Texarkana College’s Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing Grand Opening Oct.11

Texarkana College’s Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing will celebrate its move from Washington, Arkansas, to Texarkana, Texas, with an open house and ribbon cutting on Friday, Oct. 11 at 4:30 p.m.

According to a press release, the public is also invited to purchase tickets to the school’s first Piney Woods Hammer-In held at the new location Oct. 12-13. The school’s new facility is located in Texarkana College’s Career Education Center Annex on Coolidge Avenue.

The bladesmithing school was launched in 1988 in partnership with the American Bladesmith Society and was the first of its kind in the world. In July 2019, school officials decided to relocate to the Texarkana College campus to offer more modern amenities while preserving the school’s rich history and proven instructional methods.

The open house will allow the community to see the new facility first-hand and will feature the dedication of the B.R. Hughes Classroom and the ceremonial forging of the first knife made in the new facility. Hughes, former Dean of Students for Texarkana College and one of the four founders of the American Bladesmith Society, was instrumental in bringing this unique program to Texarkana College.

The Fall Piney Woods Hammer-In is an annual event hosted by the American Bladesmith Society at the Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing facility. The hammer-in will be held Oct. 12-13 and will feature live demonstrations, breakout sessions on a variety of bladesmithing topics, an auction, and networking opportunities with bladesmiths. Tickets for the event are $60 and can be purchased on-site or at the American Bladesmith Society store at americanbladesmith.com.

On-site registration for the hammer-in will take place Saturday from 7-8 a.m. The day will kick off with a welcome and introduction at 8 a.m. and will end with an auction beginning at 5 p.m. Demonstrations will also be held Sunday from 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

Presentations will cover topics including hand forging, grinding blades, exotic handle materials, stainless San Mai blades, silver wire inlay, Damascus blades, heat treating blades, frame and d-guard handles, and hands-on forging. Demonstrators include B.R. Hughes and six bladesmiths who have achieved the ABS Master Smith or Journeyman Smith rankings: Joe Keesler, MS; Don McIntosh, JS; Mike Williams, MS; Steve Dunn, MS; Shawn Ellis, JS; and Brion Tomberlin, MS.

For more information about the Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing, please visit learnbladesmithing.com or call the TC Community & Business Education Center at (903) 823-3270.