Hi, I was wondering if I could get some help aging some older traps That my grandfather had given me.

This first one is the smallest long spring I found in the bunch, it has "B.L" on the pan and I also think the word "water" but it's hard to make out. The pan is attached with what kinda looks like a rivet.

The other long spring is the biggest one I found and I believe is a #4 but can't quite make it out on the pan. "Victor Oneida Community NY" is on this pan and as you can see it doesn't have the V cut out.

Thanks in advance for any info!

So a friend of mine got back to me on the small long spring, said it’s a Blake & Lamb made in Waterbury Conn. Would still like to try and find out how old it is.

Your #4 Victor was made between 1905 and 1908. In 1909, Oneida Community started cutting the "V" in the pan on Victor traps.

Wow! Thank you SnakeCollector! Any idea what it is worth?

Not a lot of collector value in that condition, maybe $15 to 20 to the right person.

SnakeCollector thanks for the help and information! What is the best way to gently clean these old traps up? A buddy suggested an over night soak in white vinegar, followed by a rinse in baking soda to neutralize the vinegar. I was then going to boil them and try to blacken them up some. What are your thoughts or anyone else’s reading this? Just trying to preserve and protect them from further rust damage.

Thanks again!

Never use vinegar on collector traps.Vinegar is an acid and it will remove the patina or brown color from the trap, this will take away from the collector value of the trap. I use WD-40, a hand held wire brush and #3 steel wool. You only want to remove the dirt, rust and wax or trap dye. When using the wire brush and steel wool, don't get too carried away, leave the brown color. In the case of traps that are new old stock and still have some factory shine, obviously that is a good thing and you can be more aggressive in removing any rust to reveal the shiny metal underneath. For traps with wax or trap dye, gas or a solvent will help remove that. When clean, I coat the traps with WD-40 and wipe them dry with paper towels. I keep my collector traps in the house but if you leave them in a shed or out building you can put a light coat of wax on them to prevent rust. Some collectors use a paste wax like used for hard wood floors and wipe it on.

SnakeCollector, once again thank you !!

Have been gently cleaning (Using Snake Collectors instructions)
some more traps that were in the lot my grandfather and I purchased, came across this Oneida Newhouse #1. Can anyone tell me if this is the original chain? Very interesting researching these old traps!

Thanks In advance!

That is the correct chain rig for your Newhouse #1.

Thanks DeerHunter51!

Without looking it up, I think the Blake Lamb & Co. Waterbury long springs were late 1800's, Waterbury jumps were made until a later date.

Thanks Keith Daniels!

The chain on the #1 Newhouse is nice because it has both the wedge and the clip on the chain ring.