As I am going thru my stuff from this past season most of my traps were not used, but the ones that were have minimal amount of surface rust on them. These are all water traps, does anyone just wax the traps personally I don’t like the black contrast, for others to spot.

it won't stop the rust

You'd be better off financially and physically to use Southern Snares Ambush dip.

Comes in black, brown, green, white....

No mixing. Good, durable finish. Drys within a day.

All my water traps are dyed/waxed or painted. Just waxing silver traps stands out almost as bad as white in water

I have always just dipped my water traps. Only wax land traps.

These traps are mostly painted, not new traps probably 15 years old or better. In the past I just painted water traps but these still have about 1/3 still covered in wax. I really like having my water traps waxed.

If there is rust I would re dye and wax.If no rust just wax wore off or old,then just waxing is OK.
I wax my 120 marten traps about every 3 or 4 years.havent dyed them in so long I forget when,but no rust on them.

My traps are just dyed here.Never waxed a trap.Have traps over 50 years that are still going strong

Interesting how many different ways about doing all of this there is. Ive always dyed and waxed canine/ cat traps.

Seeing your reply jogs my.memory to what an older trapper told me last season. Hes done some good shows and was the partner to one of the greatest, and that is he doesent even wax his land traps just dyes. Kinda gets you thinking if the waxing is even necessary at all or just a tradition, that guy catches a ton of fur.

Im going to dip some in full metal jacket, or the floor polish well in advance and run them in the same areas as the non dipped.