Most trap dyes say to mix with water and boil for and hour.has anyone tried dying traps without boiling? Like just letting them soak for a few hours or a day and had success?

Always seems like the dye just sits on the surface of the steel when I've tried it. Doesnt seem to penetrate and you have to wax or FMJ them almost immediately or you'll see rust develop on them quicker.

There's a charcoal kiln just up the road from from my Deer hunting cabin where the local boy's will just dump traps into a puddle of the run-off water from the burn. Works great!

When I retire I might try the old way, but now I just use the dies that mix with water. Dakota Line, F1, Proline,etc…… That new Ambush stuff is pretty good too, but pricy. Cheapest way is old school with stuff you got in the bush, or paint cut with thinner for bulk treatment.
My 330s for beaver I use FMJ as a guard, but it doesn’t come close to a proper wax job for trap speed or smoothness. The manufacturer say it’s like wax, but wax doesn’t just protect and FMJ doesn’t compare. I wax everything but my beaver 330s.
If you’re waxing your traps, make sure they’re properly tuned before hand. A poorly tuned waxed trap will bite you.