I received a p.m. from Roztocke today, and he thought it would be fun to start a thread that would have hand forged mountain man traps and trade axes in the thread. I believe there is quite a few of you guys that have those items. So let's see them. The first item I'm going to show is a trade axe that I found in Canada at an antique store.

Some trade axes,spears,trap setter, ice chisel,fleshing tools made from broken trap springs and a few traps!

Very cool stuff Roztocki. Thanks for posting these wonderful collectables. Greg

Neat stuff

This thread interests me

The oldest trap I have is a NH I've been told is from 1878. Nowhere near as old as these. Thanks guys.

Ole'Smoke if you get a chance take a photo and put it on here. Greg

Keep it going guys! Anything from the mountain man era interests me! I've become an (almost) 100% flintlock and traditional long bow hunter. Thats big game, small game, and waterfowl. I've also been interested in the traps but never got my hands on a forged iron trap.

This past October my wife and I visited the U.P. of Michigan for a few days,while there I purchased a hand forged trap about a#4 size with some very small teeth. Single spring,no chain and the pan is half rusted away,just a wall hanger.But a great reminder of our trip to Manistique and some beautiful country.

Here is a photo of a handforged trap that I bought several years ago. Actually my wife found it! The trap only has one spring, but, the interesting feature about the trap is that it has U.S. stamped on the pan. My best guess is this. In 1795 the federal government started up a chain of Indian factories, what were later know as the Department of Indian Trade. The first two of these Indian factories were set up in what is now Georgia and Tennessee. It's sorta hard to say if my guess is correct. If anyone else has an thought, please post it. Greg

Thanks guys for posting. We will keep digging for more. This is stuff I've accumulated for many years. Most of it came from northern minnesota.

A beaver trap used by Daniel Boone.

Now in the West Virginia State Museum

Really cool trap. Thanks for showing.

Here is a photo of a Halladay trap. Philo Halladay was a New York blacksmith who made traps up to bear size. In the 1850 U.S. Census it lists Halladay as a 54 year old blacksmith.

Keep it coming.

Can you show the eyes on some of the trade axes? I'm curious if they folded and welded a strap or used some other method to make it.

Matt

NICE STUFF! Thanks for sharing

Not all axes are marked, in fact it seems most are not.This larger axe was found on leech lake MN. The spike style one I found while bear hunting in the late eighties near finlayson, mn. I would not want to be on the receiving end of that one. The trap is the only one I've seen with one nut and hook in jaws, probably for ease of transport or repair.

I have been watching these posts of old traps and really enjoyed them, this is the only forged trap I own I bought off ebay on a whim when ebay was brand new I can't see any marks or stamps on it and the springs are spongy




it's so cool to hold a trapper from the past's trap and wonder

That is a beautiful trap, not many had teeth. Thanks for sharing!