The Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing

The Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing: A Legacy in Metalwork Education

The Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing, located in Texarkana, Texas, is a pioneering institution in the field of bladesmithing. Established in 1988, the school has been training bladesmiths from across the globe for over 30 years. It was the world’s first bladesmithing school and was born from a partnership between Texarkana College and the American Bladesmith Society. The school has trained thousands of bladesmiths, including master smiths and journeyman smiths, making it a cornerstone in the bladesmithing community.

Comprehensive Course Offerings

The school offers a wide range of in-person courses designed to cater to different skill levels and interests. The curriculum includes:

• Introduction to Bladesmithing: This course is designed for beginners and covers metal selection, function, blade designs, hammer forging, annealing, heat treating, grinding, and tempering.
• Damascus Steel: This course delves into the intricate patterns and techniques involved in creating Damascus steel blades. By the end of the course, students are expected to produce high-quality Damascus blades in various patterns.
• Handles & Guards: This course provides detailed information on creating handles, both full-tang and narrow tang, guards, butt caps, decorative file work, and more.
• Bladesmithing Lab Class: This new course is perfect for those who have completed the introductory course and wish to refine their bladesmithing skills further.
• Integral Knives: This class teaches students how to produce knives of integral construction using 52100 and 5160 round bar.
• Brute-De-Forge: This course focuses on the Brute-De-Forge style blade, covering hand forging, grinding, heat treating, and hand finishing.

Online Learning

For those who cannot attend in-person courses, the school offers an online “Bladesmithing for Beginners” course, allowing students to learn at their own pace, from anywhere in the world.

Global Reach and Certification

The school has attracted students from various countries, including Australia, England, France, and South Africa, and offers certification at Journeyman and Master Bladesmith levels.

If you’re serious about mastering the art of bladesmithing, the Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing offers world-class training that sets the standard in the industry.