Perhaps you could have a tiny little cam-lever that keeps the zippperer closed.
—nomocrow, Oct 27 2008
   

       There's a "your pants are being held up by everybody else's willpower" punchline in there somewhere, I can just feel it.
—FlyingToaster, Oct 27 2008
   

       I say the Zippity Undo with the twist tab "Captive Screw" is a winner, stick a fork in it it's done.   

       Bravo [x]
—theGem, Oct 27 2008
   

       Great name!!! +++
—blissmiss, Oct 28 2008
   

       // I can just feel it //   

       Too much detail. And DON'T do it in public - you'll get arrested.   

       // stick a fork in it //   

       Would you care to draft the product liabilty small print for that ?   

       Day 1: TheGem's design hits the market.   

       Day 2: Drunk wearing trousers with TheGem's product staggers into men's room, cannot undo zipper, remembers instructions, goes out, gets fork, comes back, attempts to undo zipper.   

       Day 3: (early hours). Doctors operate to remove fork.   

       Day 3: (dawn) Police arrive at TheGem's place of residence.   

       Day 4: Arraignment hearing. Court packed with class-action legal specialists, plus one hung over garment purchaser in a wheelchair, possibly carrying some sort of large calibre personal weapon. TheGem remaded into protective custody...........
—8th of 7, Oct 28 2008
   

       //I say the Zippity Undo with the twist tab "Captive Screw" is a winner, stick a fork in it it's done.//   

       [8th] Oh my, it appears that my poor punctuation skills have forked this one up.
—theGem, Oct 29 2008
   

       i applaud the intent even if i don't truly grasp the ease of it. i'm imagining trying to work a miniscule screw-driver (that i have magically found in my pocket?) into the confined space between coat fabrics and a zipper back. this sounds frustrating. almost as frustrating as getting your lining stuck in your zipper in the first place. now a twist notion would alleviate some of that, to be sure, but then, there would be times of accidental twisting at which time the zipper would pop open unintentionally. also, it occurs to me that once you've "unlocked" the zipper you must unzip the entire length of the zipper and start zipping again from the beginning.
—k_sra, Oct 29 2008
   

       // a miniscule screw-driver (that i have magically found in my pocket?) //   

       It's threaded into the corkscrew of your Swiss Army Knife.   

       If you don't have a Swiss Army Knife, go out and buy one.   

       If you won't buy a Swiss Army Knife, you don't belong here.
—8th of 7, Oct 30 2008
   

       Which begrudger burst my extra half croissant... grrrrr!!!
—xenzag, Oct 30 2008
   

       Thank you! That said, make all other zippers illegal. Otherwise, Murphy's Law says that your one non-undoable zipper will always jam.
—egencilia, Oct 31 2008
   

       That's more like it! (dances around foolishly) Now, can I get some jam and butter on those extra croissants?
—xenzag, Oct 31 2008
   

       5 whole croissants - that's an abomination!   

       {Or maybe even an a-bun-a-nation?}
—Jinbish, Oct 31 2008
   

       // the less principled ones //   

       They're the best sort ....
—8th of 7, Oct 31 2008
   


 

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