Entry No. 19 — the Washington, D.C. file — filed under: history
W.F. Moran Bladesmith & Artisan Academy
A modern forging hall built "yards from Bill Moran's forge" — the actual farm shop where self-taught knifemaker William F. Moran single-handedly revived pattern-welded Damascus steel in the late 1960s and went on to forge blades for Sylvester Stallone, Queen Elizabeth II, and King Abdullah. His foundation opened the academy on the same Middletown property in October 2022 as an American Bladesmith Society-approved school.
The story
In the late 1960s, a self-taught smith named William F. Moran stood over an anvil in a quiet Middletown farm shop, attempting to crack an ancient secret: pattern-welded Damascus steel. Moran figured out the intricate folding process single-handedly, effectively resurrecting the lost technique for modern craftspeople. Before long, high-profile collectors came knocking on his rural barn door—Moran ended up hand-forging custom blades for Queen Elizabeth II, King Abdullah of Jordan, and Sylvester Stallone.
Moran spent decades hammering high-carbon steel on this precise patch of ground off Hollow Road. In October 2022, the William F. Moran Jr. Museum & Foundation opened a purpose-built forging academy mere yards from Moran’s original, preserved shop. Sanctioned as an official American Bladesmith Society school (an organization Moran helped found), it operates as both a working classroom and a holy site for modern bladesmithing.
What it's like
Expect ear-splitting power hammers, glowing forge fires, and the heavy smell of hot oil as soon as you step into the hall. You’ll spend hours standing over anvils and heat-treating ovens set up right next to Moran's historic shop, working raw steel bars down into finished full-tang knives. Leave synthetic clothing at home—sparks will melt straight through nylon or fleece—and show up in 100% cotton, heavy leather boots, and proper eye and ear protection. You will leave with soot under your fingernails and muscle aches in your hammer arm.
The move: Take the two-day Beginner Bladesmithing class together, each forging a full-tang knife from a bar of raw steel to a finished blade with handle, using power hammers and heat-treating ovens set up on the site of Moran's original shop.
- 📍 Middletown, MD
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 7304 Hollow Road, Middletown, MD 21769
Hours: Added 2026-07-19 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Ms Caitlin's School of Blacksmithing — Follow up a rural knifemaking session with an intimate storefront blacksmithing class just six miles away in downtown Frederick.
- National Museum of Civil War Medicine — Trade the heat of the forge for the stark reality of 19th-century steel bone saws six miles down the highway in Frederick.
- Ruins of St. John's Episcopal Church — Drive 13 miles west to Harpers Ferry to wander the roofless stone arches of a church turned Civil War hospital.
Good to know
Do I need prior metalworking experience to take a class?
No. The academy runs introductory two-day bladesmithing workshops designed for beginners, walking you from a raw bar of steel to a finished blade with a fitted handle.
Can I see Bill Moran's original shop on the property?
Yes. The modern forging hall was constructed yards away from Moran's original farm shop where he famously revived Damascus steel.
What clothing should I wear to a workshop?
You must wear natural fibers like 100% cotton shirts and heavy denim jeans, plus leather boots. Synthetic materials like polyester melt when hit by stray sparks.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Wikipedia · aushermanfamilyfoundation.org
last checked: 2026-07-19