A method of making a wind turbine blade (10) having a metallic lightning receptor (110) is described. The method comprises configuring a wind turbine blade (10) mold assembly (100) such that a clearance region (120) is defined between a mold surface (116) of at least one mold half (112, 114) and a majority of a metallic lightning receptor component (110) when the mold assembly (100) is closed, such that contact between that mold half (112, 114) and the metallic lightning receptor component (110) is substantially avoided. In certain embodiments of the invention, one or both mold halves (112, 114) are truncated such that the metallic lightning receptor component (110) projects from the mold (100) when the mold (100) is closed.