I bought 11 #1 round pan stoploss traps for $10. They all need springs and some pans and a couple need chains. I have almost all the parts I need. What I need advice for is the following. several of the traps have pretty deep rust and I am seeking advice on what are some good methods to remove the rust. I am thinking chemically if possible. If other methods are better I will consider those as well. Thank you in advance for your thoughts.

Bryce

Economically a strong vinegar / water mix will clean most anything steel. Just make sure that you rinse them well and also neutralize the vinegar acid by soaking the traps well in baking soda water solution once you have removed the desired rust. That is what I have done for years. They have other water soluble chemicals that work also.

Thank you Bob. That sounds like something I will try .

Bryce

Don’t remove the rust, just logwood crystals ,then wax the traps

Like trapper les, I am not a fan of acetic acid (vinegar) to remove rust from traps. IF monitored it is ok but I like phosphoric acid or a tannic acid (any logwood dye - oak leaves, maple bark, walnut hulls, sumac berries etc.) to do the rust removal w/o damaging the steel and it will dye them at the same time. Drawback: it takes more time if just submerged in a dye solution at room temp (maybe 2-3 months) or energy (boiling as a catalyse) to speed it up. If not in a hurry I will purchase rusty traps at conventions/get togethers, toss a couple of bundles of traps in a 15-30 gallon barrel of H2O with any logwood dye in a corner of the shop and dunk/stir the solution with them ever so often for 2-4 months. I am too busy (and more forgetful) to remember to rescue any traps in a vinegar solution after a day or two here. PLUS i forget what I submerged and get to pull up a batch of traps from BLACK GOO in the summer to see what traps I have forgotten about w/o any damage to the existing steel. Kind of like Christmas or checking traps to an "old man" like me LOL. If you are in a hurry and want to use vinegar it will work so consider a short term soak and then immediate neutralization of the acid on the trap with a buffer,,,, lime or soda solution - rinse and do it twice as the trap surface will begin to rust again almost immediately. Both methods will work for removing rust for whatever fits your timeframe. My experience. .........................the mike