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Hitting some the spots near where I found an old spill can came across this about 7" down. Usually don't dig iron but thoughts of a jar full of old coins crossed my mind.

Old hunting trap, might do some reverse electrolysis to see if there are any makers markings on it as a clue for a date.  There was a foundation nearby that looked like poured concrete so not sure the period it was made. Building might have been a garage or chicken coupe maybe, hard to tell. Nails around are all square with rounded tops.

trap.JPG

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While detecting in West Australia for gold I found this trap under some cap rock it was deep and I had to uses a pick for over an hour to break through the rock thinking it was a million dollar nugget. A goanna had tunnelled many feet under the cap rock. He must off caught him self in a dingo trap and dragged it back to his lair and died.

By the way that not me its a friend who was a full time prospector.

 

WebGoanna.jpg

DingoTrap.jpg

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That is what is called a "jump" trap, very common but out of production as far as I know. They were made by several manufacturers in sizes #1-#3, I used them back in the '70's. That one looks beyond use, heavily rusted.

Rich

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  • 1 month later...

I cleaned it up some but my rectifier doesn't have enough amps to get all the crud off. The spring still works! You have an idea how old it might be? Rivets on the bottom are round like a screw top.

Thanks

IMG_0857.jpg

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I could give you a better estimate to it's age if you cleaned it up further.  Try using a stiff nylon or better yet a brass wire brush on it.  I can safely say you will not be ruining any value by doing so with this trap in this condition.  Try at least to get the pan looking better.  The pan often has the brand stamped into it.  It appears there is a hole (should have two) in the pan from the pic.  If so, it was manufactured that way by a couple different makers to hold bait.

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I'll try a brass brush on it. Does look old by the rivets they used. It was near a foundation that was what looked like a chicken coop so fox trap is probably spot on.

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On 10/14/2019 at 5:15 AM, geof_junk said:

While detecting in West Australia for gold I found this trap under some cap rock it was deep and I had to uses a pick for over an hour to break through the rock thinking it was a million dollar nugget. A goanna had tunnelled many feet under the cap rock. He must off caught him self in a dingo trap and dragged it back to his lair and died.

By the way that not me its a friend who was a full time prospector.

 

WebGoanna.jpg

DingoTrap.jpg

That appears to be a hand-forged trap of considerable age.

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My first thought was an older Blake & Lamb #1 or # 1 1/2 or possibly a Triumph brand?  If there is/was a V cut out in center of the pan that would be a Victor trap.  If a #1 or #1 1/2 it'd be normally used for muskrat/mink/marten?  For fox you'd want a #2.  If the bottom of the trap has a curve in it when sprung (we used to call them "jump traps") the purpose of that curve was to "jump" the trap upwards for a higher hold when the compressed spring sprung....when set the bottom curved part was flat.  That probably didn't make an ounce of sense, hard to explain in words.   I may have one laying around....if so I'll post up a set pic and sprung pic.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Blake-Lamb-1-1-2-Jump-Traps-in-Good-condition/184044410277?hash=item2ad9e6d5a5:g:~jsAAOSwqK1drJ4U

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