Chuck Hawes Custom Small Remington Trapper Ironwood Damascus

Chuck Hawes puts 30 years of damascus forging into this Small Remington Trapper—148-layer blade and bolster, Ironwood handle, and every component made by one maker from start to finish.

• 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 — Both the blade and bolster are hand-forged from 148 layers of W1 and 15N20 steel. The result is a distinctive layered pattern across both components and a blade that takes a keen edge and keeps it.
• 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.
• Ironwood Handle — Ironwood is prized for its exceptional density and natural beauty—it holds up to hard use with no stabilization needed. The tight, rich grain gives each handle its own look and only improves with age.
• 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.