Chuck Hawes Custom Trapper Black Ash Damascus

A full-size Trapper built by hand from start to finish—148-layer damascus blade and bolster, stabilized Black Ash handle with blue, gold, and black tones, all made one at a time by Chuck Hawes.

• Sole Authorship Build: This knife is fully handmade by Chuck Hawes, who forges and fits each component himself, ensuring one-of-a-kind quality from start to finish.
• 148-Layer Damascus Blade and Bolster — Hand-forged from 148 layers of W1 and 15N20, the blade and bolster share the same damascus pattern—a visual match that runs from edge to handle and a steel that holds a sharp edge through actual use.
• Flat-Convex Grind: The blade features a razor-sharp edge with a subtle convex geometry behind the bevel, enhancing cutting performance and prolonging its lifespan.
• Stabilized Black Ash Handle — Dyed and stabilized to preserve the natural figure of the wood, this handle shows deep blue, gold, and black tones that shift with the light. The colors are locked into the grain—no two pieces look the same.
• Strong Backsprings with Half-Stop: Built with strong, reliable backsprings and a clean half-stop, this knife opens with authority and closes securely.
• Detailed Filework: The damascus backspacer and blade spine are both hand-filed, adding detail only found in custom made knives.

About Chuck Hawes

Chuck Hawes has over 30 years of experience crafting custom knives from his shop in Weldon, Illinois. While his work is admired by collectors, Chuck designs his knives to be used, aiming to create knives that will last a lifetime. He is well known for his damascus forging ability, and he still builds each knife the old way, one at a time.