Recently bought some used traps. They in great shape but have excess rust on them. What's the best way to get it off so I can die and wax?

50/50 solution of vinegar and water. If you have a lot maybe you could do them in a big tub. No heat required with this process.

Place them in a clean plastic 5 gallon bucket. Put traps in then add vinegar. Let set for a couple days, rinse with fresh waterm and the heavy rust should be gone.

I just did some MB550’s that had old dip on them from two seasons ago, some with Rustoleum paint, and a couple that were rusty enough I thought I should maybe just toss them.
I used straight white vinegar in a 5 gal. buckets and let the traps sit for a week.
There was a terribly ugly crust on top of the bucket!

I took them out yesterday and went to the local car wash, they were dark gray/black from the dip sediment, paint and vinegar mix. Most of the paint and dip had dissolved off them.
I hit them with the power spray of rinse water and they looked like brand new!
All the remaining paint /dip on them came right off, even inside the coil springs.
No scrubbing or brushing anything.

Im going to dip everything in F1. No more Rustoleum or dying and waxing ever again.
I will mix 3 parts of water to 1 part F1, let them sit about 12 hours and dip again. In 24 hrs. they will be done and ready for new earth anchors.
When they get dirty, I will take them to the car wash, then dip them in F1 again.

Slim Pederson started doing that years ago when he was trapping out of state because he couldn't dye and wax his traps so he starting using F1 because it has no chemical or gas odor and is ready to set the next day after they are dipped.

^^^this works great for me, after a week take to carwash, the black slime will come off and they'll look like new

..and make sure to put a nail tween the jaws

After the traps have soaked in vinegar and have been removed from the vinegar solution shouldn’t they also be dunked in a bath of water and baking soda to neutralize them and stop the vinegar from continuing to attack the metal ?

Yes I would do that.Or at least rinse them off good.

Just rinse them well after the vinegar and they will be fine.

Agree with Corky. I have used vinegar with countless metal objects and have never used anything but water rinsing to stop the vinegar. I have never seen any additional corrosion on anything.

Moosetrot

I would be safe and neutralize.Water does not neutralize.Vinegar or other acids can stay inbetween the coils of springs,etc.If you have never dismantled a trap like the MB coils,you would be surprised. How much gunk gets trapped inside the 2 piece base.Baking soda is cheap insurancd and will get in,any place that the acid can.In fact,I have found that a neutralized trap will rust better and faster than one just rinsed off.Try one each way and you should see what I mean.Either way,they are your traps so...........

I agree with this. I use vinegar a lot. For traps, lanterns and anything metal that's rusty. I personally have noticed spring weakness on traps that were left to long or not neutralized proper. I am getting away from vinegar and building a electrolysis tank this spring coming.

Sounds pretty cool,Catch.Great idea.

Store bought vinegar is already diluted to 17% Some people use as is as salad dressing. No neutralization necessary.It just isn't potent enough to cause springs to weaken. Just wash it off.
Go ahead and use salt water used in Electrolosis if you want.

My bad. I'm wrong.
Walmarts Good Value vinegar is diluted to 5%.
sorry for the wrong information.
just

If you neutralize in baking soda water After a Few days in Vinegar there is no chance of spring damage.

what is f-1??

water based dip/dye from Newt. his site is www.snareone.com

dip today and lay steel tomorrow...providing the humidity is low enough for F1 to dry...if its good enough for Slim Pedersen and Newt, its good enough for me...been using it bout a decade now.

F1 is good stuff

What strength vinegar should you use?