simo8989 Posted August 5 Report Share Posted August 5 64 Been collecting militaria for 50 years, mainly edge weapons these days, only been studying and collecting Nihonto in the last 5 years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted August 5 Report Share Posted August 5 53. With the mind of a 25 year old, and the body of a 90 year old. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kantaro Posted August 5 Author Report Share Posted August 5 That is 50 year average on 22 collectors. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoTanuki yokai Posted August 5 Report Share Posted August 5 34. you should have asked earlier, we would be younger 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex A Posted August 5 Report Share Posted August 5 8 hours ago, Mark S. said: Not sure why anyone has an issue with exact ages, but each to their own. Me: 57 I do believe the above statement is a huge reason for the older average age of collectors, but not necessarily the average age of those who are interested in the subject though. While I have been interested for a long time, it has only been the last few years I have been able to afford some nicer quality items and also have a few items polished and restored. I was optimistic about young collectors but now that's gone out the Window. I'm only talking UK here but sure more and more countries around the globe will zoom in on the subject. With what's going on in the UK at the moment and government shouting loud about knives and stop and search etc etc, its doomed. EMS now return blades back to sender in Japan that are on route to UK Anyways, don't want turn this into another Brit debate but its how i feel about younger collectors prospects of being involved and actually owning swords. Us older ones will hang on to what we have, then send to auction or pass stuff on to our kids should they want it. Understandably, they might decline. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cisco-san Posted August 5 Report Share Posted August 5 57, started 20 years ago 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cola Posted August 5 Report Share Posted August 5 17 minutes ago, Alex A said: I was optimistic about young collectors but now that's gone out the Window. I'm only talking UK here but sure more and more countries around the globe will zoom in on the subject. With what's going on in the UK at the moment and government shouting loud about knives and stop and search etc etc, its doomed. EMS now return blades back to sender in Japan that are on route to UK Anyways, don't want turn this into another Brit debate but its how i feel about younger collectors prospects of being involved and actually owning swords. Us older ones will hang on to what we have, then send to auction or pass stuff on to our kids should they want it. Understandably, they might decline. I'm 35. It may become a black-market kind of hobby at some point. Exciting times ahead! I may just quit my job and make a fortune smuggling swords from Japan to Europe and the US by boat. But for now we can still get them by mail, and we only have to smuggle them across the channel. I hope they don't train sniffer dogs on choji oil. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brano Posted August 5 Report Share Posted August 5 53 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghoul Posted August 5 Report Share Posted August 5 (edited) 13 hours ago, Alex A said: Young uns dont have the spare cash to waste 1 hour ago, Alex A said: Us older ones will hang on to what we have, then send to auction or pass stuff on to our kids should they want it. True, but so long as the government don't outright ban antique curved swords here again, we should be alright! All of my Nihonto have been from auctions because of the price issue, and while risky, it is quite easy to find low/mid grade swords and while it has got more expensive to ship nationwide, it is still doable with UPS or dedicated couriers. I think the major hurdle for newcomers (as has already been mentioned by others here) is information accessibility. Younger people lean more heavily on the internet rather than books, and this forum is basically the only large-scale website with detailed knowledge. As a hobby we probably need more outreach on YouTube, Reddit, Instagram etc and at the very least some more cheat sheets compiling some of the basics/mid level info.... If I had the time, one of these days I'd very much like to set up a simple website with that basic info (my job literally is building those things anyway). Might be a good way to actually force myself to learn more about the schools now that I think about it (Edit: shout-out to https://www.Japanese...ndex.com/nihonto.htm for also being an invaluable internet resource - it is exactly this kind of thing but with better mobile support and more images we need) Edited August 5 by Ghoul 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex A Posted August 5 Report Share Posted August 5 Hi George, agree its unlikely they will ban antique swords but who knows, one day may need a license to own them. For me the issue is importing swords, its being killed off slowly but surely. There just isn't enough for sale in the UK to keep me happy. As time moves on collectors can get extremely picky and the chances of finding what they want in the UK, is zero. However the market in the UK seems ok, folks are still buying up what comes available. Some folks in fact will only buy in the UK and that is understandable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tohagi Posted August 5 Report Share Posted August 5 Just 50, I had my first nihonto at 27 ... Best, Éric VD 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kantaro Posted August 5 Author Report Share Posted August 5 Avarage of 50 years old on 29 Collectors. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robinalexander Posted August 5 Report Share Posted August 5 How old are you Paris @Kantaro ?. been collecting long? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kantaro Posted August 5 Author Report Share Posted August 5 Hahaha, true Rob, I forgot myself. I am 50+ so on 30 collectors the average age stays on 50. Been a collector for 40 years but Tsuba only a few weeks. A real virgin once again! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Blacksmith Posted August 5 Report Share Posted August 5 I started collecting them when I was about 22. In those days, good Shin- Gunto katana were about £175+ exceptional ones perhaps £250 !Those were the days . 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluckdaddy76 Posted August 5 Report Share Posted August 5 Add 48 to this list... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendan campbell Posted August 5 Report Share Posted August 5 69, bought my first sword at 19 on my return home from training with the British under 21 judo squad. 1974. 50 years on and off , sadly a lot of my original sword mates have now passed on, but I still have their memories. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kissakai Posted August 5 Report Share Posted August 5 74 and collecting just over 10 years 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singh13 Posted August 5 Report Share Posted August 5 23, started about a year ago after collecting Indopersian arms for about a year 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kantaro Posted August 6 Author Report Share Posted August 6 That is average 51 years old on 34 collectors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sutraken Posted August 6 Report Share Posted August 6 I am 33 and started collecting nihonto 4 years ago. I collect custom knives, too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Thomas Posted August 6 Report Share Posted August 6 Young 58 here, very young,, except my knee, and hip , oh and back , and shoulder …. 😁. collecting about 16 years .. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chinaski Posted August 6 Report Share Posted August 6 I'm fairly new to this, but I am 48 going on 49 years old. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jussi Ekholm Posted August 6 Report Share Posted August 6 35, feels crazy that after being in the hobby for ages I am still in "youngish" group. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis B Posted August 6 Report Share Posted August 6 I'm curious if anyone is a crossover collector. Nihonto and kitchen knives. I was into the latter for many more years than I have been into nihonto, primarily because the price of admission is logarithmically lower. I have 5 blades that were made by a certified third generation swordsmith in his late 70's. His swordsmithing name is Kanekuni (Kato Kanekuni) and his kitchen blades are under Yoshiaki Fujiwara. Real name is Kiyoshi Kato. This is the family lineage up to the father Kato Sanehira Kanekuni https://nihontoclub....isplay=image&id=2229 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toryu2020 Posted August 6 Report Share Posted August 6 60+ started when I was 19. One great aspect of this hobby is how it brings the generations together... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C Posted August 6 Report Share Posted August 6 59 and I to can remember the days of very cheap swords but in them days I was only on apprentice wages 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atm Posted August 6 Report Share Posted August 6 49, so solidly in the average 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted August 6 Report Share Posted August 6 65 started when i was about 30 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schneeds Posted August 6 Report Share Posted August 6 My wife tells me I'm 40 but I don't believe in age. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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