# KO K9 extreme



## FMann (May 12, 2007)

anyone have any experience with these traps? I’m thinking about getting a dozen of them. They look like a middle grounds trap between the Jake and Bridger. They have the bolted jaws like the Jake and square jaws like the bridger. 

Any input would be appreciated!


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Handled them at the convention in Kalamazoo and I thought they were a stout, well made trap.
All the reviews I see are positive.
They're top on my list when I want to add some more to my arsenal.


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## FMann (May 12, 2007)

Those were my thoughts also FP. Although I’ve never handled or seen them in person. I figured $250.00 a dozen for the 2 coil offset jaws wasn’t too bad considering the price tag on the jakes. And the 4 coiled wasn’t that much more.


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## 9 (Jan 17, 2000)

IMHO & personal experience, before you buy ANY trap, carefully investigate the trigger mechanism and it's ability to be accurately adjusted. This is very important IMO and just asking folks on the trapping forums for their "honest" opinions may not be honest at all. There is a whole lot of protectionism and buddy-buddy cliques on the forums that stifle true and factual opinions and appraisals. Nobody seems to want to step on a Superman's cape! 
Free is excluded from those clubs IMO.

I received a ton of criticism on one forum concerning MB650's and most certainly the problem with the design of the Jake's trigger. I also heard back that at a couple of trapper's gathering that my name AND character were publicly besmirched. Actually I love it when some of the Supermen get their panties & capes in a wad.

I was suprised that for 2 years after the pissing contest on one forum about the problem with the MB650's I was still getting numerous emails about their trigger problem and how to fix them.


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## DFJISH (Mar 30, 2009)

Oh boy!


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## FMann (May 12, 2007)

Seldom, the K9’s are a dogless trap like some of the Bridgers. After using the bridgers for a couple years I’m really becoming a fan of that design! 

I also like what I’ve read about the K9’s as their a much heavier and stouter built trap than the bridgers. 

I understand the concept about making my own judgments about a certain trap. But if I’ve found people that have them and don’t like them why spend the extra money if I can make dukes or bridgers almost as strong by baseplating and laminating them! 

I just at this time can’t see myself spending the $400+ for a dozen of the Jakes! I absolutely love the spring design of the jakes. The k9’s have a similar spring lever design as the bridgers and the spring concept of the jakes along with the bolted jaws. 

As always thank you for your input. You’ve probably forgotten more about k9 trapping than I will ever know. But one day I hope to know enough of the “why’s” to make me a successful k9 trapper!


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## 9 (Jan 17, 2000)

I only used the 650 and Jakes as examples of traps with design flaws and kept quiet by either tight-lipped owners or owners who don't know any better. The Jake is indeed a great trap and great enough that I bought 3 doz, found out about the "problem", developed a fix, and bought 4 doz more. It's a great trap off the shelf only if you enjoy dickin around with setting the pan tension EVERY time you want to set the trap with a *nut-driver *or you fix the trigger system. This "fact" is something that is NEVER talked about on a public forum and that is what I was getting at in my previous post.  If I'd known about this I wouldn't have spent the $$ just to have to develop a fix for it. The fix works great BUT why have to fix something new. When you buy a set of faucets they don't include a nut-driver to turn the faucets on/off! You buy a new truck and they don't tell you to buy a nut-driver to tune the radio or roll the windows up/down!

Hell, in JC's instructions that come with the traps he explains the need to use a nut-driver when setting the trap!!!! How many reading this have read this "fact" on other forums before I publicized the fix? Some of the Supermen say just learn to adjust by feel well that's all fine and dandy but I found over 20% of them you can't come close by "feel". When I spend that much $$ on the "Cadilac of Traps" as they are often described, they better damn well be THE frigin BEST I can buy and when I set them they'd better set the same EVERY time!!

Another tip about Jakes. Be extremely aware that if you want to buy used Jakes, look very hard at the trigger because many trappers can't keep their hands off files! If you want to completely F-up a Jake, take a file to the trigger so set every used Jake before you buy and if time permits, repeatedly.


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## 9 (Jan 17, 2000)

FMann said:


> As always thank you for your input. You’ve probably forgotten more about k9 trapping than I will ever know. But one day I hope to know enough of the “why’s” to make me a successful k9 trapper!


 Thank you but if I do know more of certain things it's only from having more experience at making mistakes and then making corrections not because I'm some big numbers trapper, quite the contrary. I'm really just an older, hobby trapper who trys to use a thought process toward making some degree of success.


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## FMann (May 12, 2007)

Well I bit the bullet so to say. Ordered a dozen of the extremes. I ordered the 2 coiled offset jaw. I will know next year if I like them or not.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Let us know


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## Patrickr (May 2, 2016)

Seldom, when I was going to completely rebuild my equipment and standardize my traps I bought one of several different traps that would be used for red fox, dry land ****, coyote, bobcat, and fisher if I ever decided to hit the UP or NY. I finally narrowed everything down to the Jake Trap and the Sterling MJ600. Then I contacted two of the country's top predator trappers and got their input on both of my selections (They like neither of my choices due to price). I settled on the Sterling MJ600 and have never regretted it. I liked the Sterling product line so much I have recently started stocking up on the MJ500 for pre ground freeze conditions in southern MI. As far as I am concerned there is not a better trap made.


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## 9 (Jan 17, 2000)

Oh, I absolutely love my Jakes Patrickr, wouldn’t trade them for anything now that I fixed the trigger situation so I don’t have to use a nut driver and the pan tension doesn’t loosen with the racheting of the pan when setting. My purpose for responding to FMann’s posts was to advise being careful when buying traps new and used because people will seldom tell you the negatives but will always herald the positives! I had 3 of JC’s coyote videos and there is not a single instance in those hours of video where he mentions that the trigger nut will rachet loose whenever the pan moves down nor do you see him use a nut driver yet he tells you in his instructions to use one!! You won't see Zagger use one either on his video-mum's the word!

The darn BM650 trigger problem caused me to pull two days worth of sets and then spent 2-3 days finding the problem and then finding a solution. I was seriously pissed with that trap because of the lost set time and then whenI pulled everything to find traps sprung in their beds and couldn’t be reset and others had so much poundage that using TWO testers wouldn’t fire!!! Then to hear people on different forums tell me it was impossible, that the MB650 was a super trap, near perfect! Oh bullchit!! Apparently once I brought the problem to light, others started finding the same problem, understood they didn’t have to put up with it, and contacted me for the fix.

I also have read where folks have high, loose-side jaw problems and don’t understand why so what do they get told-“just take a screwdriver and twist the lever”! So, there are a bunch of trappers out there that figure they need to take a screwdriver to their trap when they set it-kind of like a nut driver eh??LOL If these folks would look at how the spring pin hole, jaw tip holes, and the lever holes are all way oversized they might understand that the high jaw is because of an accumulation and compounding of intolerances/slop. A chitty built trap!

Add to that that the old #3 Bridgers had tissue paper levers that would twist with the torque further compounding the problem. The manufacturers and suppliers don’t tell you about this design and material problem but once you buy the trap you might wonder why you’ve never heard about WHY the loose jaw won’t lay flat and when you question other trappers tell you to just twist the levers! LOL.

Most trappers will just go on using and twisting because they still work and there are only two fixes. One is you sell the frigin cheap SOB traps. Two, you change the spring pins fron 3/16” to 1/4” and redrill all holes to 1/4” and if the levers are judged to be too thin, reenforce them. This sounds like a pretty easy fix except when it comes to drilling the spring pin eye in the frame and that can be a real bitch to get straight.

Sorry for this long post but when I own a trap, I expect that trap to function EXACTLY the same EVERY time I set it, be it the 1st time or the 60th.


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## FMann (May 12, 2007)

Mr. Seldom, I truely appreciate your words of wisdom! I plan on checking these ko’s for repeatability. About the worse I’ve heard on these ko’s is the paint chips a little and they “might” cause foot damage.


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## 9 (Jan 17, 2000)

Since I don’t much attention to brands of traps unless I have them, it seems as though some “new” trap was difficult to adjust pan tension down.


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## FMann (May 12, 2007)

I believe that was the extreme jr’s. I’ve seen several videos and post about the pan tension being very erratic. Like I said I’m going to try them and see what happens. The biggest fault I can find is the weight of the trap itself.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

FMann said:


> I believe that was the extreme jr’s. I’ve seen several videos and post about the pan tension being very erratic. Like I said I’m going to try them and see what happens. The biggest fault I can find is the weight of the trap itself.


I was going to mention weight. Although they are heavy, strength comes at a price.


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## FMann (May 12, 2007)

FP I don’t think they would be any heavier than a bridger #3 after it’s all beefed up though. But I don’t know yet, I will be comparing them to my bridgers and victor #3’s.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

I believe heavier than a Victor #3.
That's the trap my partner runs.


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## FMann (May 12, 2007)

I currently run the victors in #2,3’s and got a dozen of the bridgers this year. I haven’t put the bridgers in the ground yet though. I was hoping to use the bridgers on my trip to Missouri but they have to big of a inside jaw spread. That was the reason for going with the KO’s. I prefer that square jaw over the oval jaws.


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## 9 (Jan 17, 2000)

FMann said:


> I prefer that square jaw over the oval jaws.


 After I fixed the MB650's triggers, that is why I sold them.


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## Patrickr (May 2, 2016)

Seldom, I understood what you were saying and why. I don't buy used traps for those very reasons you expressed and why I like to look at and handle new traps before I make a decision. But before I make my final decision I also check with some high production trappers I know and trust to get their input on a specific trap I might be purchasing in bulk. When I was younger, due to my having a disability in one hand/arm, I was not a big fan of being a trap mechanic. That is why I went with the Sterling brand for my land traps. They are ready to go right out of the box.

One of the things I always consider when buying a trap is the weight of the trap, all the ways in which I plan on using that trap, and for what species, with close attention being paid to how that trap will treat incidental catches. The weight of the trap and chain assembly are critical considerations in my opinion. One of my biggest complaints with every trap manufacturer out there is the lack of swiveling on their traps. Every trap, especially if it is to be set on dry land should have no less than 2 swivels (3 would be better) within 3 or 4 inches of the trap itself with another one at the stake end. And how those swivels are designed and built is critical as well. To date I have found no better swivels than the Sterling swivels with their nail hooks.


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## FMann (May 12, 2007)

Ok received my KO traps last week but just got the time to play with them today. 

First impression; stoutly built trap with some heft to it, good chain and swivels

Out of the box; 2 traps couldn’t go to the field. One the trap won’t set. The pan won’t clear the jaw to set, the other once set the pan hits the frame and won’t fire. This is no big deal as I have 8 months to get the traps ready to go afield. But not what I expected. 

Pan tension seems to be very
consistent in the 10 traps I was able to set and fire. Pan location verys from trap to trap. What I mean by this is some pans lay flat and others point down. Again not what I expected out of the box but I can work with it. I thought the jaws where 1/4 inch thick but their not. I’m guessing just a little heavier than the jaws on the Victor and Bridger traps. I can see now I should have went with the laminated jaws. The frame is totally different though. 

I absolutely love the bolt on jaws and the heavy frames. I would like to put these jaws on my Victors and Bridgers as well. The bolts for the springs are a better design than the spring pin the others use. 


In all out of the box I would give these traps a 4 out of 5. I will know if I like them better than victor or bridger traps in 8 or 9 months.


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## FMann (May 12, 2007)

Update on the KO’s. The pan height adjustment is on a slide piece that bolts to the frame. I like the concept and design. I just wish I had figured it out sooner, I had filed the catch piece on 3 traps before I figured it out. A simple 7/16 wrench and you can adjust the location of the pan to adjust its height. One hour in the fur shed and the whole dozen traps had the pans laying flat and the tension set.


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