Footholds, dye and wax or?

[Bushmonkey]

I have used footholds in the past and just boiled them in baking soda and air dryed them to get the smell off them.

I have never dyed and waxed.

I've got speed dip and the wax, but is there a point?

Whats the benifits of dye and waxed? Does it increase your catch rate or just prevent rust

[Bushmonkey]

anyone???

[Tfng]

Originally Posted by Bushmonkey

anyone???

I'm the last guy who should be giving advice but no else seems to be interested. My understanding is a waxed trap will be faster and will protect your traps from excessive rust.

[nube]

Originally Posted by TFNG

I'm the last guy who should be giving advice but no else seems to be interested. My understanding is a waxed trap will be faster and will protect your traps from excessive rust.

It's not that I am not interested TFNG I just have never used footholds other than rat traps. I have no idea on coyote type traps. I would assume that Wax is a good idea to protect them and to run smoothly.
Try going on the Trapperman site and take a look. Lots of info there or do a search on the internet perhaps

[Bushmonkey]

Originally Posted by nube

It's not that I am not interested TFNG I just have never used footholds other than rat traps. I have no idea on coyote type traps. I would assume that Wax is a good idea to protect them and to run smoothly.
Try going on the Trapperman site and take a look. Lots of info there or do a search on the internet perhaps

thanks.

I have read and looked and read again. It's tough to get a final answer.

some say no wax or dye needed.

Some say just wax

Some say wax and dye a must

Some say the dye in gas based dips can smell up the trap.


I know why wax is used.. speeds it up and prevents rust, from my understanding

But why dye them? What does it do? Both the chain and trap is under snow. So I don't think it hides them. So whats up with the wax?

[Tfng]

Originally Posted by nube

It's not that I am not interested TFNG I just have never used footholds other than rat traps. I have no idea on coyote type traps. I would assume that Wax is a good idea to protect them and to run smoothly.
Try going on the Trapperman site and take a look. Lots of info there or do a search on the internet perhaps

Good advice, the Archives are great over there. I've been considering buying a few footholds for next year. I will wax them at least.

[braggadoe]

it's a personal preference thing. but you have to do something to prevent rust.CaCl is hell on a trap.

i waxed my coyote foot traps. but then once a trap(K9) gets contaminated, you have to boil again. and then the wax is gone.

a few of mine are still waxed, but not many. do to reboiling through out the season.

i won't rewax, unless i'm bored. looking for some thing to do.

just removed the grease at the car wash from the new traps and put them straight out this fall. and they worked. no wax,no dye/paint

i'll paint all my foot traps with some tremclad this spring and let them air out over the summer.

they say that "full metal jacket" is good stuff. but i'll just paint/repaint all my traps. rat traps, larger foot traps, coni's, every thing all at once.

[Torkdiesel]

Mine are all water based speed dipped. White for all my number 3's and black for all my Bridger Brawns.

What I've been told is best

[winmag]

helps cover scent and helps with rusting when using salt in inclement weather in dirt hole sets which can be nasty on un waxed traps

[Bushmonkey]

Thanks for the replies.

I have some rusty traps to clean. I try waxing half and dye/wax the other half. See which i like more.

[nube]

Use this for Trapperman forum to search
http://sniperstrappingplace.com/tmansearch.php

[Brian Bildson]

I never wax footholds. I clean new traps in carwash first, boil gently in logwood crystals every year, and have had good luck. I paint my lynx traps with what ever metal paint I have around. I've used speed dip and it is nice product. Also used a product called formula 1? Tough white coating.

[KegRiver]

I've used wax many times over the year, and I've set a lot of clean leg holds as well.

My thoughts.

When the weather is cold, a clean trap is about all you need 99% of the time.
At temps below -10 rust is not an issue and scent dissipates over time plus it's not always a deal breaker.

Now I only use wax if I'm targeting a trap wise animal or setting in a corrosive environment such as a highway ditch.

Wax can speed up a trap and it can make a trap over sensitive. I've seen it do both. To that end I highly recommend using a combined wax, at least 10% Bees wax in paraffin. Bees wax is softer so less slippery, paraffin is much harder and can chip off, adding Bees wax softens the mixture making it slower and less likely to chip off.

And if you're going to use it, float the wax on top of boiling water. You want the traps hot, but straight wax can be a real fire hazard. Floating it on water prevents the wax from overheating and exploding.

Let the trap warm up toughly in the water before withdrawing it through the wax. That way you will get the thinest coating and that is more then enough to do what you need.