I bought a bunch of used belisle 160s. Theyre pretty gummed up with old dip,paint and rust.
Any ideas on how to strip them down to bare metal? Would rather not boil if possible

I have not used it personally but I’ve seen some videos on using muriatic to strip traps. I’m going to try it on some k9 traps to get some dip off them

Vinegar will remove rust, but I don't know If it will remove paint and dip. Get some type of flat pan where you can submerge the trap and fill with vinegar. If it works, make sure you rinse the traps well.
Or you could use one of those hand held torches and burn it off. Just don't get the traps to hot.
Or you could buy some of that liquid Paint stripper and see if that works.

Good luck

Distilled white vinegar, I put 3 gallons in a 5 gallon bucket add my traps
The next day move them around in the bucket with a stick
I brush mine with a stainless steel brush after the gunk loosens up
Rinse with clean water and then give them a bath in water with diluted baking soda

Solvent. Paint thinner works well, acetone works better. Soak for a short time, and a wire brush helps. Once clean, just hang to air out. The solvent will evaporate.

Kind of wished the previous owner had just dyed & waxed them eh? LOL

If you know someone with a cement mixer, toss them in it with some pea gravel, course sand and water.

Sandblaster works good if you have access to one

Super clean or purple power in a bucket soak them for a day or two and the paint will wash off if you dilute it with water to save some money just let them soak a couple days. I had painted traps dipped in fmj I used for a couple seasons then decided to go back to dye and wax and that is what I used it won’t take rust off but paint and dips it will remove after a good soaking. If wanting to remove the rust just follow up with an over night soak in vinegar.

Like hammer said. Purple power first. Wash. Then vinegar. Wash. I let both soaks go for two days

Just cleaned a couple traps in like condotion, soaked 24 hrs in white vinegar hit with power sprayer came clean as new

update: 2 days soaked in vinegar solution gets them clean like new!! One gallon 45% vinegar and a couple gallons water gets em good as new, I was shocked
Now another question...
Speed dip or acetone/rustoleum??

I have taken dip off with brake cleaner but it is still a lot of work. If you had to do a lot of them it would get expensive also.

Dye and wax. JMO

I'm with wetdog. Dye and wax or I usually spray paint mine.

Had anybody used 5% distilled vinegar or just concentrated 40%? 5% is pretty cheap and available everywhere. I also have some conibears that need a face lift.

White distilled vinegar is what I use

Im in south texas and have been using the ZEPs floor polish with good sucess.

Crushed granite chicken grit and a little floor dry in your cement mixer works…and just wax occasionally