I was social distancing with my 44’s and noticed a stamping on the inside of each jaw on a government stamped model. I initially thought just trapper marks but I keep trying to talk myself into it being something else given their location. Looks like a V” and it’s stamped on the inside of each jaw in the same place. Here’s photos of the stamp and of the overall trap - what’s the consensus?

I have not seen that mark but round divots are common on some Newhouse traps. They are from the casting but I am not sure of their purpose. Yours may be the same. I do not believe that you could get a stamp that deep into a cast jaw without heating it and if it is the same and in the same place on both jaws, it would have been in the casting mold. On these double spring traps, there is not a left and right jaw, they are both the same.

This trap has the same two divots in the other jaw on the opposite corner, which would be in exactly the same spot.

Thanks Dean, I’ve seen those round divots before too. Here’s a couple more photos showing both marks. These are the only markings inside the jaws, the rest of the marks are just scars or pits.

Nice traps!

The divots were cast into some jaws (mostly closed jaw) for assembly orientation. One single pattern was used to produce both jaws which when assembled, resulted in the divots being on opposite sides when viewed in open position. This continued into some early ATC closed jaws (with dirt clearance).

At first glance, the V appears to be a foundry trademark which is cast into the piece. However, OC did their own casting and did not think it necessary to claim each part. This changed with ATC as they contracted all casting out to various foundries over the years since 1925. ATC required a foundry trademark or ID for performance-tracking (jaws, pans, swivels, etc).

If it were a foundry trademark, both jaws would be mirror image; so the V would remain right-side-up when placed in same position as opposite jaw. In the above pic that shows both jaws, with both Vs, you can see that the bottom jaw V would not remain upright when turned around to match top jaw...it would view upside-down. This indicates the marks were not cast into these jaws but done afterward for some reason.

My curiosity got the best of me and I have spent the morning looking at 44 jaws. I have found the same V, located in the same place on a pair of OC 44 Prop of US jaws; except the Vs are mirror image and remain right-side-up when turned around. This is a real mystery to me.

Well Dan, now I have to go inspecting the rest of the jaws I guess. If you have the same V it must mean something and I suppose I can rule out a trapper mark. Interesting that both traps with it have the US stamps - if it's post-foundry I wonder if it could be some kind of agency mark, etc? I agree with Dean that it would probably have been done when the jaw was heated to get it that deep though. I have one other US marked 44 and several other government traps and will let you know if I come across any other marks. Thanks for the feedback guys.

Dan, here are the photos of your US 44 jaws with the mysterious "V" . Curious as to what you found out...

After finding the above "US" jaws with the V marks, I have found more V marks on a set of "TEXAS" jaws. Deerhunter's jaws were also US. At this point, the only thing all these V jaws have in common is that all were stamped on the jaw legs with US or TEXAS. Agency letters were cold struck with tool steel dies on the jaw legs and jaw tops after casting and were never heated to do so. In order to back up the jaw for die & strike hammer, a jig fashioned in the exact outline of the jaw was needed to accommodate its shape & curve. Otherwise, the malleable jaws would chance warping or bending and compromise fitting tolerances. Part of this jig had to have a grasping/clamping device that held the jaw securely for a significant blow.

My GUESS is that something on that tooling (that looks like a V) indents the jaw during clamping and strike; while jaws are being stamped on legs or top? With early high-grade malleable cast iron, the jaws could have been marked or scarred with the V without any heating. This is due to surface properties of the old malleable iron (microcrystalline structure) and heat-treating process done afterward in those days. I have a detailed description of that process during the later years before ATC.

Now if anyone finds a set of V jaws without agency stamp on jaw top or jaw legs, my theory is wrong. Please advise.

Thanks