During World War 1 Newhouse switched from casting jaw posts, and for two years stamped out the split jaw posts.
Comparing both styles it does not seem there was any savings in the amount of steel used.
Was it because the foundry did not have the capacity to make items for the war effort and the traps at the same time?
The split posts do not appear to be as strong as the cast posts.
Can someone shed some light on this?

I am not sure of the exact answer. The split posts did not save on the amount of material required to make them but I think it was more a mater of the type of material. The cast posts are made from malleable steel verses the split posts are made of wrought iron or steel. I think it was more the availability of malleable material. Oneida Community had their own foundry and still cast the jaws, pans, chain rings and swivels during that time period. Production records show that for the year 1918, Oneida Community did not make any traps, it just says "war work".

Thanks Dean

Onieda community was making items for the war effort. One of those items was the 1918 trench knifes