Dye/Wax

[sharpshooter]

I am about to buy some 550's and Dp traps and get after these coons and Yotes on my place. I have never trapped with these types of traps and know nothing about them. Do I need to order dye and wax when I order my traps and give them a treatment or can I wait till the traps get some age on them and dye/wax them?

 

[hammer33]

the conventional wisdom is to degrease them, spritz with vinegar/water solution to allow them to rust just a little, clean them, then dye/wax. I used to do that. Now I degrease (spray with carb or brake cleaner) , spray paint with rustoleum, and hang outside in the sun for a week to dry/cure.
I get almost a whole season from this treatment with multiple catches before the paint is scraped off enough to need repainting. As an added bonus I have pretty traps in several colors :p

 

[wildlifefarmer]

For myself, I don't use wax or dye. New traps from factory, wash the grease off and throw them in the ground. After trapping season clean with vinegar and water mixture, half & half. Rinse then let air dry. They will turn alittle rusty in about 30 minutes then dip in full metal jacket. Good to go for the next season!!

 

[Trapper]

Like said above but I will run mine through the dishwasher ( without the wife's knowledge of it ) . The way I look at putting dye on a trap that going to get covered up with dirt or other material is useless, but I do always wax them . Traps that's going in water is a different story .