I'm really pleased with the DLS I just purchased. Springs are strong and all 7 traps in great shape. A couple had these wire bands on the jaws I take it he was manufacturing an off set. The old trapper made all his swivels from large nails so was happy to get them from an avid trapper.

Nice !

Well I disagree with you finally. And that is not very often. I don't think that adds anything to the trap. A real offset allows the spring lever to come up higher. That holds it back some.......jk

I agree with you on how an off set works. So, what would be the purpose of his wrapped wire around the jaw be? I have no idea!!

Maybe they were used in a state that requires offset jaws. Or maybe the old trapper didn't understand the way offsets work.

An old timer trapped in Montana lived here all his life I would say maybe didn't understand the science behind how they work, would be my guess. I can't think Of any other reason they would be on there.

Can't lell from the picture, but the levers look like they are as high as they can go .
Even with the offset.

The little off set that is on a long spring, would make it set up better if it changed anything. The small amount of off set is a waste of time, but hurts nothing on those long springs. Coils have a completely different physics then a long spring. What are you going to have in that trap that does not hold the jaws open more?? A hair/

Al Gore hadn't invented the internet yet, and the old guy obviously didn't know what was right and wrong, lol !

More then likely.
He definitely had a passion for trapping all home made swivels two on each set and had a double traps on one of the the stakes.

At one time it was pretty common to see homemade swivels. The first ones I ever saw for sale were Webley Swivels. They were a box swivel. It was years before I ever saw any factory different ones. I still have traps with swivels I made and with Webley swivels.