I had some new traps powder coated and have used them primarily for coyotes about 5 years. They have got chips and bite marks for sure, some worse than others. Overall not terrible but enough to have some rust spots so after about 3 years I started boiling them in walnut hulls to convert the rust. If I am going to need to dye them anyway, I probably will not get anymore powder coated.

There must be different types of powder coating. Those DPs that are powder coated are nothing like the traps I have had powder coated. A decent powder coating would make those DPs a lot more expensive then they are.
I get a deal because I know some one. But I was told that a #3 sized foot hold would cost about $5.00 per trap. So you can see that those DPs aren't really powder coated.

Yep, that price sounds about right. I payed a little less than that for MB 550s, chain and all but that was 5 years ago. I did not know anyone and was just a walk in customer. Think I had about 4 dozen done at one time.

plated with a heavy zinc chromate have been in the ground since nov 10th have been making catches and still no rust at all on the traps. I have thought about doing my dps as well to see what a coon can do to the plating. so far I feel it was worth it to we will find out when it comes season end and I can evaluate them all outta the ground after season ends in feb. im hoping its just a quick power wash job and hand them to dry off then stored away for next season. I hope it protects my investment for years to come. tight chains guys

what kind of a price?

150 for 3 dozen not counting the shipping to and from. im not sure what the shipping was casue when I asked the owner of the company I work for to look into getting them plated said hed take care of the costs. so it didn't cost me a dime. I work for a great company. I would assume shipping to be between 50 and 75 bucks they were sent ups in 2 boxes. the company that did it is in Chicago. Midwest rust proofing.

Neat!

caught last night traps been in ground for 11 days rain snow and a little salt for antifreeze dirty but still no rust. dry fired the trap a few times and did the remake.

Zinc should hold up well. I’m thinking a flamed zinc with epoxy overtop would hold up very well.

QBD, there’s a steel furniture maker in Durham that’s a very good friend. He’s made me some outdoor stuff with flamed zinc and then dry brushed epoxy that have held up very well. The epoxy is either two colors or dry brushing creates that look and it’s somewhat textured but not in a way that would snag/drag on itself. Being in N.C. you might try him.

I started with Duke DPs last year when my son wanted us to start trapping. I suspect they are similar to Durakote/Cerakote finish vs. powder coat. They scratch pretty easy. It’s a hard coating but thinner than most powder coat I’m used to.

NP3 would be an awesome coating to try if it wasn’t so costly and didn’t have a shine. Then again judging from the prior pics shiny zinc worked fine. NP3 is also a sacrificial metal coating like zinc. It’s nickel impregnated with Teflon flakes so it gets more and more slippery as it wears. I’m thinking traps would fire pretty fast. I don’t think it would let legs slip since it’s holding tension not abrasive jaws that Trappers look for I think.

I’ve had the MB550s not get rusty enough to fully convert in the tannin dye. They seemed to rust again and/or it came off after the wax wore. I just let them rust all summer (on purpose I tell myself😏) and they took the tannin dye conversion very nicely this year. I’ve been so busy they are all still waiting to see dirt though.

I set my 1st KO Jr Friday. I must say I was impressed. As for the nice coating that it comes with, I wonder what it is & how it holds up. I guess my point is It seems nice how it was all ready to go for a bobcat set. I didn't even degrease it or anything. Not many traps, if any, seem to have that luxury. Maybe they could still be waxed, I don't know, but it appears dipping or dyeing is unnecessary, at least now.

I tossed a dozen in some wet leaves and let them set for a month. Never did rust much.

Maybe it's that high quality steel the MBs are made from