I got a bucket of old Blake and lamb #2 traps that a guy I know bought just because he knew I trapped. Most are pretty old, fairly rusty too. Out of the 12, I'd say 5 or 6 are still usable. Anyway, they have what looks to be for lack of a better term in Old nail like a square cut nail attached to the Trap ring. I'm not sure if that is something to be used in the setting of these old double under spring traps or what other purpose it would be other than some type of pic device? A quick Google search didn't turn up any answer so I'm hoping some of you professional here would know the answer. Thanks for your help in advance as I'm sure this is a simple question that I should probably know.

Not a professional here but Ill answer you anyway.Its for pounding in to a tree to secure it.In those days it was all about skunks and to a lesser degree coons(the 30's and '40's).Not saying that dates your traps because I think trap companies continued to put them on after the skunk era was over

I’ve seen them pounded into floats for rats, boards for closing up cut open muskrat hunts and wooden stakes. They don’t pound in too well if the wood is super hard and can break off.

Animal Trap Company called it a wedge. Here is a diagram of the trap parts from A.T.C's 1939 catalog.


The wedge was used on mostly small size traps and was an early device, common on different brands and from different manufactures. The wedge is illustrated on a Newhouse trap in the first edition "The Trappers Guide" , 1865, by S. Newhouse. And, there is a wedge on a 1864 patent Hart trap that I have. The wedge was used as a spike, as an option to anchor the trap.