Nice Find

[Rolfe 2]

Just had a good find at the local Steam Rally.........rummaging through some old junk boxes........came across some beautiful little rat-gins........and some badly corroded mole traps......they should clean up reasonably well though.

Just a quick question for OTC or Ditch.........what is the best method for restoring and making "Looking Good" old traps that you know of?

 

Rolfe.

[scothunter 12,609]

Just had a good find at the local Steam Rally.........rummaging through some old junk boxes........came across some beautiful little rat-gins........and some badly corroded mole traps......they should clean up reasonably well though.

Just a quick question for OTC or Ditch.........what is the best method for restoring and making "Looking Good" old traps that you know of?

 

Rolfe.

 

Try this mate.

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/gintraps.htm

[Guest buster321c]

Not sure but i think ianb has some quick dip , or something of the like that will do em a treat

[Rolfe 2]

Thanks Guys.........much appreciated.

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Rolfe; How ye treat a trap is largely dependent on the finish ye desire. Some like the gray of steel. Others like a bit of patina. In America, it came about that they'd first knock any top layer rust off. (Ye know, the stuff ye could rub and come away with on ye skin). Then, once they had a good bed of more stable rust, they'd brush on a coat of clear liquid floor polish!

 

I never did quite get round to doing that to any of my stuff. Though it's perfectly harmless. The polish being removable with ammonia. No, I just wire brushed mine down to a nice, smooth bed and then painted them with WD40. That brings out the character of the steel nicely.

 

One thing I will say; Keep brass away from ye traps. Ye'll never get the best results with a brass brush. Ye may Think ye are. It may Look like ye are. But that'd only be because ye'd never seen what a Steel brush can do.

 

I was sent a couple of almost completely worn out stubs of brushes by a guy who's a professional restorer of rural artefacts. I was so wiped out by their performance, I tracked down the company that had made them and bought a wholesale lot of each! I still have plenty here and no longer have much use for them. Fancy trying a couple? Let me know.

[Rolfe 2]

Yes.........would love to see them brushes ditch........thanks for the info mate.........good advice as always.

 

Rolfe.

[OldTrapCollector 377]

Rolfe,

 

First off - do you know what you have there??

 

The 3 gin type traps are Sidebotham's vermin gins made circa 1940

 

The big one with the spikes is an Anglo Impassable mole trap - they were made for a lengthy period from the late 1800's through to about the 1950's

 

The other 2 are French mole scissor traps

 

As for cleaning ~ as DS has said is a matter of personal taste. I chuck mine into a bucket of hot soapy water and then brush off (not too heavily) the worst of the loose rust and then go over them with wire wool, but they must be wet or the wool will quickly strip off the patina back to shiny steel if you are too heavy handed and that will quickly ruin them. Less is more. You then have a choice of spraying them over with WD40 or with furniture finishing wax to give a nice finish and to prevent further rust decay.

 

OTC

[Rolfe 2]

Rolfe,

 

First off - do you know what you have there??

 

The 3 gin type traps are Sidebotham's vermin gins made circa 1940

 

The big one with the spikes is an Anglo Impassable mole trap - they were made for a lengthy period from the late 1800's through to about the 1950's

 

The other 2 are French mole scissor traps

 

As for cleaning ~ as DS has said is a matter of personal taste. I chuck mine into a bucket of hot soapy water and then brush off (not too heavily) the worst of the loose rust and then go over them with wire wool, but they must be wet or the wool will quickly strip off the patina back to shiny steel if you are too heavy handed and that will quickly ruin them. Less is more. You then have a choice of spraying them over with WD40 or with furniture finishing wax to give a nice finish and to prevent further rust decay.

 

OTC

Thanks OTC........One of the gins has the number 3 with a crown stamped above on the top. Just wondered if that told you anything more? But thanks for the info......... The impassable mole trap is very ancient and in really poor condition.

The French scissor type are not in much better nick either.........what type of spring mechanism was used on these mate.?

 

Regards.........Rolfe.