Dyed and Waxed Traps

I switched back to dying and waxing this year. I had gone to FMJ about 10 years ago. After replacing a few parts, upgrading to super stakes with chains and getting all of the FMJ off of my traps--which took some effort when dealing with 100 of them, I dyed and waxed this weekend.

I forgot how pretty a well dyed and waxed MB 550 looks. I also went on a DLS binge this year for no other reason than nostalgia and those No. 3s and 4s look really darn good too.

The best part is that my 13 year old trapping partner--son was there most every step of the way. Catching coyotes and bobcats is fun for a kid, but I am glad I have one that appreciates the work side too.

This reminds me that I've got some I need to go ahead and prep. It's hot enough here that I can just set the pot of wax outside and it'll melt on its own lol

Yeah, things are flipped. It was actually pleasant here yesterday! Not our normal July.

I need to do the same thing, going back to the and wax myself. Out of curiosity, how did you remove the fmj?

Some of them had years of FMJ re-dippings on them so it was tough. Multiple soakings in straight Super Clean (purple jug at Wal-Mart). I would soak for a couple of days, pull out the traps, pressure wash the crap out of them, re-soak and repeat. I did this many times with many traps. They cleaned up really well.

I thought about putting them in a cement mixer and tumbling them like brass casings but that just seemed like overkill.

Blaine why are you going back to dye and wax? Just for nostalgia?

Just to change it up. I liked the convenience of FMJ but just wanted to go back to old school.

You can boil the traps in a lye solution to remove most anything.

I like waxing traps in hot weather. Makes them drip even cleaner after you pull them out the wax.

Good for you!

Welcome back to dye and wax, I always like a good dyed trap.

D and W’d my first traps when I was 8. Haven’t strayed since.

At least it has cooled out of the triple digits on this end of the state. Still mid-90s though and we are burning up.

Blaine County, I dyed and waxed mine last year. I've generally done some form of treatment every year but last year with a kettle boiling full of logwood dye, that was fun.
This year going to try sumac berries in bag and walnut hulls. Going to really go old school with the dye then will wax everything afterward.

Yes its a bit more work to dye and wax. We here on this forum could banter all day about pros and cons of every trap treatment out there today, too. But there is something of a cool factor about a wood fire, pot boiling, and lifting out a set of nicely dyed traps. It worked back then and it works today, period. A good wax job is an excellent trap protection from the elements and yes they look great when done.

I have to thank 1crazytrapper for getting me back into dyeing and waxing my coyote and coon traps.

Thanks for sharing. I have about another month or two before I fire up the pot. I can't wait, going to be a great day for sure.

Jim

Serious question - why bother to remove the FMJ. I just waxed some a week ago that I had dipped in FMJ the last couple of years and it seemed go fine. Did I screw up something?

50 years on the line
Dye and wax nearly all of it

Can't dye the trap through the FMJ would be my guess, but then I would have thought with FMJ being a floor wax that 15-20 minutes boiling would have removed all the FMJ. I had some traps I dipped in FMJ one year when I bought them new just before season. Just degreased and dipped in FMJ. Only I ever used it. I just dyed and waxed them the next year and don't recall any issues with the FMJ, but that was quite a few years ago and it's possible I've forgotten.

Correct. The dye won't work with FMJ on the traps.

I had a decade of FMJ dippings and redippings on many of the traps. It seemed over built with multiple dippings and I just wanted it off.

I encourage local trappers to dip, I boil dye and wax.

I figured you'd like that LT LOL

No, you are fine. Waxing a trap that has some FMJ on it won’t hurt a thing. I don’t dye traps unless they have started rusting.

When I dye and wax I have my wax cooking while the traps are in the dye solution at a low boil. When you pull them out on a hot day they dry almost instantly in the air. I then dip them in the wax and those hot traps take on a very nice and thin wax coat with no globs or wax clods. Give them a shake and hang up. I do use an exacto knife and a very thin file to clean out the pan notch and dog so the traps don't fire too easily. I do that right away and the cleaned surface rusts a tad and that helps too.

Bryce