I wish I could share all the stories my mentor has told me about William F. Moran. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t cherish the knowledge I’ve learned about knifemaking from my teacher, who learned from “Bill” himself. Over the past ten years as I learned my trade, there have been moments at the forge when I would get a private glimpse of Bill’s early days. It reminds me that we all have to start somewhere when we learn a craft and I’d like to credit Bill as the one who started it all for future knifemakers.
I feel so lucky to have second generation knowledge from the man who began the resurgence of modern knifemaking in the United States. One of the original founders of the American Bladesmith Society, William F. Moran. My mentor gifted me a knife he hand forged from a piece of steel that Bill had personally gifted to him. Soon I will put a handle on it and complete the connection from Master Smith, to his student (my Mentor), to me as their student.
Here are some links that I’d love to share here about Bill’s history of knifemaking and galleries of his work:
William F. Moran History – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_F._Moran_(knifemaker)
William F. Moran Jr. Museum – https://www.williammoranmuseum.com/
Bill Moran Knives – https://www.billmoranknives.com/
Master of The Forge Book – https://www.knifemagazine.com/product/master-of-the-forge-william-f-moran-jr-and-his-classic-blades-by-b-r-hughes-c-houston-price/
Bill Making a Guard for a Quillon Dagger – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXu9JIRFKJ8