nmCollector

I improved on the installation and use by adding installers for Windows (including Vista) and Macs. Linux users can still run from the command line. http://www.nmcollector.net/JE/downloads/index.htm Thanks, Clay

That would be wonderful. Thank You! It will be great to hear if the font changes work for different languages. Clay

You can now change fonts with the latest release ( http://www.nmcollector.net/JE/) You can change all fonts at once or individually. To change individually right click (twice) on the caption or field that you want to change and a pop up menu appears. I want a single click but am having trouble getting that to work consistently. I do not have a Japanese font installed but whatever fonts I have were available so it should work for you with Japanese fonts. There are many other improvements in this release making it much easier to use. Please give it a try and let me know what you think. Clay

If you come up with a better field structure and/or drop down lists please let me know and I will incorporate the changes in a future release. BTW, this one is still beta so there is a small chance you could lose your data. Once it is stable I will ensure that no data is lost ever (including any and all upgrades). Thanks again, Clay

How funny you should ask because last night I was having trouble going to sleep asking myself the same question. I should be able to allow you to change the font for any or all fields as well as captions - let me think about that one some more. Clay

Hi all, I have been away from the Japanese Sword collecting community for some time now. Several years ago I developed gun collecting software for Windows. It has done very well. So well in fact that many people requested that I make a version for other operating systems so I did. I also decided to make a free version available. It won't have have as much functionality as the retail version but it might be enough for basic collections. So, what does this have to do with Japanese Sword collecting? I'm glad you asked. I also decided to make the software much more flexible than my original gun collecting software so it can be used for other types of collections - like Japanese Swords. Would anybody here care to try it out and let me know what you think of it? It is still pretty much beta but stable. You can learn more at: http://www.nmcollector.net/JE/ Thanks for the band width. I'm looking forward to comments. Clay

Well, that's great news! Thanks. Clay

Thanks. Perhaps you can enlighten me on something though. I figured since it had already been to Japan for a restoration (it came from a Japanese dealer) if it was worthy of shinsha it would have already gone through one. Wouldn't that make sense? Thanks again, Clay

In my earlier post I meant hamon. Clay

Thank you for serving our country! My daughter (http://www.empnavy.us)is in the Navy and was stationed in Guam but had to be medevaced to San Antonio when they found a large mass in her chest. She was diagnosed with Non Hodgkins lymphoma and is undergoing chemo therapy at Brooke Army Medical Center. We could not have asked for better treatment than what she is getting through the military. She is hoping to be stationed in Hawaii some day. Back to the sword - ah yes, the hamon - that is part of the controversy over this sword. But the papered Shinto Kanemoto that I saw had the same hamon. Also, take a look at the nakado - does it look like a WWII nakado? As a side note, the hada was the same on mine and the papered Kanemoto as well. Thanks for sharing. Clay

Probably pretty straight forward ... http://www.nmcollector.net/StarStamped/StarStamp.htm Thanks again, Clay

This a recent eBay purchase ... the only one I own that is not in WWII mounts and has a fresh polish. I figure the price I paid was less than what it would have cost to purchase the blade then a Japanese polish, habaki, and saya. http://www.nmcollector.net/KanemotoWak/ Clay

Hello again, This forum is a great source of information. Hopefully the experts on this forum will be willing to share their opinions on swords in my collection. Of course, it will someday be worth my while to find a U.S. shinsha close to me but so far that has not been an option for me. For organization purposes, I will list each sword separately. This posting is for a blade signed Kanemoto in WWII mounts that I purchased on eBay years ago. It came to me from Australia. I have already posted some opinions (including my own with attributions when requested. I would like permission to post any new information that might come out of this. It seems this blade could be anything from a high quality Shinto blade to a low quality WWII blade! Please do not hesitate to contradict anything I have posted. I am interested in the debate. http://www.nmcollector.net/Kanemoto/Kanemoto.htm Thanks in advance. Clay

I'm glad someone is willing to admit they cut themselves while using uchiko and choji oil to "clean" a blade. I just sliced a small chunk of skin off of my thumb while lightly cleaning my "new" Kunimori with choji and uchiko. I felt like an idiot but now I don't feel so bad. I was a little too careless near the edge and paid for it. I have never cut myself like this before so I don't know if this blade is just sharper than my others or if I was just more careless with this blade than others. It cut through the cottom ball I was using before it got to my skin so I am thinking I may have done this before but with duller blades so they did not cut through the cotton to get to my skin. Anyway, it was a wake up call to show these blades the respect that they deserve! Clay

Once again, thanks for the additional information. Just out of curiosity, what is a ball park figure for a quality Japanses Sword polish in Japan these days from a reputable source with all ancillary expenses included? I'm thinking a little over $1000.00. I searched the forums and could not find anything on it. BTW, I really do appreciate this forum and the obvious knowledge represented here. I just found this forum when I started looking for information on the Kunimori sword that led to this discussion. Thanks, Clay Pryor

Here are some pictures that came with the sword. I will try to take some more but not sure when I will be able to. The blade definitely needs a polish. There are some imbedded finger prints, lots of scuff marks (on one side), and some other discolorations. However, it does fit my WWII Japanese Sword collecting interest and I will most likely not have it polished - which I can't afford anyway and, since it is made of "western steel" rather than traditional methods, I doubt the Japanese government would allow it back for polish anyway. I think it will have to be enjoyed as it is for now.

Wow, very impressive. Thanks, Clay

Wow, that was fast! Thank you! Clay

Hi, I just purchased this swod and would like to know what the mei says. I will try to figure it out myself with the Nihonto Kanji Pages ( http://www.nihontokanjipages.com/ ). However, if someone here can help I would appreciate it. Here is a larger image I might eventually add pictures with the translation to my list of Japanese Swords posted on one of my web pages ( http://www.nmcollector.net/WTK.htm ) but only after asking permission and giving credit if the contributor wishes me to state their name. Thanks, Clay