History of Steel Traps

Function

• The steel trap is a trap that is used for catching animals. It consists of spring-operated steel jaws accompanied by sharp projections that clamp shut to either hold the animal or kill it. The trap has had multiple names and different price ranges throughout history.
  
  

History

• Trappers were a large part of the development of North America. Animals furs were of great value and were transported all over the nation. Indians would capture animals such as beavers via netting, shooting, spearing and with deadfalls (traps made from tree branches or logs). The colonials of Virginia and the Carolinas primarily used steel traps during the 1700s and onward.
  
  

Origin of the steel trap

• The steel trap as we know it today came from the "traquenard," a trap used for taking beasts of prey. The traquenard was used in the Middle Ages and it simply consisted of two boards with teeth on the edge, separated by a stick that served as a trigger and held under high tension by a spring (and sometimes twisted double cords).
  
  

How the Traquenard Works

• When an animal attempted to reach the bait on the traquenard, it would step on a treadle that displaced the stick and forced the two boards to shut firmly over the neck of the victim. Some of the early traquenard traps were solely designed to capture the animal by its neck rather than by the foot or other limb of the body. These traps' tension was often supplied with a strong bow made of holly or whalebone.
  
  

Steel Trap's Worth in the 1800s

• In the 1800s, the steel trap's worth varied depending on size and how it was made. In 1822, the American and British beaver steel traps were sold for $3 each. Since gold was worth $20 an ounce, the trap was considered a highly expensive item at the time.