I am good at strange questions lol. I've ended up with a vintage Newhouse trap spring as a personal gift from Wyman Meinzer. Y'all may know I'm a knifemaker, and I like using odd stuff with cool stories. I figure this particular project also lends itself to one of those John Cohea style jawbone handles, with a coyote jaw, of course.

Here's the question that only the trappers can answer.... What solid metal thing can I include that's related directly to coyote trapping? I figure I may incorporate Wyman's spring into some Damascus in the blade, with part also for the guard fittings. I could use something solid for a spacer, or for incorporation into the Damascus.

I've coyote trapped some, but I'm stumped here. No good ideas. I was always on foot, so light and simple was my setup.

Wyman says he's got a coyote book in the works

Not sure if it helps with your current project, but I always thought a trap pan with raised lettering would be cool on a knife butt, guard or handle if you could preserve the lettering.

For the butt plate if there is one, you could use part of the trap pan, with the ID on it say V or N for either, you could also place underneath for show of the letter a copper piece from a tag.

Spacers could use a section of a jaw they are probably wide enough for doing so, you could also just make them a Damascus twist as well out of a jaw, would be pretty noticeable as a spacer done that way or a piece of chain.

If you wished some color separation between anything you could use a copper ID tag most have to use, though you might need to fold it a couple times to get enough width to show such.

Hope that helps a bit, nice idea of yours be sure to show when your finished !!

I love the ID tag idea. Newhouse pan would be cool perhaps as a sheath decoration.

Any famous coyote trappers care to donate a trap tag, lol?

Alternatively, are there any famous coyote trappers to research?

Everyone usually references O'Gormann, but I'm way too green to make it "gospel". As far as ideas, I like the trap pan or tag idea, maybe if you could incorporate chain in the Damascus (don't even know if it would show), might be something to think about.

Don't have any idea's, but this deserves a ride ttt

Smash some trap chain into the Damascus?

It would be neat to see a sifter screen wrapped around wood, flush fit with a rosin of some sort covering it, to create a stippling type effect.

Ok, got this one nailed down. Wyman’s trap spring and some original carbon steel Old Timer “trapper” blades in the Damascus. 41-42 Iowa trap tag spacer. Coyote jaw bone handles. Damascus guard.

Also made a deal with a slipjoint maker to build a trapper pattern pocket knife out of the trap Damascus.

Will be ready for a show next March.

Awesome