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#17948 - 09/20/05 04:16 AM Boiling traps.. does it weaken the temper of the steel?
trap jaw Offline
Member

Registered: 06/09/05
Posts: 430
Loc: Lancaster Co. Pennsylvania
The local fur dealer in my area stated that you should never boil traps for more than 10-15 minutes because he has seen on countless occassions that it weakens the temper of the steel. I've never had this problem. Has anyone had a problem with this?

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#17949 - 09/20/05 12:12 PM Re: Boiling traps.. does it weaken the temper of the steel?
Hal Online   content
Moderator

Registered: 07/17/00
Posts: 10226
Loc: Blue Creek, Ohio, USA
No. You fur dealer is misguided.

frown -- Hal
_________________________
Endeavor to persevere.

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#17950 - 09/20/05 01:34 PM Re: Boiling traps.. does it weaken the temper of the steel?
Ric Offline


Registered: 07/22/00
Posts: 3695
Loc: Wellington,OH=USA
The internet is a wonderful thing for some applications.We have gone through this "boiling water can damage trap springs" a couple times.A quick search of spring steel working properties came up with much more information than I will ever need to know on the subject.Needless to say 212 degrees F is not even close to where the properties of the steel will be affected.And for and added bonus 212 degrees is seldom reached with the way we do things

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#17951 - 09/20/05 08:35 PM Re: Boiling traps.. does it weaken the temper of the steel?
Dktfireman Offline
Member+

Registered: 07/13/05
Posts: 338
Loc: New Hampshire
Ric, I searched and couldn't find the temp that spring steel is effected. Do you know? I was curious about having some of my traps powder coated white for snow trapping. Maybe this is the wrong place to ask? :-)

(Edit..I don't mind the question but if you or anyone for that matter has an off topic question just E-Mail the person you want to talk to..Ric)

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#17952 - 09/30/05 08:57 PM Re: Boiling traps.. does it weaken the temper of the steel?
RayA Offline
Member

Registered: 04/16/01
Posts: 43
Loc: Lee's Summit Mo
Hi ya'll
a buddy does heat treating for a liveing he told me to boil or simmer my traps and not to worry about it. he says unless i get them to 500 degrees or there bouts no damage would happen water boils long before 500 degrees. RayA

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#17953 - 10/03/05 05:25 PM Re: Boiling traps.. does it weaken the temper of the steel?
Hale87 Offline
Junior Member

Registered: 12/16/04
Posts: 22
Loc: pa
Sorry, but I gotta laugh at Hal's reply. I'm one of those mis-guided peolple that's actually boilded their traps too long. It was probably ten years ago but I turned 12 1.5 victors in to junk. Don't know why but it happened. I was boiling them in walnut hauls and I can tell you they came out different than when they went it. It didn't just effect the springs either. I ended up tossing those traps. Believe what you want and I'll do the same. It's funny how many times over the years I've seen one of these post. Maybe it was a bad run of steel from victoe but I know what happened.

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#17954 - 10/03/05 05:56 PM Re: Boiling traps.. does it weaken the temper of the steel?
Hal Online   content
Moderator

Registered: 07/17/00
Posts: 10226
Loc: Blue Creek, Ohio, USA
Quote: "it didn't just effect the springs either."

I'm curious about this whole thing, and especially that phrase. Can you clarify that? And exactly how long did you boil these traps?

frown -- Hal
_________________________
Endeavor to persevere.

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#17955 - 10/03/05 07:28 PM Re: Boiling traps.. does it weaken the temper of the steel?
Hale87 Offline
Junior Member

Registered: 12/16/04
Posts: 22
Loc: pa
Hal, I don't know what went wrong but it changed the temper on the entire trap. Especially the springs and spring levers. If I would have known then,,,, that ten years later we'd have the message boards I would have saved them. I see this same question ask all the time and each time there's an enfatic no, "you can't harm a trap by boiling" I just grin. I really can't remember how long I boiled them though. I have stopped boiling for an excessive period of time. Now I don't boil for more than 10-15 minutes since and have never had a problem. Maybe they were from the same run of traps and were defective? I don't know but I know it did happen.

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#17956 - 10/03/05 08:01 PM Re: Boiling traps.. does it weaken the temper of the steel?
Ric Offline


Registered: 07/22/00
Posts: 3695
Loc: Wellington,OH=USA
Hale I'm curious also,what happened to them?

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#17957 - 10/03/05 08:56 PM Re: Boiling traps.. does it weaken the temper of the steel?
Hal Online   content
Moderator

Registered: 07/17/00
Posts: 10226
Loc: Blue Creek, Ohio, USA
There is no temper in the spring levers.

frown -- Hal
_________________________
Endeavor to persevere.

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