It's got me beat

[sewmuchmore]

So this is one of those jobs you wish you hadn't started but i decided to recover mums chair for her before it goes to the residential home. Now bear in mind i have a level 3 qual. in upholstery and have done some pretty major recovering work in the past, but this has me baffled.
I have removed all but the arm bits of fabric but just cannot work out how they were done originally. There is no evidence of staples/screws etc. Thought i could get to it once the sides were of, but not going to happen.
Has anyone ever tackled anything like this or got any ideas. I can only think that it has all been glued together with industrial strength glue.
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[BrendaP]

Is there any evidence of glue? 

[sewmuchmore]

Is there any evidence of glue? 

I can't see any evidence but the only way i can see of finding out is to get a hammer and chisel under the arm rest and price it of but that is going to be a last resort.

[Greybird]

I have two armchairs that look very traditional and need recovering. They came originally from an antiques market but because of the labelling they have to be  modern. Having done a bit of upholstering before I thought I might have a go at them, but the more I looked at it the more I was convinced that glue had to have been used.

[Elnnina]

I have some chairs that have wooden arms but are covered and padded with the same fabric as the chair, however there is a hidden zip - so may be that is your answer.

[sewmuchmore]

Never thought to look for a zip, will check when i go to the house tomorrow.

[Elnnina]

Sewmuchmore, I have just almost turned the chair upside down to have a good look at the arm.  An ordinary zip has been used, one side has been stapled into the wood whilst the other side is sewn into the arm fabric and padding.  Also the way they have put the zip in is that the zip pull is well hidden and tucked away, so if you can imagine this the zip is inside out.  I would probably break a few finger nails trying to get  the part of the  zip pull  moving.

[toileandtrouble]

@Elnnina  I had to take the cover off a child's mattress made like that. I hooked a staple into the loop of the zip slider and was able to open it enough to reach the zip pull proper.

[Elnnina]

Sewmuchmore and toileandtrouble whilst sitting in my chair last evening I was running my hand over where the zip is and I think possibly it is an open end zip that they have used, and I suppose this would make sense.  It is certainly a very tight fit and then the fabric and its wadding come up and over the actual arm and then fills in the gap from the arm rest to the base  where again it is stapled into that area.  Needless to say I have not tried to remove it.  I know that upholsterers do seem to have massive power in their arms  for pulling etc.  I tried to remove the cover from the seat cushion and I couldn't manage it, yet my ex son in law found it no problem - well he was an upholsterer.  However in the factory they have a machine that squashes the foam and then the cover slides on - easy.