Forged leg traps

[chichi]

First, I want to say I dont trap but leg holding traps are neat items to forge. Has anyone made their own traps? There is a thread below about making a bear trap. That would be pretty challenging.
I made a couple of smaller traps, I guess beaver size and they worked but a little crude. I thought the whole key to the trap was the placement of the pivot hole on the triggering device. I dont recall the details but I remember it had to be just past a critical point on the device to make it work. Look forward to some pictures. A good forging project for wall hangers!
Bob

[Oak Hill Forge]

I posted some detailed pictures on the Bear Trap post last night that may help. All double spring traps are made about the same, just scale up or dorn the stock size and dimentions. A small trap is cheaply purchased at a yard sale or flea market and would be good for a pattern for making whatever size trap you wish to make.

[781]

The main difference as I see them between old traps and new ones are how the jaws mount to the base plate.
New traps the frame is bent up on each side with two holes in each. The jaws have a tenon on each end of the jaw that is bent at an angle and they go through the holes

Older traps especially bear traps have cast jaws with teeth
the base plate was flat and had a post on each side that the jaws were pinned to. This post was bolted through the base plate

Some early jaws were bar stock and had individual teeth riveted to the jaw. They were made like a tenon

Most Modern traps are cut out of sheet with a punch press

If making just a wall hanger mild steel springs would work but if you want the trap to function problaly spring steel 5160 and heat treat.

Not sure if the eye of the spring was drawn out and forge welded or punched annd drifted to enlare the hole.