Collecting Issues

When I started this project I knew it would be difficult because I can not read Japanese well. Fortunately most of the instructions are accompanied by excellent photographs and that has been a great help in working on this project. Although the building instructions are only a few pages in what appears to be a very interesting magazine. There are many different sections and chapters chapters of what I assume are: Stories of historical armour building techniques, famous Samurai and notable battles, the life story of Date Masamune, and much more. However, for now all I can do is scrutinize some tiny images on a few pages from each issue. There is much more unexamined content that will just have to wait until my language level improves.

So what do I do with these issues after I have assembled the parts? When starting this project I bought four special binders to keep them. They are hardcover binders with the magazine logo on the cover and an embossed family crest on the back. Each binder holds 14 issues so the complete set of 55, and the series guide, should fit exactly in four.

Issue 28

This issue involved doing something different for me. Unlike the previous 27 issues, this issue stands apart because of it's unique process. There was nothing to glue. Every other issue has involved using at least one of three kinds of glue. The most common is regular white craft glue. A small vial was included in issue one, and I have purchased a larger bottle because I use it so much. The other glues are a fast drying superglue gel for doing detail work, and a thick rubbery type for joining the metal parts together.

This issue also included a new tool, some craft pliers. They are like regular needle nose pliers, but the inside edge has no ridges or teeth, it is smooth. I used them, and my own craft pliers, to open and close many very tiny metal rings to assemble part of the chainmail sleeves.

Issue 27

This issues marks the halfway point for this project. There is not much to talk about in this particular issue, only because there was not much in this one. Of all the issues I have done so far this one is, by far, the simplest. I made three plates. Usually I do that and something else, however the only other part included remains unused for now.

Fortunately, I am well practised at assembling plates. If you ignore time spent waiting for glue to dry there was, at most, only one hours work to finish this issue. Even the instructions were only six steps covering a page and a half.

Issue 26

The mask is now complete. Although I am almost half way into my armour project, I now have my first finished part. There are still 2 more sets of plates to attach to the body of the armour, and the helmet still needs it's straps. Soon I will begin to work on the arms. I am looking forward to that, as it's the start of an all new part of the armour.

Anyway, about this issue. The first part involved finishing and attaching another set of plates. It's not my favourite part of the job, but I have become rather proficient at it. Attaching the neck guard was like a miniature version of attaching the bands to the helmet. As I have already done that, working on this part went smoothly. The helmet was difficult because of the large number of strings I had to work with. The neck guard had less strings, but they were closer together, so it was difficult because of the compact size.

Issue 25

This issue was a continuation of the work done in the previous issue, I was again adding facial hair to the mask. There was also the side job of working on another set of plates, but ultimately it was nothing new. This is the last time that I will have to attach hair to the armour, and despite it being very intensive work, I feel the result is worth the effort as the finished piece looks quite good. The next issue is the neck guard, and that should finish the face mask.

Issue 24

It took a little while longer to get this issue done then I was expecting. This was partly due to a long cold that I still have, and partly due to the rather high level of difficulty in this issue. The main action was putting the beard together. I assembled the mask way back in issues one and two, but since then it has just been sitting in my toolbox. Finally with this issue, and the next few, I should soon finish the mask and neck guard.

The main action of this issue involved tying the hair into bunches of 40-50. I had to count out each pile because I found it very difficult to guess. If I had too many then the bunch would not fit in the hole. However, if I had too few then the bunch would not stay in the hole. It took a long time to separate and count the hairs,  tie them together, thread the bunch through the mask, and then glue it in place. Fortunately, after about the 12th time, I became familiar with the right amount and I could estimate the correct size without counting.

Anyway, after threading and gluing the bunches into the mask I had to give the beard a much needed trim. I think it turned out quite well. The next issue is more of the same as I add a small soul patch, and finally a moustache to the nose guard. Date Masamune was clearly a man of great style.