Tension Tester — Still Good?

I’ve been away from trapping for some years. Getting back into it. Are these trapping testers pretty rugged? It doesn’t seem like the tension is correct when measuring as it seems to be maxing out before tripping the pan. Putting the tester dead center of the pan on Bridger #2 Dogless 4 coil.

Thanks in advance!

test it on a scale

Mine still works great. Owned it for years.

I bought a trigger pull tensioner at a gun shop many years ago, never worried since about a 2 lb trigger pull or a dropped pan at 2 lbs either !!

I calibrated my thumb

If you have something with known weights, keep adding them to the weight of the pan until they fire. One good reason to save empty peanut butter jaws . I have a bunch saved so if I need to test, fill with water, and use a dowel rod to place on the pan and keep stacking jaws till the trap fires.

Unless the spring is shot on the spring tester, only thing i've had go bad on it was the tubing where the trap jaws hit,which is easy to replace

That little retainer cap on the top of the handle flew off my tester. I rigged another one on there but it is rigged. I wonder if Hal or someone would sell a small bag of those retainers.
I would order some if I knew what to ask for.

Rickey

Go into your local hardware store with your tester and go to the plumbing section and get a pipe endcap of the right size and some PVC cement. Maybe a washer too if you've lost that

I didn't lose the pvc, it is the little metal press on cap/washer. It may be called a retainer washer or retainer clip; I don't know. I have it rigged but I would buy the real replacement if I knew exactly what to get.

Rickey