i find myself too cheap to buy a pair of tongs, plus i don't have too large of an amount of 330's to make it worth it. i have tried the rope method, which works good, but the eyes of most traps aren't closed all the way and can slip out. so what i do, i either put my boot or my knee on the trap jaws, while on a hard surface, and just push the springs down by hand and latch the spring safety. i'm a pretty big guy, and it helps to have a little weight behind ya to help.