I have always been a pretty proud stubborn guy. I also have carpal tunnel issues so it gets hard to be stubborn. I have always set them by hand for the most part. When a wire dog proof got to be hard to set i tried the freedom brand FB1. I liked it easy to set but i did have troubles keeping them set right after a few catches. I switched to the Bridger dog proofs and loved them. They have metal built onto the spring for a better grip and are easier to set. Really great all around trap. In my infinite wisdom though i sold all of my traps when i moved to Washington thinking I was going to live there forever and be a cage trapper. Neither worked out lol. So now i got wolf creek diablos. I like them seem like a good trap and are cheap. but however being just wire and my hands being worse i am looking into contraptions for a setter. Pride will likely have to go along the wayside this year as i know when it gets cold i wont be setting them by hand. I like all of the different ideas folks are throwing out. I am going to likely make a flat screwdriver work as i have 10,000 of them from buying screwdriver sets everytime i lose all of my Phillips head screwdrivers. They are like the 10mm socket of the screwdriver world for me.

Macthediver makes a great setter maybe he will post a picture.

I just tie a slip knot in the leather strap of my purse. When I do that, I need to make sure that I don't wear my good blouse so as not to get it all rusty when I put my purse back over my shoulder.
Us real trappers know how to adapt, improvise, overcome...

I always have a Quick Grip bar clamp in my trapping gear so if my hands are hurting and swollen from carpal tunnel and arthritis I use the quick grip to close the spring. Also I can use the quick grip to set body grips also. If I have two they work to set overly heavy spring leg traps.

Quick grip??

made some setters bought the cedar creek just to support a fellow trapper but a long flat blade screw driver is my go to tool.

I'm trying to DYI and save money. I can get a Duke setter for three bucks.

I understand I'm a cheapskate too. lol but these setters are far easier to set the traps with for those who would like the best available.