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Taking off old wax and dye #7327714
08/11/21 06:30 PM
08/11/21 06:30 PM
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 109
Montana
Y
Yellowstone Offline OP
trapper
Yellowstone  Offline OP
trapper
Y

Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 109
Montana
Sorry to probably ask a dumb question but I’m struggling to remove last years wax and dye from my coyote traps. I caught quite a few last year and when I pulled my line I threw all the traps together instead of separating traps with catches and ones that didn’t. I want to start over dyeing and wax all them to make sure of no contamination. I boiled a small batch for probably 30 min and some of the wax came off but it seems there is some wax still on them. I am not sure if I didn’t boil them long enough or if there is just a better way. I cooled the water and overflowed the wax on top. I sure would appreciate some advice so I’m confident in what I’m doing. Thanks

Re: Taking off old wax and dye [Re: Yellowstone] #7327746
08/11/21 07:04 PM
08/11/21 07:04 PM
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 1,743
Wisconsin
M
Mad Scientist Offline
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Mad Scientist  Offline
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Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 1,743
Wisconsin
I add lye to water before heating.I’m thinking 1 ounce per gallon.Boil for at least a half hour remove from heat and flow water over right away.At this point they should be ready to dye.If you have some wax on top of your dye water skim it off.Good luck!

Re: Taking off old wax and dye [Re: Yellowstone] #7327886
08/11/21 09:26 PM
08/11/21 09:26 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 20,958
St. Louis Co, Mo
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BigBob Offline
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BigBob  Offline
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St. Louis Co, Mo
Lye works wonders, if you can find it. Used in meth making.


Every kid needs a Dog and a Curmudgeon.

Remember Bowe Bergdahl, the traitor.

Beware! Jill Pudlewski, Ron Oates and Keven Begesse are liars and thiefs!
Re: Taking off old wax and dye [Re: Yellowstone] #7327992
08/11/21 11:10 PM
08/11/21 11:10 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,548
Rodney,Ohio
SNIPERBBB Offline
trapper
SNIPERBBB  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,548
Rodney,Ohio
At hardware stores for lye, you can try asking the counter for it as it's not on the shelves because of the meth thing.

There's always Blackies Wax B Gone and the new Battleborn stuff which I haven't tried yet(will soon as I got 2 things of it at the NTA) and promises to be a good substitute for lye

Re: Taking off old wax and dye [Re: SNIPERBBB] #7328006
08/11/21 11:28 PM
08/11/21 11:28 PM
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 109
Montana
Y
Yellowstone Offline OP
trapper
Yellowstone  Offline OP
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Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 109
Montana
Heard a guy on YouTube say half vinegar half water will work as well but don’t have a lot of trust in all the trappers on YouTube. Thanks for the responses

Re: Taking off old wax and dye [Re: SNIPERBBB] #7331611
08/16/21 10:57 AM
08/16/21 10:57 AM
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 109
Montana
Y
Yellowstone Offline OP
trapper
Yellowstone  Offline OP
trapper
Y

Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 109
Montana
I had a hard time finding lye so I ended up getting a gallon of vinegar and mixed 50/50 with water in a 5 gallon bucket. I threw 4 traps in there for a day and a half and they came out looking like I just bought them. Rinsed them off and put them in some water and baking soda and now they’ve put on a really nice thin layer of rust. Worked out perfect just a little time consuming for a pile of traps.

Re: Taking off old wax and dye [Re: Yellowstone] #7332100
08/17/21 12:11 AM
08/17/21 12:11 AM
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 265
PA
F
Flint Lock Offline
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Flint Lock  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 265
PA
Originally Posted by Yellowstone
Heard a guy on YouTube say half vinegar half water will work as well but don’t have a lot of trust in all the trappers on YouTube. Thanks for the responses


I use vinegar to remove scale and plating and it works. I get a gallon of cleaning vinegar (stronger than cooking vinegar) at the grocery store and dump it in a 5 gallon bucket with water and let the parts soak for a few days. I use this method anytime I need to remove mill scale from steel, not just traps. I haven't used it to remove wax but I think it would be worth a shot. Cheap and non-toxic.

I have used muriatic acid to remove speed dip and that is also very effective at dissolving wax. Whitetail Properties has a video on youtube showing that method. It only takes about an hour, but that stuff is very toxic. Some say the strong acid isn't very good for the springs and it probably isn't in certain circumstances, but I don't know if the occasional 1-hour bath once a year or whatever is enough to cause any issues. That traps I did last year with it are working fine.

Re: Taking off old wax and dye [Re: Yellowstone] #7332246
08/17/21 09:43 AM
08/17/21 09:43 AM
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 34,758
Central, SD
Law Dog Offline
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Law Dog  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 34,758
Central, SD
I save my dye and simmer last years traps in that and skim off the old wax after the traps have been power washed then make up this years batch of dye. I let the traps sit out and get wet to see if rust appears then dye them with this years dye batch and wax at the same time then store until needed.


Was born in a Big City Will die in the Country OK with that!

Jerry Herbst
Re: Taking off old wax and dye [Re: Yellowstone] #7332284
08/17/21 10:29 AM
08/17/21 10:29 AM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 106
Hollywood, MD
W
wvboy10 Offline
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 106
Hollywood, MD
some crystal drain cleaners are 100% lye. home depot has this one... "Instant Power Crystal Lye Drain Opener"

Re: Taking off old wax and dye [Re: Yellowstone] #7332319
08/17/21 11:42 AM
08/17/21 11:42 AM
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 594
Little Valley, NY
Sawmill Creek Offline
trapper
Sawmill Creek  Offline
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Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 594
Little Valley, NY
We have used Battle Born for the last couple years to boil our traps. Works wonders. 1 container per 5 gallon of water. I bring to a boil and let it go for about 30-40 minutes and then shut it off until morning. The wax and crud will be hard and floating on the top. This makes it easy to skim off. Just rinse the traps with hose after you get them out

Re: Taking off old wax and dye [Re: Yellowstone] #7332332
08/17/21 12:08 PM
08/17/21 12:08 PM
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 594
Little Valley, NY
Sawmill Creek Offline
trapper
Sawmill Creek  Offline
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Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 594
Little Valley, NY
We have used Battle Born for the last couple years to boil our traps. Works wonders. 1 container per 5 gallon of water. I bring to a boil and let it go for about 30-40 minutes and then shut it off until morning. The wax and crud will be hard and floating on the top. This makes it easy to skim off. Just rinse the traps with hose after you get them out

Re: Taking off old wax and dye [Re: Yellowstone] #7332428
08/17/21 02:20 PM
08/17/21 02:20 PM
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 71
PA
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Coilspring67 Offline
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Joined: Oct 2020
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PA
Blackies has a liquid remover that seems to work well also.


Member PTA, NTA, FTA, PPHA, NWCOA

Modern Trapper TV Host
Re: Taking off old wax and dye [Re: Yellowstone] #7332789
08/17/21 10:27 PM
08/17/21 10:27 PM
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 265
PA
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Flint Lock Offline
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Flint Lock  Offline
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Posts: 265
PA
Tonight I was at the local hardware store and walked past a gallon of floor stripper. That stuff is made for removing floor wax so I wonder if it would work on traps?

Re: Taking off old wax and dye [Re: Yellowstone] #7332798
08/17/21 10:34 PM
08/17/21 10:34 PM
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,626
Flint, Michigan
bhugo Offline
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bhugo  Offline
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,626
Flint, Michigan
Lye drain cleaner works wonders on wax, oils and any other organic scent.


Member MTPCA, FTA and NTA
Re: Taking off old wax and dye [Re: bhugo] #7332800
08/17/21 10:36 PM
08/17/21 10:36 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,293
East-Central Wisconsin
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bblwi Offline
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East-Central Wisconsin
Lye based drain cleaners work well. Even saniflush has worked for me. Just remember to rinse traps really good and quickly.

Bryce

Re: Taking off old wax and dye [Re: Yellowstone] #7333045
08/18/21 09:16 AM
08/18/21 09:16 AM
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 4,483
PA
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PAskinner Offline
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PA
I don't understand the extra boiling in lye. When I boil my traps in bark or sumac tops, the old dye and wax come off. They are then rinsed and waxed.


Right now I’m having amnesia and déjà vu at the same time. I think I’ve forgotten this before.
Re: Taking off old wax and dye [Re: PAskinner] #7333051
08/18/21 09:23 AM
08/18/21 09:23 AM
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 5,445
Southern Michigan
T
trappergbus Offline
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trappergbus  Offline
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 5,445
Southern Michigan
Originally Posted by PAskinner
I don't understand the extra boiling in lye. When I boil my traps in bark or sumac tops, the old dye and wax come off. They are then rinsed and waxed.

x2, lye weakens the springs. Boiling in tannin solution cleans and creates a non rusting compound. Easy peasy


Common sense catches alot of fur..
Pay homage to all you harvest..
Re: Taking off old wax and dye [Re: Yellowstone] #7333802
08/19/21 12:47 AM
08/19/21 12:47 AM
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,626
Flint, Michigan
bhugo Offline
trapper
bhugo  Offline
trapper

Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,626
Flint, Michigan
Rust weakens springs, lye cannot. Lye cleans,degreases and deodorizes traps much better than dye alone. This can be done in a variety of ways though. I only do this with my coyote traps.


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