HOW TO TREAT YOUR STEEL

One important preseason job for any trapper is preparing traps for the coming campaign. Along with checking chains and how fast traps fire, many trappers also stain or color their steel. But how to get the right hue so the fur is fooled is like most things in the trade — open to interpretation.

OLD RUSTY

So just what is the science of steel and stain? Metal, if left untreated, will happily rust and eventually reduce all of that expensive shiny stuff to dust. Rust, as the old song says, never sleeps and trappers must be vigilant to keep a weathered eye on steel condition. Light surface rust is actually not a bad fellow and makes certain treatments work better. Pitting is the worst because it means the culprit has breached the surface and begun to chew in deep.

Rust will soon weaken steel and put less punch in killer traps, and offer a wily fur-bearer the chance to work free from footholds. Rusty steel can be tough to set, or worse, still result in poor firing. A little steel wool could remedy surface rust, but hold off the grinders and power sanders please. If you can smell hot steel than the tempers are in trouble! Oil is a friend of steel, but most trappers agree it’s not the answer for setting time. 10W30 is bound to attract dirt and that’s when the trouble begins. Keep the