Fishboy dye your traps?
- Thread starter RUGER
- Start date
To prepare your traps (foot holds and body grippers)
First you want to get the oil/grease off them.
I pressure wash. Others use oven cleaner, brake cleaner, boil them in water....
Then you want a very light coat of surface rust. Either soak them in a solution of white vinegar and water for a bit or leave them out in the weather for a week or 2. If you use vinegar, be sure to neutralize the acid with baking soda/water when finished and rinse well.
Then you want to convert the rust to (I cant remember the name) but its basically like blueing a gun. Get a pack of logwood dye from a trapping supply house. ($3-5)
Add to boiling water and simmer your traps for about an hour. I used a metal wash tub on a turkey fryer. When you pull the traps out they will be black as the rust has been converted from Iron Oxide to (something more stable).
Then you typically want to wax your traps (not body grippers, foot holds only). Using trappers wax ( I think its scent free parafin wax) CAREFULLY heat until melted. You need enough to cover your trap. Plunk trap in hot wax and let sit for 5 minutes or so. You want the trap to get as hot as the wax so it gets a good thin coat. you DON'T want a thick coat of wax.
Drip off the excess wax and hang your trap to cool/dry. Now you are ready for the season!
Repeat as necessary when traps get contaminated/rusty.
First you want to get the oil/grease off them.
I pressure wash. Others use oven cleaner, brake cleaner, boil them in water....
Then you want a very light coat of surface rust. Either soak them in a solution of white vinegar and water for a bit or leave them out in the weather for a week or 2. If you use vinegar, be sure to neutralize the acid with baking soda/water when finished and rinse well.
Then you want to convert the rust to (I cant remember the name) but its basically like blueing a gun. Get a pack of logwood dye from a trapping supply house. ($3-5)
Add to boiling water and simmer your traps for about an hour. I used a metal wash tub on a turkey fryer. When you pull the traps out they will be black as the rust has been converted from Iron Oxide to (something more stable).
Then you typically want to wax your traps (not body grippers, foot holds only). Using trappers wax ( I think its scent free parafin wax) CAREFULLY heat until melted. You need enough to cover your trap. Plunk trap in hot wax and let sit for 5 minutes or so. You want the trap to get as hot as the wax so it gets a good thin coat. you DON'T want a thick coat of wax.
Drip off the excess wax and hang your trap to cool/dry. Now you are ready for the season!
Repeat as necessary when traps get contaminated/rusty.
You should remove the rubber jaws before waxing or you have to scrub them after. (actually it would be best to remove the rubber before boiling/dying/waxing but its a huge PITA )
Dying the traps does a couple things. It helps deodorize the traps. It helps remove any lingering oil/grease. It helps protect the trap from rust. Color isn't a big issue since they are normally buried in the ground.
Waxing helps waterproof the trap metal and speeds up the action a little. Sort of lubes the jaw/springs/levers.
Rubber jaws suck. Yes they do provide a little additional protection against foot damage, BUT!! they are only beneficial if they are in pristine condition. Boil them a time or three and they start to get hard and brittle. Freezeing temps cause them to get hard and brittle. Catch a coon and they will chew most of the rubber off the jaws. (replacement pads are about $4/trap + shipping) A yote I caught last year managed to crack the rubber on a new trap in 2 places.
Laminated offset jaws are superior in both holding power and damage prevention, but alas....they are not legal in TN.
Dying the traps does a couple things. It helps deodorize the traps. It helps remove any lingering oil/grease. It helps protect the trap from rust. Color isn't a big issue since they are normally buried in the ground.
Waxing helps waterproof the trap metal and speeds up the action a little. Sort of lubes the jaw/springs/levers.
Rubber jaws suck. Yes they do provide a little additional protection against foot damage, BUT!! they are only beneficial if they are in pristine condition. Boil them a time or three and they start to get hard and brittle. Freezeing temps cause them to get hard and brittle. Catch a coon and they will chew most of the rubber off the jaws. (replacement pads are about $4/trap + shipping) A yote I caught last year managed to crack the rubber on a new trap in 2 places.
Laminated offset jaws are superior in both holding power and damage prevention, but alas....they are not legal in TN.
pressfit
Well-Known Member
I always dyed my traps as I mostly water trapped and it makes them harder to see under the water...
If you are starting with new traps, I wouldn't bother trying to rust and dye them. I run my new traps through the dishwasher a couple times and then wax. If they've never rusted, they won't hold the dye. But if they've never rusted, they don't need the dye to neutralize the rust.
After they've made a catch, or rusted from anti-freeze, I power wash them, then boil clean, the boil dye, then wax. I will not fool around with dirty traps.
Some of my fox traps were treated with petroleum dip, then as they've been used I just treated with rustoleum as needed. Caught plenty of fox with them.
After they've made a catch, or rusted from anti-freeze, I power wash them, then boil clean, the boil dye, then wax. I will not fool around with dirty traps.
Some of my fox traps were treated with petroleum dip, then as they've been used I just treated with rustoleum as needed. Caught plenty of fox with them.
