In the New Years get together thread there were 3 No 5 Slick Pan Newhouse in front of us. I have had some questions about them so I got more pictures. There are 2 traps from Dave`s collection and one of mine. Pictures are from oldest forward.
1st trap is Dave`s riveted jaw with the tall hour glass jaw posts. Note swivel 3 links from base and long pointed cross.

The 2nd trap is mine. It is the same as the 1st trap with one difference. It is a riveted jaw with the shorter heavier jaw posts.

The 3rd trap belongs to Dave and is the cast jaw slick pan. The cross is shorter and the swivel is attached to the base link. Note all 3 have trip hammer springs.

Nice traps Pete, They look to be correct and you do have them in order.

The cast jaw model is were the chain swivel moved from the third link to the base link. That model can have either chain.

What are your questions?

Thanks Dean,

The questions were just concerning what kind of bear traps they were and why I did not get better pictures of them. What you said about the cast jaw model being correct with either chain hookup is new information for me. I thought that all of the cast jaw models had the swivel off the base link. Now I am glad I posted the pics because I learned something new today.


Pete

Pete,
Most of the cast jaw model #5s do have the swivel on the base link, but there are a few with the old style chain, with the swivel on the third link and that is correct.

Great pics and timeline info..... Here's one that should fall in between your second and third traps shown... Cast jaws, mid chain swivel, and long cross...

Very cool Dale! That is the variation that I had not seen.

Good looking traps guys. I like those hammer marks going all the way down the spring on #3.

Great traps!!

I’ve read that they had to change the jaw posts because the first ones where breaking. Not the first handforged ones but the first cast ones.

beautifull traps...

Is there a consensus on the date range when the long cross transitioned to the shorter version? I thought it was when they moved to cast jaws but Dale’s trap has me second guessing myself.

Deerhunter51, Here are the #5 slick pans in my collection, the 3 on the left are riveted tooth, the first one has the early Y shaped jaw posts. The 2 on the right are cast jaw, one with the swivel on the third link and a long point on the cross. I am not sure the exact date that the point changed but it was shortly after the cast jaws started.

I also noticed that the spring stamps on the riveted tooth traps are different sizes, the earlier one being the smallest letters. They are difficult to measure.

Thanks Dean, good info as always.

Are those hammer marks or are they roller marks?

I am sure glad Dean posted a picture of another one. After reading this post I started second guessing mine.....

The transition period traps certainly keep collecting interesting. I picked up a 4 1/2 pat date a little while back with ATC springs. Judging from the looks of it and who I got it from I doubt it was ever messed with. I think it was a transition period trap between OC and ATC.

Your O.C., patent date #4 1/2 with ATC springs is correct, I have one in my collection also. There are many sizes of Newhouse traps with O.C. pans and ATC springs that are transition period traps. ATC used the O.C. pans on some traps into the 1930s and did not completely change from the flat link American pattern chain to the welded kink less chain until 1938.

Here is another ATC #4 1/2 transition trap that is very rare. I looked for one of these for a long time after seeing an 8x10 black and white photo of one that must have been a promotional photo taken by ATC. This trap having an O.C. pan and the kink less chain, suggests that ATC used the O.C. patent date pan into the mid 1930s.

Another beautiful trap snakecollector!