No Mole Traps

[Nicepix 5,650]

Thing is how do you compare something like a mole trap? Price isn't reliable. And making claims like a trap will last twenty years is a nonsense. That depends on how its used, how much it is used and other factors such as soil type; acidity, humidity, etc. Even if you can demonstrate that a trap will last you 20 years how can someone say the same about a different version? Would Chinese made Duffus traps last as long as a Flatpack Stainless? I don't think so.

 

Over the last six months to a year the cheaper Far Eastern made Putanges have replaced the traditional French made ones in virtually all the retail outlets. I always make a point of buying different types to try and mark them with small tabs of coloured electrician's tape so I know what is what. I also had to buy quite a few cheaper traps just to be able to supply enough levers when the orders came in faster than I expected. I've had enough different Putanges through my hands to know what is what. The odd thing is that the three main brands found locally all appear to be the same traps.

 

The first thing you notice with cheaper traps is that the wire is thinner. Around 1mm less diameter than the French made ones. This photo is of two triggers, the gap in the one on the left is as wide as the metal of a cheap trap, the other is as wide as the metal of a French made trap.

 

 

When you pick them up the cheaper traps are lighter. About 10% lighter when weighed. And they have a much shinier finish to the metal.........

 

 

This makes the initial setting of a trigger much trickier to achieve. Both trap and trigger are as slippy as Hell. Then there is the alignment. The Putange has a forward slope to the prongs. The cheaper traps have their prongs more upright meaning that you need greater headroom in the tunnel to be able to slide them in........

 

 

You might also notice that separating the jaws on the cheaper traps seems easier than the original more expensive versions. If you are pedantic like I am you could set up a device using some fishing scales to measure the pull required to hold the jaws open with the lever set in exactly the same place in each type of trap, the jaws. The Far Eastern jobby is rated at 0.70kg pull and the Frenchie comes in at 1.05k. That means that the original Putange is more likely to retain its killing power for longer than the cheaper traps.

 

My field trials with the cheaper traps have shown that they will kill moles. But they rust like buggery which is probably why they are being sold in blister packs aimed at gardeners and casual use.

 

I've never used a Nomol so I can't comment on that specific brand. But I've got a similar thing from over here and the biggest problem I have is that the spring handle is too wide for the tunnel.

[smithie 2,443]

I will see soon enough.

[Phil Lloyd 10,738]

Well,.its fecking disturbing,.all these fakes, copies, clones and impersonators,..ya just don't know who to trust.

[Rowan 308]

Go to my website www.norfolktrapper.com as I have been buying Putanges in bulk from France and selling them to professional mole catchers for the past few weeks.

 

http://www.norfolktrapper.com

Hi Chris , looks like we cover the same sort of area , we're not the only ones though... just wish the bigger national companies would stay off scaring moles and making them trap shy , that would be slightly easier , but ain't life grand in sunny Norfolk............

[Torquemada 288]

Do bigger companies trap moles? I honestly don't know, but a few techs from big firms I have spent time with all say that trapping (for them) is too labour intensive lol.

[J Darcy 5,871]

Do bigger companies trap moles? I honestly don't know, but a few techs from big firms I have spent time with all say that trapping (for them) is too labour intensive lol.

They put massive prices in, and worry about doing the job right if and when they get the contract....

[smithie 2,443]

I had some of these suposidly cheap traps delivered today from Norfolktrapper and guess what just the same as the putanges I already have.

 

anyway they have been sent to my place of work and I had the vernier on. same diameter steel and prongs at the same angle as the ones from nicepix.

 

steel looks same and doesn't appear to have a twist pattern on like the one in the nice pix picture. tension feels same or similar.

 

even if these had been the cheap ones they would be better than no mole for tension and half dozen in your kit would not hurt. but I don't believe then to be junk

 

I'm no pestie so wait on moxys opinion. I'm taking them to him at the weekend and I'm sure he will have an opinion. he has 2 of my other putages to compare to already

[moxy 617]

It will be interesting to see and compare

[earth-thrower 493]

As title says,just wondering if folks on here have used them? And what are you opinions on them?

Well, this style of mole trap, seems to be coming increasingly popular, so no doubt, it is effective ?,....& it obviously gives the mole trapper,another option ?,....(but, i wont be using them, myself,...lol)

Edited January 6, 2016 by earth-thrower

[Nicepix 5,650]

I had some of these suposidly cheap traps delivered today from Norfolktrapper and guess what just the same as the putanges I already have.

 

anyway they have been sent to my place of work and I had the vernier on. same diameter steel and prongs at the same angle as the ones from nicepix.

 

steel looks same and doesn't appear to have a twist pattern on like the one in the nice pix picture. tension feels same or similar.

 

even if these had been the cheap ones they would be better than no mole for tension and half dozen in your kit would not hurt. but I don't believe then to be junk

 

I'm no pestie so wait on moxys opinion. I'm taking them to him at the weekend and I'm sure he will have an opinion. he has 2 of my other putages to compare to already

 

If he can obtain the same traps to sell at that price then I'll leave him to it. I can't. Be nice if he did his own video though

[socks 32,253]

A lad I know can get genuine putangs from a company in France for £1 a go ... He hasn't bothered because they want him to buy in bulk and he hasn't really got the outlet to shift them ........

[norfolktrapper 14]

Sorry. I didn`t want to tread on any toes and I just wanted to help fellow molecatchers get hold of putange mole traps, which they seemed to be having difficulty doing.

Those who have asked me to supply them with Putanges I shall do so as they are enroute from France, but I won`t take any further orders.

[socks 32,253]

Sorry. I didn`t want to tread on any toes and I just wanted to help fellow molecatchers get hold of putange mole traps, which they seemed to be having difficulty doing.

Those who have asked me to supply them with Putanges I shall do so as they are enroute from France, but I won`t take any further orders.

This isn't an exclusive selling club fella ... Anybody can sell what they want on here and people will go with the best deal ......

[Nicepix 5,650]

Sorry. I didn`t want to tread on any toes and I just wanted to help fellow molecatchers get hold of putange mole traps, which they seemed to be having difficulty doing.

Those who have asked me to supply them with Putanges I shall do so as they are enroute from France, but I won`t take any further orders.

No. You carry on. If you can supply them at that price then everybody's a winner.

 

Socks,

I can get them at that sort of price - in bulk. But by the time you add delivery (approx 10 traps per kilo) and the local taxes if I sold them at £1.25 I'd be making a loss. I love you all, but not that much

[socks 32,253]

 

Sorry. I didn`t want to tread on any toes and I just wanted to help fellow molecatchers get hold of putange mole traps, which they seemed to be having difficulty doing.

Those who have asked me to supply them with Putanges I shall do so as they are enroute from France, but I won`t take any further orders.

 

No. You carry on. If you can supply them at that price then everybody's a winner.

 

Socks,

I can get them at that sort of price - in bulk. But by the time you add delivery (approx 10 traps per kilo) and the local taxes if I sold them at £1.25 I'd be making a loss. I love you all, but not that much

I completely understand mate ... The main price is one thing but when you add on all the extras it is quite another .......