EastCoast

Just a little back story. Was going to hold on to this information for a little bit, but I'd thought I'd share. I'll post a full thread later. I've found an out of the way little town that is loaded with trophies from the war. I've already seen Kamakura forward.... all untouched since the war! Also a ton of Nazi artifacts. It's a historical goldmine!

Better shots:

Here is a better shot of the stamp...

Piers, Thank you! Do you have a resource I can reference? I may be able to build that into an exhibit. Best, James

Ray, you Sir are the man! Thank you!

All, I picked this while up burning up the rest of the exhibit budget. Was surprised it had a mei. Translation assistance would be much appreciated. Best, James

Thank you all for the outpouring of support! I will keep everyone in the loop as we get closer. Per some suggestions, we will be creating video content to document the journey. More to come on that!

Ken, Thank you for the suggestions! We are going to use custom built climate controlled cases similar to what you what find at the NBTHK in Tokyo. Space is our enemy right now. With the sqft we will be working with we have to be very selective. For the soft open we will likely display around 30 swords, 5-10 armor, 5-10 yari & naginata, and many other items. The rooms will be broken down by era, but I may need the help of the board to ensure the groupings are proper. I am sorry you had those issues with your university. This is a self funded project for now, but we have interest from other parties for support. We will see what flushes out. I believe my university may back it if I can built out a large enough section to cover the rise of Christianity in Japan. On that note, it has been very difficult to locate reasonably priced (crypto-Christian) items that touch on this subject. In any event, I'm really glad I have people such as yourself, and other members of the board, willing to share their thoughts and experiences. It will help tremendously.

All - Per my most recent post, you could probably guess by now that this was a test build for the museum. We learned a lot from the build including lighting techniques and general aesthetic approaches. This room will now be used to keep items during off rotation periods. I'll post updates as we learn more and design new things. Thanks again for your support!

Thank you Dr. Shuttleworth!

All, I was going to wait until everything was formalized, but I thought I would drop the news here anyway. My wife and I are in the initial phases of opening up the Samurai Museum of Lynchburg, VA. The exhibits will feature arms, armor, and other items from the kamakura through the meiji periods. The targeted space is 1800 sqft. If the venture is successful, we will look to expand. I hope you can all stop by at some point! On a side note, I have been watching the sale section closely for lower priced items to round out certain eras and themes. If you have any suggestions please PM me. Finally, I always appreciate and welcome your thoughts, comments and concerns. Sincerely, Dr. James B. McNicholas III

All, I have two papered swords that I lost the translation sheets for. Can someone help me out here? Many thanks in advance!

Michael, It cleaned up well without the heat gun. My concern was any wax that may have settled in tiny crevices. At 140 the wax instantly evaporates. Best, James

All, This update has been a long time coming. I wanted to be able to give things time in order to provide an accurate and comprehensive review. 1. After years of display the only thing I have had to do is give the wax a quick swipe with the microdear to enhance the shine. There has been no clumping. There have been times when the wax has ever so slightly hazed, but those were only on blades in areas without dedicated climate controlled cases. 2. I recently removed and reapplied the wax. I do not think this was even necessary, but I was curious about how hard it would be to remove after sitting. The process I used was to wipe the blades with denatured alcohol. I then used a heat gun set to 140 to quickly pass over the blade followed by another wipe down. It removed 100% of the wax. 3. As to protection, I had tools rust in the same area I had some of the treated blades displayed. There was absolutely no corrosion on the treated blades at all. If I receive enough requests, I will make a video on the application and removal. Best, James

Hi Ron, I'll be standing by for your listings. Best, James