diff --git a/sh/_lsarchive b/sh/_lsarchive
index f5c1351..f2cee88 100755
--- a/sh/_lsarchive
+++ b/sh/_lsarchive
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/bin/zsh
 #compdef lsarchive
 #autoload
 
@@ -11,5 +10,4 @@
 
 _arguments \
   '(-v --verbose)'{-v,--remove}'[verbose archive listing]' \
-  "*::archive file:_files -g '(#i)*.(tar|tgz|tbz|tbz2|txz|tlz|gz|bz2|xz|lzma|Z|zip|rar|7z)(-.)'" && return 0
-
+  "*::archive file:_files -g '(#i)*.(tar|tgz|tbz|tbz2|txz|tlz|gz|bz2|xz|lzma|Z|zip|jar|rar|7z)(-.)'" && return 0
diff --git a/sh/_unarchive b/sh/_unarchive
index 2c4caf7..90e32f1 100755
--- a/sh/_unarchive
+++ b/sh/_unarchive
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/bin/zsh
 #compdef unarchive
 #autoload
 
@@ -11,5 +10,4 @@
 
 _arguments \
   '(-r --remove)'{-r,--remove}'[remove archive]' \
-  "*::archive file:_files -g '(#i)*.(tar|tgz|tbz|tbz2|txz|tlz|gz|bz2|xz|lzma|Z|zip|rar|7z|deb)(-.)'" && return 0
-
+  "*::archive file:_files -g '(#i)*.(tar|tgz|tbz|tbz2|txz|tlz|gz|bz2|xz|lzma|Z|zip|jar|rar|7z|deb)(-.)'" && return 0
diff --git a/sh/archive b/sh/archive
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..10bbad3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sh/archive
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env zsh
+#
+# Creates archive file
+#
+# Authors:
+#   Matt Hamilton <m@tthamilton.com>
+#
+
+# function archive {
+
+local archive_name path_to_archive _gzip_bin _bzip2_bin _xz_bin
+
+if (( $# < 2 )); then
+  cat >&2 <<EOF
+usage: $0 [archive_name.zip] [/path/to/include/into/archive ...]
+
+Where 'archive.zip' uses any of the following extensions:
+
+.tar.gz, .tar.bz2, .tar.xz, .tar.lzma, .tar, .zip, .rar, .7z
+
+There is no '-v' switch; all operations are verbose.
+EOF
+return 1
+fi
+
+# we are quitting (above) if there are not exactly 2 vars,
+#  so we don't need any argc check here.
+
+# strip the path, just in case one is provided for some reason
+archive_name="${1:t}"
+# let paths be handled by actual archive helper
+path_to_archive="${@:2}"
+
+# here, we check for dropin/multi-threaded replacements
+# this should eventually be moved to modules/archive/init.zsh
+# as a global alias
+if (( $+commands[pigz] )); then
+  _gzip_bin='pigz'
+else
+  _gzip_bin='gzip'
+fi
+
+if (( $+commands[pixz] )); then
+  _xz_bin='pixz'
+else
+  _xz_bin='xz'
+fi
+
+if (( $+commands[lbzip2] )); then
+  _bzip2_bin='lbzip2'
+elif (( $+commands[pbzip2] )); then
+  _bzip2_bin='pbzip2'
+else
+  _bzip2_bin='bzip2'
+fi
+
+case "${archive_name}" in
+  (*.tar.gz|*.tgz) tar -cvf "${archive_name}" --use-compress-program="${_gzip_bin}" "${=path_to_archive}" ;;
+  (*.tar.bz2|*.tbz|*.tbz2) tar -cvf "${archive_name}" --use-compress-program="${_bzip2_bin}" "${=path_to_archive}" ;;
+  (*.tar.xz|*.txz) tar -cvf "${archive_name}" --use-compress-program="${_xz_bin}" "${=path_to_archive}" ;;
+  (*.tar.lzma|*.tlz) tar -cvf "${archive_name}" --lzma "${=path_to_archive}" ;;
+  (*.tar) tar -cvf "${archive_name}" "${=path_to_archive}" ;;
+  (*.zip|*.jar) zip -r "${archive_name}" "${=path_to_archive}" ;;
+  (*.rar) rar a "${archive_name}" "${=path_to_archive}" ;;
+  (*.7z) 7za a "${archive_name}" "${=path_to_archive}" ;;
+  (*.gz) print "\n.gz is only useful for single files, and does not capture permissions. Use .tar.gz" ;;
+  (*.bz2) print "\n.bzip2 is only useful for single files, and does not capture permissions. Use .tar.bz2" ;;
+  (*.xz) print "\n.xz is only useful for single files, and does not capture permissions. Use .tar.xz" ;;
+  (*.lzma) print "\n.lzma is only useful for single files, and does not capture permissions. Use .tar.lzma" ;;
+  (*) print "\nunknown archive type for archive: ${archive_name}" ;;
+esac
+
+# }
diff --git a/sh/lsarchive b/sh/lsarchive
index 8e9172b..7f892d1 100755
--- a/sh/lsarchive
+++ b/sh/lsarchive
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/bin/zsh
 #
 # Lists the contents of archives.
 #
@@ -6,10 +5,12 @@
 #   Sorin Ionescu <sorin.ionescu@gmail.com>
 #
 
+# function lsarchive {
+
 local verbose
 
 if (( $# == 0 )); then
-    cat >&2 <<EOF
+  cat >&2 <<EOF
 usage: $0 [-option] [file ...]
 
 options:
@@ -20,38 +21,41 @@ EOF
 fi
 
 if [[ "$1" == "-v" || "$1" == "--verbose" ]]; then
-    verbose=0
-    shift
+  verbose=0
+  shift
 fi
 
 while (( $# > 0 )); do
-    if [[ ! -s "$1" ]]; then
-        print "$0: file not valid: $1" >&2
-        shift
-        continue
-    fi
+  if [[ ! -s "$1" ]]; then
+    print "$0: file not valid: $1" >&2
+    shift
+    continue
+  fi
 
-    case "$1" in
-      (*.tar.gz|*.tgz) tar t${verbose:+v}vzf "$1" ;;
-      (*.tar.bz2|*.tbz|*.tbz2) tar t${verbose:+v}jf "$1" ;;
-      (*.tar.xz|*.txz) tar --xz --help &> /dev/null \
-        && tar --xz -t${verbose:+v}f "$1" \
-        || xzcat "$1" | tar t${verbose:+v}f - ;;
-      (*.tar.zma|*.tlz) tar --lzma --help &> /dev/null \
-        && tar --lzma -t${verbose:+v}f "$1" \
-        || lzcat "$1" | tar x${verbose:+v}f - ;;
-      (*.tar) tar t${verbose:+v}f "$1" ;;
-      (*.zip) unzip -l${verbose:+v} "$1" ;;
-      (*.rar) unrar &> /dev/null \
-        && unrar ${${verbose:+v}:-l} "$1" \
-        || rar ${${verbose:+v}:-l} "$1" ;;
-      (*.7z) 7za l "$1" ;;
-      (*)
-        print "$0: cannot list: $1" >&2
-        success=1
-      ;;
+  case "$1:l" in
+    (*.tar.gz|*.tgz) tar t${verbose:+v}vzf "$1" ;;
+    (*.tar.bz2|*.tbz|*.tbz2) tar t${verbose:+v}jf "$1" ;;
+    (*.tar.xz|*.txz) tar --xz --help &> /dev/null \
+      && tar --xz -t${verbose:+v}f "$1" \
+      || xzcat "$1" | tar t${verbose:+v}f - ;;
+    (*.tar.zma|*.tlz) tar --lzma --help &> /dev/null \
+      && tar --lzma -t${verbose:+v}f "$1" \
+      || lzcat "$1" | tar x${verbose:+v}f - ;;
+    (*.tar) tar t${verbose:+v}f "$1" ;;
+    (*.zip|*.jar) unzip -l${verbose:+v} "$1" ;;
+    (*.rar) ( (( $+commands[unrar] )) \
+      && unrar ${${verbose:+v}:-l} "$1" ) \
+      || ( (( $+commands[rar] )) \
+      && rar ${${verbose:+v}:-l} "$1" ) \
+      || lsar ${verbose:+-l} "$1" ;;
+    (*.7z) 7za l "$1" ;;
+    (*)
+      print "$0: cannot list: $1" >&2
+      success=1
+    ;;
   esac
 
   shift
 done
 
+# }
diff --git a/sh/unarchive b/sh/unarchive
index 4c2f3d0..9e38a80 100755
--- a/sh/unarchive
+++ b/sh/unarchive
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/bin/zsh
 #
 # Extracts the contents of archives.
 #
@@ -6,13 +5,17 @@
 #   Sorin Ionescu <sorin.ionescu@gmail.com>
 #
 
+# function unarchive {
+
 local remove_archive
 local success
 local file_name
+local file_path
 local extract_dir
+local _gzip_bin _bzip2_bin _xz_bin
 
 if (( $# == 0 )); then
-    cat >&2 <<EOF
+  cat >&2 <<EOF
 usage: $0 [-option] [file ...]
 
 options:
@@ -24,57 +27,82 @@ fi
 
 remove_archive=1
 if [[ "$1" == "-r" || "$1" == "--remove" ]]; then
-    remove_archive=0
-    shift
+  remove_archive=0
+  shift
+fi
+
+# here, we check for dropin/multi-threaded replacements
+# this should eventually be moved to modules/archive/init.zsh
+# as a global alias
+if (( $+commands[pigz] )); then
+  _gzip_bin='pigz'
+else
+  _gzip_bin='gzip'
+fi
+
+if (( $+commands[pixz] )); then
+  _xz_bin='pixz'
+else
+  _xz_bin='xz'
+fi
+
+if (( $+commands[lbzip2] )); then
+  _bzip2_bin='lbzip2'
+elif (( $+commands[pbzip2] )); then
+  _bzip2_bin='pbzip2'
+else
+  _bzip2_bin='bzip2'
 fi
 
 while (( $# > 0 )); do
-    if [[ ! -s "$1" ]]; then
-        print "$0: file not valid: $1" >&2
-        shift
-        continue
-    fi
-
-    success=0
-    file_name="${1:t}"
-    extract_dir="${file_name:r}"
-    case "$1" in
-      (*.tar.gz|*.tgz) tar xvzf "$1" ;;
-      (*.tar.bz2|*.tbz|*.tbz2) tar xvjf "$1" ;;
-      (*.tar.xz|*.txz) tar --xz --help &> /dev/null \
-        && tar --xz -xvf "$1" \
-        || xzcat "$1" | tar xvf - ;;
-      (*.tar.zma|*.tlz) tar --lzma --help &> /dev/null \
-        && tar --lzma -xvf "$1" \
-        || lzcat "$1" | tar xvf - ;;
-      (*.tar) tar xvf "$1" ;;
-      (*.gz) gunzip "$1" ;;
-      (*.bz2) bunzip2 "$1" ;;
-      (*.xz) unxz "$1" ;;
-      (*.lzma) unlzma "$1" ;;
-      (*.Z) uncompress "$1" ;;
-      (*.zip) unzip "$1" -d $extract_dir ;;
-      (*.rar) unrar &> /dev/null \
-        && unrar e -ad "$1" \
-        || rar e -ad "$1" ;;
-      (*.7z) 7za x "$1" ;;
-      (*.deb)
-        mkdir -p "$extract_dir/control"
-        mkdir -p "$extract_dir/data"
-        cd "$extract_dir"; ar vx "../${1}" > /dev/null
-        cd control; tar xzvf ../control.tar.gz
-        cd ../data; tar xzvf ../data.tar.gz
-        cd ..; rm *.tar.gz debian-binary
-        cd ..
-      ;;
-      (*)
-        print "$0: cannot extract: $1" >&2
-        success=1
-      ;;
-    esac
-
-    (( success = $success > 0 ? $success : $? ))
-    (( $success == 0 )) && (( $remove_archive == 0 )) && rm "$1"
+  if [[ ! -s "$1" ]]; then
+    print "$0: file not valid: $1" >&2
     shift
+    continue
+  fi
+
+  success=0
+  file_name="${1:t}"
+  file_path="${1:A}"
+  extract_dir="${file_name:r}"
+  case "$1:l" in
+    (*.tar.gz|*.tgz) tar -xvf "$1" --use-compress-program="${_gzip_bin}" ;;
+    (*.tar.bz2|*.tbz|*.tbz2) tar -xvf "$1" --use-compress-program="${_bzip2_bin}" ;;
+    (*.tar.xz|*.txz) tar -xvf "$1" --use-compress-program="${_xz_bin}" ;;
+    (*.tar.zma|*.tlz) tar --lzma --help &> /dev/null \
+      && tar --lzma -xvf "$1" \
+      || lzcat "$1" | tar -xvf - ;;
+    (*.tar) tar -xvf "$1" ;;
+    (*.gz) gunzip "$1" ;;
+    (*.bz2) bunzip2 "$1" ;;
+    (*.xz) unxz "$1" ;;
+    (*.lzma) unlzma "$1" ;;
+    (*.Z) uncompress "$1" ;;
+    (*.zip|*.jar) unzip "$1" -d $extract_dir ;;
+    (*.rar) ( (( $+commands[unrar] )) \
+      && unrar x -ad "$1" ) \
+      || ( (( $+commands[rar] )) \
+      && rar x -ad "$1" ) \
+      || unar -d "$1" ;;
+    (*.7z) 7za x "$1" ;;
+    (*.deb)
+      mkdir -p "$extract_dir/control"
+      mkdir -p "$extract_dir/data"
+      cd "$extract_dir"; ar vx "${file_path}" > /dev/null
+      cd control; tar xvf ../control.tar.*
+      cd ../data; tar xvf ../data.tar.*
+      cd ..; rm control.tar.* data.tar.* debian-binary
+      cd ..
+    ;;
+    (*)
+      print "$0: cannot extract: $1" >&2
+      success=1
+    ;;
+  esac
+
+  (( success = $success > 0 ? $success : $? ))
+  (( $success == 0 )) && (( $remove_archive == 0 )) && rm "$1"
+  shift
 done
 
+# }