Old Traps-Newbie question

[joker80p]

Well talking with my soon to be father in law last night about getting into trapping and he tells me he has milk crates full of different size coil spring traps and body gripper style traps, he guesses about 100 to 150 traps all together.  My question is they have been sitting out in the barn for years.  How difficult will it be to get them usable again.  I havent been able to get to them yet so i dont know how rusted or if rusted, but say they are, will it be difficult to get them usable or would it be worth it.
What approach should i take to them, i know my approach to rust is always wd-40,   also what is dipping? that just some kind of coating, should it be done to the ones i get working again.

[Macthediver]

joker80p
What ever you do don't WD-40 them. It really will depend on how much rust is on the traps how you deal with them. If there are just light rusted you'll be in good shape. From there you would need only to Dye or dip your traps. If they have some flak type rust then you'll probably have to boil them off or wire brush them good before dye or dip. Pitting can be a whole different issue. I'd look them over let us know what you have,, pictures would be real good.
Then someone here will be able to direct you for sure.

Mac

[joker80p]

well i went out to check things out.  The body gripper traps are light to medium rust, nothing really heavy, nothing that looks like its not going to come off or pitting.   The coil springs are around the same.  light rust still able to set, trigger pads are stiff but i set and set off a few of them and they work good. No flakes or anything like that.  So..what are my options.  Personaly i didnt see anything i dont think a wire brush couldnt handle.  Brush them off, losen the trigger pads up a little so they move a little more freely, then on to dying them. I will also need some help there.  What is the stuff, where do i get it, and what is the easiest way to do it.

[RdFx]

You can get everything you want to  prepare traps for trapping on this site from Boggy or Tom  the proprieter of this site.. Ask him.... just holler  Ohhhhh Boggy and he  should come around  from skinning rats in his basement!

[Bogmaster]

 Indeed,I carry the products for dyeing and waxing or dipping your traps.
 That wire brush is real good for getting those traps ready.
 Tom

[TrapperRay]

Got a power washer handy or is the local car wash open, a good high pressure wash, let'em dry and treat them with a good dye or what ever Tom has on hand, don't use your wife's dish washer as this can cause a divorce in a New York minute, best of luck, trapping is very addictive, later Ray.

[Bogmaster]

 Ray, the boy isn't married yet.Now seems like a good time to try out any dish washers that may be availabel--they do get traps squeaky clean.
 Tom

[hillbill]

i like the pressure washer idea, when you go to dye them yu can use walnut hulls or walnut bark  or even red oak bark kinda pulverized and chopped up. just drop it all in a wash tub or milk can and boil away. then do yur waxin when yur bout done and ready to pull them out.

[Bogmaster]

 You get a much better wax job,if it is done separately from the dye.Floating wax on the water,and pulling your traps through it--is spotty at best.I used a double boiler system with just wax,when I still used the dye and wax process.
 Tom

[Macthediver]

I like to live dangerously and don't use a double boiler for my wax can. I do have it rigged though so that there is no way it can tip over. Nothing will strip the hide off you or set you on fire like dumping hot wax on your self. A tall narrow wax container makes it much easier to dip traps using less wax to do so.

Mac