# Removing wax



## toepincher (Oct 3, 2010)

I was given a dozen Victor #2 round jaws this week and they have so much wax it not even funny. I have boiled them three times an I have one trap clean. By the time I pay for all the propane to get this wax off, I could've scrapped them and bought new. Any suggestions?


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## Mister ED (Apr 3, 2006)

Toe - Someting sounds funky here ... are you sure it is wax? 

If you boil the traps and let the water cool (with the traps still in the water) ... the wax will float to the top and when the water cools will harden. Skim the hard wax off the top and pull the traps and rinse.

If you pull the traps out of the boiling water, you are also pulling up through the floating liquid wax and recoating them.


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## Beaverhunter2 (Jan 22, 2005)

Add some Sani-flush or (if you can find it- Red Devil Lye) to your (cool) water and boil the traps (a good hard rolling boil). Be careful with this stuff as hot lye water can cause chemical burns. Get the scum that floats to the top off the pot then dump the traps out and hose them off good. 

If this doesn't work- sand blast them! :yikes: I've never seen a trap that good boil in lye wouldn't clean.

And don't forget to put something between the jaws before boiling. Some use the chain, I use a short piece of 11 gauge wire.

John


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## toepincher (Oct 3, 2010)

HeHe! You fellas think I'm a rookie? I pulled an 1/8 of an inch of wax off the top after I let it cool over night. They still had a lot on them. It looks like he used black wax and no dye. Then I brought it to another rolling boil for a half an hour and skimmed constantly stirring the traps to help break it up. I've never seen wax that wouldn't melt. I'm stumped. I can't find lye. I'm thinking of trying vinegar or a quick dip in muriatic acid. First, I'm gonna hold one directly over the flame of my burner and see what happens. Never look a gift horse in the mouth right.


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## Rustyaxecamp (Mar 1, 2005)

Got a spare oven?

I took some of rummage sale traps that were in a simliar condition to my work and left them in one of our soils ovens all day at a temp high enough to melt the wax, but not enough to hurt the metal.. Laid some expanded metal in the bottom of the pans.. At the end of the day, the wax was all dripped off.

Just a thought?


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## Mister ED (Apr 3, 2006)

Will be interesting to see what happens when lit with torch ... be careful it doesn't flare up .... and watch out for the poney-tail.

Check the grocery store for lye again. I always hear that comment about not carrying it ... but I have found it in every store that I have ever looked. Also, check the Hardware store in Reed City. If you can't find it or Sani-Flush try automatic dishwashing soap.

I don't think acids will do much on the wax. In fact there is an acid cleaner used to clean the insides of dishwashers ... that comes with a wax plug for a seal.

Rusty's idea sounds interesting ... know anyone with a hog cooker??:lol:


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## Mister ED (Apr 3, 2006)

I thought there was some 'stuff' out there to remove wax:
http://www.fntpost.com/Products/Trap+Cleaners/Blackie's+Wax-B-Gone

No idea if it works or not ... never had the need ... water/lye always work.


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## Rustyaxecamp (Mar 1, 2005)

toepincher said:


> I can't find lye.


 
Amish store in Clare on Surrey Rd carries it.


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## toepincher (Oct 3, 2010)

Hmm an oven. You aren't setting me up are you? My wife would not be happy about that one.


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## Mister ED (Apr 3, 2006)

Rustyaxecamp said:


> Got a spare oven?


Not even I would try and melt that in my wife's oven (and I have doen waxed dirt in it).


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## toepincher (Oct 3, 2010)

Well I bet it would be a spare oven when I got done!!


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## Rustyaxecamp (Mar 1, 2005)

one of the perks of being a manager at a environmental and soils engineering company with a full soils lab....


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## springdale (Dec 19, 2007)

could it be speed dip? its like tar if not right !




Mister ED said:


> Toe - Someting sounds funky here ... are you sure it is wax?
> 
> If you boil the traps and let the water cool (with the traps still in the water) ... the wax will float to the top and when the water cools will harden. Skim the hard wax off the top and pull the traps and rinse.
> 
> If you pull the traps out of the boiling water, you are also pulling up through the floating liquid wax and recoating them.


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## FixedBlade (Oct 14, 2002)

I took my diped traps and tried to wax them. The dip comingled with the wax giving me a black wax look. Ruined my wax. Now I have try and get it off the traps. One of these days.


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## toepincher (Oct 3, 2010)

Well I got half of them done. I boiled them in a 3 to 1 vinegar water mix and left them over night. Skimmed off the crud and sprayed them off with the hose. I did the same with the other 6 tonight. hopefully they will be good tomorrow too. They had 2ft of chain and 2 crunch proof swivels on each one. I left 8 links, put the crunch proof swivel back on and now I'm waiting for them to rust up. I pretty happy that I've doubled my traps for this season between these traps and a couple dozen 550's. Looking forward to putting up a few more coyotes than last year.


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## Seaarkshooter (Nov 5, 2009)

I' m looking forward to coming over and seeing one of them doing the chain dance. Come on, October! Where are you?

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## toepincher (Oct 3, 2010)

When does coyote season open down there Dennis? Oct. 15th here.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

TSC has some drain cleaner with lye in it. Look for sodium hydroxide in the ingredients.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Seaarkshooter said:


> I' m looking forward to coming over and seeing one of them doing the chain dance. Come on, October! Where are you?
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


A little teaser


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## Seaarkshooter (Nov 5, 2009)

Yep, Toe. same day

Thanks Free. !

Can' t wait!


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