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The American Bladesmith Society or ABS is a non-profit organization composed of knifemakers whose primary function is to promote the techniques of forging steel blades. The ABS was founded by knifemaker William F. Moran, who came up with the concept in 1972 when Moran was chairman of the Knifemakers' Guild and he introduced Damascus steel blades at an annual show; in 1976 he incorporated the organization and received non-profit status in 1985. ABS knifemakers forge blades as opposed to making them via the stock-removal method. ABS has developed a system of ratings designating whether a member is an Apprentice, a Journeyman or a Master smith. ABS has partnered with several colleges to offer courses in bladesmithing and has launched its own museum. ==History== Bill Moran had been elected chairman of the Knifemakers' Guild in 1972. At that time, there were fewer than a dozen practicing bladesmiths in America, and this number was decreasing, whereas the number of stock removal knifemakers was increasing. To remedy this, Moran unveiled 8 pattern welded blades at the 1973 show, dubbing them "Damascus Steel" and handed out a booklet on how to forge the steel to the knifemakers in attendance.〔 Within months, a handful of knifemakers began making Damascus blades: Bill Bagwell, Don Hastings, Michael Connor, and Sid Birt. By 1976 more than a dozen bladesmiths were making Damascus steel and on December 4, 1976, Moran wrote the by-laws. In 1985, the ABS held its first hammer-in at Dubois, Wyoming in conjunction with the University of Wyoming. The following year it was moved to Washington, Arkansas in conjunction with Texarkana College. This campus had a replica of James Black’s blacksmith shop where during the winter of 1830-1831 James Bowie purchased a knife from Black. This hammer-in, named the Piney Woods Hammer-In, still occurs semi annually. In 1988, the ABS established the criteria for Mastersmith and Journeyman. In 1991, Moran stepped down as president but the Society unanimously elected him “Chairman Emeritus”, meaning that he would serve on the board for the balance of his life.〔 In 1988 on the grounds of Historic Washington State Park in Hempstead County, Arkansas, The ABS and Texarkana College founded a Bladesmithing School in collaboration with the Pioneer Washington Foundation and the Arkansas State Parks. The campus was located near where historians believe that James Black, created the Bowie knife. From 1988 to 2001, Bill Moran taught at least one class a year at the school from basic knife making to the forging of Damascus steel. Upon his retirement from teaching in 2001, the school was renamed the William F. Moran School of Bladesmithing.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=4057 )〕 The American Bladesmith Society is now associated with Texarkana College in Arkansas, Haywood Community College in North Carolina, and the New England School of Metalwork in Maine which offer Bladesmithing courses taught by experienced ABS Master Smiths and Journeyman Smiths.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=ABS Educational Programs )〕 The ABS launched its own museum and Hall of Fame in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1995 in conjunction with the Historic Arkansas Museum.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.historicarkansas.org/knife_gallery/ )〕 The first year inductions were held in 1996: James Black, Jim Bowie, Don Hastings, B. R. Hughes, William F. Moran, and William Scagel. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「American Bladesmith Society」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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