William F. Moran (knifemaker)

William Francis Moran Jr. (May 1, 1925 – February 12, 2006), also known as Bill Moran, was a pioneering American knifemaker who founded the American Bladesmith Society and reintroduced the process of making pattern welded steel (often called "Damascus") to modern knife making.

In addition to founding the ABS, he was a Blade Magazine Hall of Fame Member and a President of the Knifemakers' Guild.

However, few living bladesmiths knew the exact techniques and without a recipe for the process, it was in danger of being lost; through trial and error he taught himself pattern welding and referred to it as "modern Damascus steel".

[12] Moran had a 20-year-long waiting list and sold knives to such celebrities as Sylvester Stallone and members of royalty including Queen Elizabeth II and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

[6][7][13] According to The Washington Post, Sylvester Stallone's knife cost the actor $7,000 and included over 30 feet of silver wire in the handle.

[7] According to his obituary in The Washington Post, Moran willed his forge and tools to the Frederick County Landmarks Foundation.

Paul Chen's Hanwei Forge of China made a damascus steel version of the Moran Kenshar, complete with silver wire inlay.

Custom knifemaker Ernest Emerson has long stated that the Moran ST-23 was one of the inspirations for his CQC-8 folding knife.

The foundation retained Moran's original shop as a museum/working forge and trains students in the continuing developments of "modern Damascus" techniques.