trap dye

[tipiguy]

Anyone make there own?  What do you use?  I have some walnut hulls and was wondering what else to throw in to the brew...

tipiguy

[Catfish]

Back in 1900 and frooze to death, when I used to trap, wallnut hulls is all I ever use to die my traps. I would get some water with wallnut hulls  boiling well and then add some wax, a mix of bees wax and parfin, to the mix. Put a small stick in the jaws and then dip the trap and leave it it for 30 to 45 sec. Pull it out slowly and your trap is died and waxed in 1 easy motion.

[Appleknocker]

Besides walnut hulls, I have used tamarack bark, oak bark and sumac flowers/berries.  While these all work, there is more involved with them than just plain logwood powder or crystals.  The thing that I found with all the natural items was that more of the dye came off on your hands than with the powder or crystals.  I have also put pine or cedar branchs in with my dye for my canine sets.  I have now found cedar oil that I put in my wax.  I only dye and wax my canine traps.  Coon and all water traps get dipped or Formula 1.  Will be trying Kaatz's new dip this year.  Have heard alot of good things about it.

[Asa Lenon]

Tree barks such as oak, soft maple, hemlock, alder along with sumac berries are all good and natural for dyeing traps a blue-black color.   I use tagalder bark as it is a worthless scrub tree that grows everywhere around here.  I wouldn't want to debark a good tree like soft maple.  Also, I use Catfish's technique for dyeing and waxing traps in the same solution.  Those who have not had decent results waxing this way probably didn't have a quality wax containing some refined beeswax. Like Appleknocker, I also add aromatic oils and odors such as cedar to my boiling solution as well as adding some to the wax for canine traps. This methiod practically eliminates ever getting a trap dug at by a canine. Another favorite aromatic of mine is sweet ferns as everything smells like that in a lot of my trapping territory.  One should use what is most natural to their area. Ace

[Rob220swift]

I used maple this year and like it better that the logwood crystals I used in prior years.  Ace, I get my maple barkfrom the stuff laying at the log sidings so I don't debark any trees, not even the lowly tag alder. lol  By the way, I'm heading out to Manistique at 300am for some fishing tomorrow.  Hope the Kings are hungry.
Rob

[Mallard]

I use wallnut hulls with nothing else. I've been happy wit the results, although I know there are other options. I've tried sumac, but didn't get good results with it. As far as wax goes, I use a seporate container. I tried the method of mixing it with the dye, but the wax flaked. It was quality wax, but It seemed the wet steel didn't want to take the wax evenly. I switched over to dying and then letting the traps dry, then dip in the wax pot and leave in the wax for a minute so that its an even light coat.

[IntrepidWizard]

Coffee grounds and/or Acorns is all I have ever used---I take that back I did use Black walnut once.

[ak homesteader]

I've used walnut hulls for over thirty years and they don't come better.
I have to admit a few years back I went hi-tech and tried speed dip, it works fine although I tend to use more traditional dyes like walnuts and tundra moss.

[redpig]

I use oak bark, mormon tea ,cresote brush and tar bush. All common scents for the desert. I also mix the dye with the wax adding 1oz of rosin per 10lbs of paraffin wax or unscented candle wax.I also use plants that grow in the different areas that I trap. works well