Recently picked up some small odd lots of 1 and 1 1/2 LS. Most were OK, but a couple have really weak springs.

Do these have a use or just scrap em?

Beef the springs up by placing a firmly supported heavy wall 1 inch pipe inside the spring. Place the small side of the spring against the pipe. The small side will now be facing up with the jaws below the pipe. Take a heavy hammer and strike the spring a couple times. This will bend the springs out causing it to be strong again.

Or, if you want to scrap them, send them to me and I’ll “scrap” them for you. I’ll even pay shipping!!

Cut a piece of pipe the same width as the spring and place It In the end of the spring. You can either wire It In place or weld It In place. I lite tac at the edge won't hurt the spring. I use to do that and wire It In place with 14 gauge copper wire then I would solder It together worked great.
Or you could take a pipe that Is a bit larger In diameter and place It In the spring end and beat It down with a hammer. This will increase the spring power but It's basically a temporary fix.

How much is a new trap? I new spring is 2.00 to 3.50 per spring. U cant buy a new trap for that. I think it would be worth it. I have old 330 body traps . I ordering new springs for them. U cant buy a new 330 for 10.00. I did buy new duke 330 at nta in Springfield Mo . I paid 12.00 for new 330.

Don't know how weak the springs are on your traps. Mine become only muskrat traps for deeper water at a certain point. I bet most my rats have been on an old single long spring that no way would hold a coon anymore. They seem to go off nice even when a little too deep.

How weak is weak? I can compress the spring about halfway down just between my thumb and side of my forefinger......seems slow to fire compared to the those with good springs.

Will try the hammer trick. I see they also sell new replacement springs for these sizes. I only paid $3 for the traps, so have some room to operate.

But good news is they can be revived and are not scrap.

A few places sell “beefer springs” sized to fit inside #1 and 1.5. Might be a good option. I have a few #4 that are very weak, pipe and hammer trick made no difference, probably had been done too many times already

I do what yooper said easy and works wonders .