7.25-Inch Damascus Steel Skinning Hunting Knife with Red Laminated Wood Handle

Handmade Craftsmanship

The billet begins as stacked 15N20 and 1080. Our smiths forge-weld the layers at welding heat, then work the steel until the BoneFire figure flows across it. An acid etch darkens the 1080 while the nickel-bearing 15N20 stays bright.

Grinding a short blade well takes longer than most people assume. With only 3.25 inches of edge, the bevel has nowhere to hide an inconsistency, and the curve has to run true from ricasso to tip.

Laminated wood is built from thin hardwood veneers bonded under pressure. That construction machines cleanly and holds its shape without the seasonal movement solid wood can have. We shape each scale to the tang, set thick brass pins through it, and sand everything flush.

Brass was chosen for the pins over steel for a practical reason. Brass is softer, so it stands level with the wood rather than standing proud of it, and it develops a warm patina as the knife is used.

Blade Performance

1080 sits at roughly 0.80 percent carbon. It hardens predictably and stays tough, denting rather than chipping when the edge meets bone or cartilage.

15N20 adds nickel and a tighter grain, and that is the more important half here. Skinning is a long series of controlled cuts along a membrane, not a few heavy strokes, and it rewards a keen edge above everything else. A sharp blade separates hide cleanly. A dull one drags, tears, and costs you the pelt.

The pairing sharpens back on a stone in minutes, so touching up partway through an animal is practical.

At 3.25 inches, the tip stays within a couple of inches of your fingertips. You can feel where the point sits without watching it, which is what allows you to follow a hide line around a joint without punching through.

Handle and Grip

Laminated wood is made from thin layers of hardwood veneer bonded with resin under pressure. That gives it two advantages over solid wood. It resists the swelling and cracking that humidity changes cause, and it holds its shape through temperature swings across seasons.

At 4 inches, the handle is longer than the blade, which drops the balance point into your palm. The knife turns where you point it instead of leading forward, and that is the reason skinners are proportioned this way.

The 5 mm scale thickness fills your hand without bulk. The black fiber liner runs as a thin dark line between the red scales and the tang, which keeps the transition from looking abrupt.

The colour is also practical. A bright red handle is easy to find when you set the knife down on leaf litter or in a truck bed.

Ideal Uses

• Skinning deer, hogs, and small to mid-size game
• Caping and detail work around legs and joints
• Trimming and hide preparation
• Fishing tasks and general fine cutting
• Everyday carry as a compact fixed blade
• Gifting to hunters and display for collectors

Sheath and Carry

A cowhide leather sheath is included. Cowhide forms snugly around a compact blade and stays supple through seasons of belt carry.

The sheath covers the edge fully, and the knife is small enough that you will forget it is on your belt until you need it. Store the blade outside the leather between uses, since tanned hide holds humidity and carbon steel will spot against it.

Specifications

Knife Care

Blood and fat sit acidic on carbon steel and will mark it overnight. Wipe the blade as you work, then wash and dry it completely once you are finished.

Apply a thin coat of mineral oil or blade oil before storage and keep the knife in a dry place outside its sheath. Laminated wood needs less maintenance than solid wood, though an occasional wipe with oil keeps the finish looking right. Sharpen on a whetstone when the edge stops gliding through the hide, and avoid powered grinders, which generate enough heat to soften the temper permanently.

Why Choose Centuries Crafts?

We forge every blade and shape every handle by hand. Materials are chosen before the work begins, and each knife is checked for fit and finish before it ships. A skinning knife lives or dies on the edge and the grip, so that is where the effort goes.