Bill Moran, known worldwide for his skills at knife-making, died Sunday at Frederick Memorial Hospital. The Braddock Heights resident is shown in a file photo taken in 2003.

Mr. Moran, 80, of Braddock Heights, died Sunday morning at Frederick Memorial Hospital after suffering from cancer.

Jay Hendrickson, of Frederick , a friend and fellow knife enthusiast, said, "I used to go over and stick my nose in his shop." He eventually embraced Mr. Moran's love of blade-making.

"He brought back a craft that was near extinct," Mr. Hendrickson said.

Mr. Moran's wife, Margaret, died in 2001 and he had no other family, Mr. Hendrickson said, "but he had a lot of friends. The nurses at the hospital said they never saw someone have so many visitors. There were always eight or 10 guys in there É Bill knew an awful lot of good jokes.

"The first time you met him you would have thought you knew him for years," Mr. Hendrickson said. "They threw away the die when that guy was born É He was very kind to people."

In addition to the work he did in his Middletown shop, Mr. Moran is credited with making the public aware of the art and beauty of knives.

In 1976 he co-founded the American Bladesmith Society, now an international group of more than 1,300 members. Mr. Moran served as society chairman for 15 years and in 1986 was inducted into the Knifemakers Hall of Fame, followed 10 years later with an induction into the American Bladesmith Society Hall of Fame. In 1988, the Moran School of Bladesmithing opened in Washington, Ark.

Mr. Henderickson said the exact number of knives created by Mr. Moran was unknown. "He said he maybe made a couple thousand."

The monetary value of his creations has steadily climbed over the years with a Bowie knife, for example, worth $30,000, Mr. Hendrickson said.

He said plans are in the works to maintain his friend's passion with the creation of a Bill Moran museum. Ideally, they would like to locate it on the grounds of Rose Hill Manor, North Market Street, Frederick , where a farm museum and other attractions depict life in a bygone era.

"It's going to be a wonderful array" of not only some of Mr. Moran's knives, but also his tools and a replica of his forge and shop, his friend said.

Mr. Moran was stricken by cancer a number of years ago and it came back last August, Mr. Hendrickson said. "He was pretty brave about it," and was able to travel in October to Arkansas for a knife "hammer-in" as the event is called.

"He had a lot of close buddies who kept him laughing," Mr. Hendrickson said. "He passed away in his sleep."

A funeral service will be held Friday at 10 a.m. at the Keeney and Basford Funeral Home, 106 E. Church St., Frederick .