# Trap Talk



## Larry (Dec 2, 2010)

Looking for advise before I spend almost $700 on 3 dozen new steel traps.

Anyone one used these or have any stories regarding the good or bad?

1) Bridger #3 fully modified dog-less are on my mind. My concern is the square jaws. (I have had more misses with square jaws than round jaws. NOTE: 1 miss cost me $35 to $200)

2) Montgomery makes a #4 off set round jaw that has appeal also. But its jaws are not laminated. I knew the old Montgomery trap company and their products were reputable, I know nothing about today's companies products)

----Price's are comparable; with Bridger being made overseas their price is lower of course. #3 Bridger are ~$214/dozen and #4 Montgomery are ~$236

I have been to various trap chat rooms and read what they had to say. I stopped after 4 web sites, as I honestly didn't trust any post. However I would go on their for advise for a new cell phone's as they sure new about gimmicks. Hahaha


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

Sorry Larry , not a leghold trapper. Post this on one of the trapping forums and I'm sure you'll get some answers

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk


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## Steve D (Feb 5, 2016)

Never used the dogless or the larger squarejaws. Try here....
bunch of knowledgeable guys always willing to help.

http://nytrappers.proboards.com/


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

I'll bet a beer and a box of rocks that you'll never hear me say a good thing about bridger steel.

awprint:


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## Larry (Dec 2, 2010)

Cat...My problem is I am as old as you. We had good tools in our youth. Some of My Blake and Lamb #3 under-spring jumps are still busting through frozen ground after 45 years of use. But then Pennsylvania steel was reliable.

Steve and C2C thanks for the advise. I perused Trapper-man forums, NY Trapper, Alberta and even watched quite a few online videos. They had good info, but I saw few not one post from a true long liner that really relies on and uses equipment. Nor did I see any post where anyone sprung their traps at the end of the season and went back and used them the followup season.

I am really confused this year men. Heres more of the reason why I am.

*Comparison*

I stopped at The Snare shop on the way to the Sand hills Trap- line in Nebraska. Frankly I could not see any difference in frame build between the Duke #3, Bridger #2/3, and Oneida #2/3. Left me wondering if they all by their parts from the same Korean company. Victor says they are made in America however without a metallurgical analysis a just observation I could believe Victor buy parts overseas and assemble them on US soil.

*Minnesota Brand*

Then come Minnesota Brand on the scene.

Sometime in my life I remember using the pan dog set up like they have. Might of been some old victor 1 1/2 raccoon traps. I seem to also remember allot of caught gloves and pinch finger tips as a result. Especially if you did not file off the burrs on the dog. Maybe MB traps over came that as they sound like their pans have some sort of night latch notch???

Second I look at the Minnseota Brand 650 4 coil in a catalog I received this year. What catches my eyes in the picture is the shiny spring bolts. Spring bolts with acorn lock nuts which appear to be stainless. Then the engineer in me lights up and I start wondering whats going to happen in a few years with corrosion. In case you all did not know Bimetallic galvanic corrosion occurs when high carbon steel such as that in springs comes in contact with the stainless steel. The result of the contact is pitting of both metals as free electrons fire back and forth.

Add a little antifreeze to you set in winter to keep your traps working. I like good old table salt (Sodium Chloride) to keep my traps working. But I cannot use it on the MB if the spring bolts are stainless. If I did immediate free electron flow from the K shell increases, hydrogen chloride forms. In the summer I hang the traps in tree and every morning the dew reacts with the Hydrogen chloride. That water reaction creates hydro-chloric acid. You might as well weld the trap shut after the first season as corrosion will do it anyway.

For somebody that says hey why did you not wax them. I hate wax and besides rusty traps seem to work pretty good and I have never had one fail do to rust. But Ill answer anyway, how do I get wax on the inside of the spring and spring bolt and make it stay.

Perhaps those are not stainless bolts and I just wrote allot for nothing.

*Duke Traps*

I had a long talk with Duke traps explain to them what they could do with there #3 coil spring. I bought 6 of these on sale at a farm supply store and used them last season. Coils were okay, frame was heavy and took plenty of muscle power with a large pair of vice grips to get the dog adjusted. Jaw spread was 5 1/2 inside with stout 1/4 inch stamped jaws. Add JC Conner TOAS spring set and I may have a great trap who knows? I see Duke is now doing that with their #4s. BTW I would get rid of Dukes squeeze on D ring holder and add a real base plate.


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