the waterproof ones even have advice on re-lubricating
maybe there's japanese language stuff that says it but like...... instead it's just the circlejerk of tertiary sources quoting each other
if the edc people were serious about it they would all have the correct specialty zipper lubricant in their go bags
(yes, of course I have some zipper lubricant; I have multiple kinds of keyboard lubricant and bicycle lubricant, why wouldn't I have zipper lubricant)
I also have flashlight lubricant around here somewhere, although it's probably expired. Oddly I have no audiophile lubricant for better sound, although that certainly is a thing
Idk what EDC stands for other than electric daisy carnival so idk what this is all about but reading the Japanese precautions and FAQs page on YKK’s website, I couldn’t find anything about self lubrication, mostly things about how to avoid discoloration, plating flaking off, and other common problems with zippers
Edit: also, just in general, when it comes to like, mechanisms, self lubricating really just sounds like some sort of troll physics meme to me
the impression their reddit gives me is people who spend a lot of time picking out the perfect handgun and tactical wallet to show all the other handgun and tactical wallet people
The only "self lubricating" material I know about is some plastics like uhmw
Indeed, EDC/"everyday carry" is a...subculture? Industry? That originated in the handgun enthusiast sector, with lots of overlap with other "tactical" and cop-ass stuff, like pocket knives and flashlights.
EDC has expanded a lot over the last decade or so, I guess? through cross-pollination with other tendencies, such as minimalism, flat lay/bag dump/pocket dump, design bros, fidget toy users, and the stationery community. There is tremendous overlap between the fountain pen community and EDC, which is a source of great amusement to me, because fountain pens end up bringing together artsy hippie types and gun-toting trad dads in a very awkward synergy.
It's also fun seeing the collisions of minimalist discourses around thoughtfully choosing the objects you surround yourself with and, like, dudes with tens of thousands of dollars worth of "safe queen" knives they never use. (Note: minimalism is also risible in itself.)
Crowdfunding and 3D printing have also played a big a role, because EDC bros/design bros love CNC-machined small objects, especially if they're made in the US. Bonus points if they come in titanium. SO MANY kickstarter campaigns are about dudes buying milling machinery so they can start a small business to make tactical fountain pens or carabiners or whatever.
Obviously design the design bro shit and small scale machining/3D printing stuff bleeds over heavily into areas like the mechanical keyboard and hardware hacking scenes as well. It's an interesting set of materialistic vortices.
tl;dr: Home Shopping Network, but for Gun Dads, Guys Who Think They Need a Shovel In Case of Urban Unrest And No Power, and everyone else who wants to benefit from the industry those guys' misspent wealth allows to exist
