Gin Traps?

[jasper65 6]

Just out of interest can anyone tell me why these Traps was made Illegal? I had one guy tell me its cause they have teeth and another tell me cause they self lock? Either was I look at the Fen and think whats the big deal between that and a Gin when one is legal and the other's not....

[Rabbithunter 456]

i am not genned up on the gin, but from what i gather, they were a trap that would grab anywhere. Unlike the principle of fenns & BMIs which are designed to be instant kill.

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Jasper; The " Gin Trap ", whilst undoubtedly being one of the most 'effective' of traps ever invented, was also ~ in the vast majority of cases ~ the most barbaric.

 

What we now refer to as " Gin Traps " were, in essence, a set of mechanical jaws with teeth. Their job was to 'Bite' the captive. Then the teeth prevented escape. They did this, basicly, through dint of causing such pain, should the caught animal attempt to move, that the animal either decided it couldn't stand the agony such movement caused, and thus ceased it's stugglings. Or else it went into shock.

 

In a long life time of handling and studying such traps, as well as many others, I've yet to find anything quite as horrendous. Even traps designed to drown the captive would, whilst vile, at least bring an end to the suffering within minutes.

 

That is not to say however that we should be confusing the british Gin Trap with the modern, largely North American " Steel Trap ".

 

If ye look at a Steel Trap ~ at least a more modern designed and Legal (in USA) one, the first thing ye'll notice is the distinct lack of Teeth. Handle one and, in direct comparison to a Gin, ye'll be in awe of the power of it's springs. There's a reason for this.

 

The Gin, as said, was designed to 'Bite' the limb of the captive. The spring closed the jaws. But only so much that the teeth gripped with a medium pressure. Enough to cause raking lacerations of the flesh and drag against the exposed bone.

 

The modern Steel Trap relies on quite a differant method of restraint. It grips - between two smooth faced jaws - so bloody hard that no ammount of pulling and tugging will drag that limb free. Imagine, if ye will, that I was an immensely large and powerful man and I took a grip of ye wrist. It wouldn't cause ye any physical damage and wouldn't necessarily even hurt. But, by dint of my immovable grip, ye'd be going no where. That's how a modern, American Steel Trap works.

 

Gin Trap? Think more of having a large Dog hanging off ye wrist!

 

 

As it happens, toward the end of their reign, 'we' had started to feel a tad uneasy in certain quarters. Seeing the writing on the wall, britain started half heartedly trying to come up with smooth faced jaws and various other ways of Humanely restraining a captive creature, while retaining the long familiar and favoured basic design. Such traps never really caught on though and were anyway superceded by the new wave of truly 'Humane' Traps; Those designed to (theoretically) kill outright.

 

It's quite ironic really. US has retained their perfectly Humane and yet vastly adaptable Steel Traps whilst turning up a whole plethora of extremely handy and effective 'Humane Killer Traps' too. Many based around the principle of a powerful blow from a single bar. Again, extremely adaptable traps.

 

And what have we got ....?

[TOMO 26,515]

heres some pics hope it gives you an idea of how they work, these are now on my fire side harth as orniments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NightRunner 0]

[jasper65 6]

cheers for the replies and Nice one DS , you need to right a book mate and get it on the shelves.

 

I picked up a couple of Gins for decoration like the pic's in Tomo's post but I have never seen one like the one Nightrunner put up, I bet that would get the job done in its day.

[TOMO 26,515]

THATS BECAUSE ITS NOT A GIN MATE . I THINK ITS ONE OF THOSE LEG HOLD TRAPS THEY USE IN OZ AND USA. MIND YOU ITS THE SAME PRINCIPLE

[mole catcher 1]

I think what should be mentioned is the law changes since the ban on gins came into force. you only have to look at todays laws regarding the siting of any trap and how it is to be checked to understand that years ago the gin would by the sounds of it been open to a fair amount of missuse. Of course a trap is only as effective or dangerouse as the person setting it and not the mechanics of how a trap works. With the implimentations and changes to trap design along side the laws about legal use, have in my opinion made them a worthy weopon in the fight against pests and in many ways nolonger the barbaric tool they once may have been.

Of course that said, in the wrong hands even todays varity of traps still pose a danger so care and consideration of sitting must be taken into account before a trap line is put in place.

 

Just my own opinion, but i would rather use a instant death trap over the leg hold types any day of the week. Of course im not narrow minded and i can see that for larger animals in other countrys that are trapped for the fur, a leg hold serves a purpose that death traps may fail to deliver the animal in a condition that is worthy of sale.

 

again, it is the trapper that makes for a dangerous trap, not the other way round.

[NightRunner 0]

I will try to enlighten some of you. THe trap I posted is laminated, base plated and offset. It holds the animal it doesn't dig in like think. Many times the trapped animal is sleeping.

 

You talk about shooting a fox in a trap. You can kill them quick an easy with a tap on the bridge of the nose and then one shot on the neck to break it. If it takes 3 seconds maybe.

 

Read up on how we trap.

 

http://www.furtakersofamerica.com/

 

 

There are many trappers that have inpacted trapping the way we know it. Kill springs on snares, and the use of long snares. Modifying foot holds. Drowning set ups.

 

Many men in the US pride themselves as being longline trappers. Using the best tools with the fastest catch and moving down the road.

[micky 3,325]

Jasper; The " Gin Trap ", whilst undoubtedly being one of the most 'effective' of traps ever invented, was also ~ in the vast majority of cases ~ the most barbaric.

 

What we now refer to as " Gin Traps " were, in essence, a set of mechanical jaws with teeth. Their job was to 'Bite' the captive. Then the teeth prevented escape. They did this, basicly, through dint of causing such pain, should the caught animal attempt to move, that the animal either decided it couldn't stand the agony such movement caused, and thus ceased it's stugglings. Or else it went into shock.

 

In a long life time of handling and studying such traps, as well as many others, I've yet to find anything quite as horrendous. Even traps designed to drown the captive would, whilst vile, at least bring an end to the suffering within minutes.

 

That is not to say however that we should be confusing the british Gin Trap with the modern, largely North American " Steel Trap ".

 

If ye look at a Steel Trap ~ at least a more modern designed and Legal (in USA) one, the first thing ye'll notice is the distinct lack of Teeth. Handle one and, in direct comparison to a Gin, ye'll be in awe of the power of it's springs. There's a reason for this.

 

The Gin, as said, was designed to 'Bite' the limb of the captive. The spring closed the jaws. But only so much that the teeth gripped with a medium pressure. Enough to cause raking lacerations of the flesh and drag against the exposed bone.

 

The modern Steel Trap relies on quite a differant method of restraint. It grips - between two smooth faced jaws - so bloody hard that no ammount of pulling and tugging will drag that limb free. Imagine, if ye will, that I was an immensely large and powerful man and I took a grip of ye wrist. It wouldn't cause ye any physical damage and wouldn't necessarily even hurt. But, by dint of my immovable grip, ye'd be going no where. That's how a modern, American Steel Trap works.

 

Gin Trap? Think more of having a large Dog hanging off ye wrist!

 

 

As it happens, toward the end of their reign, 'we' had started to feel a tad uneasy in certain quarters. Seeing the writing on the wall, britain started half heartedly trying to come up with smooth faced jaws and various other ways of Humanely restraining a captive creature, while retaining the long familiar and favoured basic design. Such traps never really caught on though and were anyway superceded by the new wave of truly 'Humane' Traps; Those designed to (theoretically) kill outright.

 

It's quite ironic really. US has retained their perfectly Humane and yet vastly adaptable Steel Traps whilst turning up a whole plethora of extremely handy and effective 'Humane Killer Traps' too. Many based around the principle of a powerful blow from a single bar. Again, extremely adaptable traps.

 

And what have we got ....?

my grandad trapped rabbits ,between the wars ,and used sara traps ,he said they were better than the dorset trap as they killed the rabbit ,and were easier to set,.perhaps one you trap collecters could post a picture as i for one have never saw one.

micky

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Micky; You obviously have No Idea how mind bending that statement is, mate. Your Grandad used Sara's! F*CK!!!

 

I haven't got a picture of one on my PC right now. Used to have but ditched it as it's a trap that's simply never turned me on. However, just about every other Trap Collector in the entire world would go pop eyed at the very mention of that name. The " Sara " Trap is, to possibly all but me, The Holy Grail.

 

I've managed to track and trace most of the rarest traps in my time. I don't posess them. But I largely know who does. My brain could get me in big trouble, if anyone ever managed to hyjack it and pick certain information it holds, believe me!

 

But that brain has only ever recieved input on the where abouts ~ or even known existance ~ of probably well less than half a dozen Sara Traps on this earth today! Millionaires are scouring the planet as we speak, in search of one. Cheque books in hand. Ready to go damn near bust, just to own one.

 

Now, just what the f*ck it is about these damn traps, god alone knows - see above. I just don't Like them! Reason I don't like them is because, from the pictures (drawings, that is! I've never even seen a photo of an actual one - and I've been around the block!) they look crap!

 

I'm sure ye'll be shown a picture soon enough now. See for yeself. A huge and powerful coil spring fires up against a pair of scissor like jaws? It's an in built recipe for disastor! I've always reckoned - though they were purportedly " Sold in their thousands " - there are none left simply because they'd all have smashed themselves to pieces in short order.

 

Maybe, if ye Grandad was still around, he could be the man to shed some light on that? I do know for a fact that one of the few we know to yet be out there, at least one is self broken. At least one of the others has never been taken out of it's box. Probably why it's survived.

 

Expect PM's, mate. Only not from me. I'm just gathering information and I'm no millionaire

 

But hells teeth; If only your Grandad had kept a few back, for old times sake. F*ck the Lottery!

[OldTrapCollector 377]

I also have only heard of a handful of these traps around the world, but as a fanatical vintage trap collector I also have no real desire to own one above many of the other early types. Like many other patented engines for trapping rabbits that were made in great amounts at the turn of the century, by public admission by one of the main manufacturers, they were a 'white elephant'. Their cheap production line construction and fallible 'modus operandum' equated to one simple result - they were a piece of overated junk! Why else would they be so scarce?

 

I have a couple of pics somewhere in my archives - I will see if I can post one later.

 

OTC

[Phil Lloyd 10,738]

No steel trap has ever matched the Gin for catching conies....

Edited February 20, 2007 by CHALKWARREN

[runsatnite 7]

if they had tested the gin in the trial it would of been passed if they had made the jaws smooth same as they just never trialed it that is the TRUTH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Chalkie; I have a complete and fully working, earlier, model of a Phelps here. I must say, it's one of the most infernally difficult and fiddly traps to set I've ever handled! Spend a day trying to get fifty or a hundred of those things down and ye'd be chucking them before ye'd set ten! Little bloody wonder They never took off then :whistle:

 

Runsatnight; I have a personal letter here, from a Trap Designer well known to many of us who know our 'Approved' Traps. I can assure ye that 'Humane Jawed Gin Traps' were offered for consideration. They got a knock back. You'd probably never guess nor believe why! I'll be explaining all that in my book