Prototype Duffus Traps ?

[Mr Wasp 187]

Surly once the stainless bit it scratched,,,it will rust like any other?

I think your getting confused with plated metals.

Stainless traps are not plated, it is stainless steel throughout. Although a lot of traps only have SS bodies, the wire loops, triggers and springs are still just galvanised.

[Nicepix 5,650]

I've got some stainless 'Ultimate' Flatpacks from about three years back and they haven't a mark on them and the springs are stronger now than the more recent Flatpack traps I bought. The galvanised steel Flatpacks showed signs of corrosion almost immediately.

 

The first lot of 'Ultimate' Flatpacks I bought are made out of thicker steel, bodies and wires, and the steel is more resistant to being bent. They are also 65mm wide whereas the current ones are 74mm wide.

 

I have had a similar experience regards customer service. I had to contact them three times before they responded to confirm my order and when I questioned the difference in the traps they claimed that they were the same despite there being obvious differences. Each of the two batches of 'Ultimate' stainless traps have been worse than the original ones I bought and some my friend brought over a couple of months ago are little better than the cheapo Chinese type on eBay. Soft metal and poor quality. God knows what has gone wrong and they have had plenty of chances to respond and put their case.

[jackg 7]

I am really low on duffus so am looking at buying some. anyone tried the ones from Fourteenacre?

Or got any suggestions for where from please.

Ta

[unclepesta 101]

after using duffus for a long time i thing to much is on the body of the trap. as a trap ages its the trigger i worry about. they become malable 'soft' and bend easy then they can be damaged by just trap tangle, im sure many have sorted through traps and the trigger is all bent out from where it should be from transporting about and rough storage in buckets and piles. basically then it requires checking more often so you lose that grab and go confidence we want in a trap.. a harder trigger wire would be good stainless or high tensile less trigger creep. genrally speaking high tensile galvy bends more than stainless springs im talking rigidness of the straight wire not power or coil strength.. stainless should be more rigid i would think in most cases. stainless set pin or harder tinsley type high tensile 'basically good quality galvy' less flex... flex aint a bad thing it offers speed on release so harder should offer faster ping off the trigger hook and be better in more heavier soil siftings or coverings..better breakthrough better activation. its all microscopic things that make the overall useage better, good combinations needed.

 

if someone takes things on im sure they will make a nice trap with a good working life. ive got old duffus the bodys are rusted but still in useable condition,its the moving parts that are worn.

 

if i could have any parts stainless it would be all the moving parts and galvy body rather than stainless body and galvy parts.

 

if stainless can be done cheaper without compromise on quality then go for it, stainless comes in many grades so this should be thought of too. all different qualities.

 

im looking forward to the talpex stainless hope thats not going too far.

 

 

excuse my grammar and have a nice day folks.

[Nicepix 5,650]

I agree Uncle P,

I was sorting and checking my Duffus traps yesterday and it is noticeable how strong the wire still is on the three year old Flatpacks. To adjust the trigger angle I have to use pliers to hold the lower end while I push the loop. On the latest ones this can be done using hand pressure alone. Similarly when adjusting the latch I need to apply much more effort to make the adjustments on the earlier traps. On the latest non stainless type the wires are as soft as some cheap Chinese made traps I've got. It isn't all about the softness to bend though. When you consider that the trap is relying on two metal surfaces sliding apart, the softer the metal, the more force is required to activate the trap. And obviously the springs will lose power more quickly when a softer metal is used.

[unclepesta 101]

jackg could have a answer there nicepix, ive not used the flatpack they sound alright. a good set of traps are a joy to work with. not much worst than doubting your set when trapping. wasted days and restless nights. improvements can always be made to most things i say that from within the 'aint broke dont fix it mindset'.. tweeking traps is a great thing to understand its not always needed from good manufacturers,for example the netherlands talpex i would say that is a quality made trap that can be used out the box, i dont find that in duffus very often, nearly always need bending somewhere. them tongs you use are great for banks and ditches i dont use em on lawns or fields. the ones i had when a kid were much lighter spring tension but worked well a mole cant take too much it the breaking through dirt thats the problem for most springs on other traps, talpex original is super strength a V8 mole trap spring.. some of my best traps are old scissors with good coil springs fitted nice and simple.

 

talpex original is imo the best trap for genral use its really well made by the original guys, but im looking forward to a true out the box duffus. grab and go, sat over a open run tweeking traps is a nice thing but sometimes you just wanna get serious and talpex a is serious trappers tool imo.. the copies are a totally different subject,i use both and some copies need super tweeking, a chinese made talpex will not give what original does out the box... weaker bad build quality ect ect.

 

anyway this is a duffus post so i will wait and see what people come up with i might just buy a few myself

[Steve Albano 21]

 

A trap will only last as long as the spring, once the power has gone, the trap is useless/in-humane IMO

And that would be my opinion too.

I like the concept but as I've said many times as have others. I can't see how you benefit from the added expense.

 

All this talk of stainless!!

Stainless will rot (certainly not as fast as steel) but all will Depend on the grade of stainless used to manufacture the traps. There's no way I can see they are going to use a high grade. Not saying it can't be done and they won't but the price difference will be...!!? Well..! Noticeable

But let's not confuse the trap body from the wire work.

 

As echoed in the above comment. Once the spring has gone!

 

Best of luck pulling a tight trap out of a deep dried in or frozen run and resisting the temptation to yank it out by the wires. Sprung or unsprung.

 

I've had a couple samples of stainless steel wire burried in a damp spot in my garden for over 10 years now, and there's still not a hint of rust or any type of degradation of the metal. Look exactly the same as they did 10 years ago.

[moxy 617]

And your probably not likley to Steve.

The wire will be a better quality than the trap bodies.

[Steve Albano 21]

And your probably not likley to Steve.

The wire will be a better quality than the trap bodies.

Yes, I agree Moxy, and I think that's the way it should be too. The contact points on the trip bars and the kill loops and other moving parts would benefit from being made of a nice hard temper stainless wire. The sheet metal body wouldn't matter as much.

[Nicepix 5,650]

I hope that something comes of this. I lost one of my original 'Ultimate' Flatpacks last week when some dozy tart ran over it with a lawnmower. It had to be one of those, not the later ones

 

She paid for it, but the problem is I can't replace it.

[Steve Albano 21]

Stainless traps are not plated, it is stainless steel throughout. Although a lot of traps only have SS bodies, the wire loops, triggers and springs are still just galvanised.

 

Yeah I saw that on the flatpack website. Personally I think it makes more sense to reverse that and have the wire loops and triggers made of stainless and use galvanised for the body.

[3175darren 1,100]

The ultimate traps I bought a few yr back are all stainless, body spring and loop, have they changed them that much,? If so they aren't worth the money,

[Nicepix 5,650]

Darren, the latest 'Ultimate' stainless traps I bought differ significantly from the original 'Ultimate' stainless traps I bough three years ago. They are stainless, but all the metal; wires and body, are made out of thinner steel, and the width across the bodies has increased from 65mm to 73mm. They are probably still the best on the market but it boils my pi$$ that I've paid the same price for an inferior trap AND the company take me for a mug in denying that they've changed the spec'.

[3175darren 1,100]

Yes it seems they have dropped the ball on the quality,i must have bought at the right time, I am going to need more this yr though,which is worrying