This figure was started nearly 6 years ago, the longest I've ever worked on a single project. The planning and gathering of materials took quite some time and when I started construction I found it to be extremely frustrating--which is unusual for me because normally I have a great deal of patience when it comes to modeling.
It took a few weeks to just get enough reference gathered to get rolling. There were virtually NO reference as to the actual construction of the armor, so I went off of pics of actual specimens and watching the ____ out of The Last Samurai.
After gathering enough references, I made patterns out of card stock. After finalizing the dimensions of the various pieces (nearly 40) I transferred the patterns onto a scrap of 22-gauge galvanized sheet metal. I thin cut the pieces out w/ tin (aviation) snips and sanded down the serrated edges w/ a Dremel.
I then soaked the pieces in an acidic solution for a couple days to remove the galvanized finish. After the metal had dulled down I painted the pieces w/ black Krylon "Hammered Finish". I wanted to achieve a "smithed-iron" look, appropriate for the period.
After the pieces cured I strung the armor w/ red hemp twine. I put the armor on the figure and realized I didn't like the red on black (too flashy). So I removed the twine and restrung the armor w/ green and tan twine. It looked a lot better but I still wasn't happy. I realized it was also the color of the armor I didn't like.
So I removed the twine again (bear in mind by this point I had alread spent about 25 hours on the armor alone), stripped the paint off of the pieces and hit them w/ Krylon Hammered Finish, only this time using a bronze color. After the pieces cured I gave them several coats of black wash. This darkened and flattened the bronze sheen and gave it a more iron-appearance.
After the pieces were finished I decided to not go w/ hemp twine, but instead go w/ silk embroidery floss. And after stringing the armor (once again!) I found the floss gave the armor much more natural movement. I dressed the figure and put on the do/kusazuri (torso/tasset armor), sode (shoulder armor). I made waraji sandals from hemp. Also constructed the suneate (shin armor), haidate (thigh guards) and kote (sleeve armor) using thin leather and strips if sheet metal.
After completing the body armor I started working on the kabuto (helmet). I used a crown from a commercially-made (DiD) samurai helmet because there was no way I was going to attempt constructing my own in this scale. A typical kabuto is made from as many as 40 vertical strips of metal, all riveted together to form the crown. Yeah, no thanks!
I removed the shikoro (nape guard) and the maedate (frontal ornament/crest) and replaced it w/ finished sheet metal pieces.
After completing the kabuto it still seemed like something was missing. Ah. Why not add some maille? I got a roll of fine-gauge MIG welding wire and wound up several "springs" using a cordless drill. Then it was off to cutting the springs into single rings...about a couple thousand of them. Then using a couple pairs of pliers as "hands" I began weaving maille pieces. One for each kote sleeve, a piece for the mempo (mask) to protect the neck and a skirt that wrapped the midsection from the bottom of the do to about mid-thigh.
Weaving the maille took about 46 hours.
After the maille was finished I soaked it in an acidic bath to remove the copper coating. I then sewed the maille to the kote sleeves and hooked the maille to the mempo and do.
Then it was on to the weapons. I initially wanted to use a traditional long bow but by this time I had absolutely no interest in crafting anything else. I had a short bow from a Legolas figure I had long parted out and decided to use that. I painted the bow and covered the "elvish" script w/ thick cotton thread. I also used catgut for the bowstring. A little weathering and voila! Japanese short bow.
The arrows were also from the Legolas figure so I decided to use those. I had the crazy notion to replace the fletching w/ real feather, but that idea went out the window just as fast as the idea about the long bow. I crafted an arrow box, which actually took about a week because there are next to NO actual pics of an existing specimen. Again, a ____load of play/pause during battle sequences on The Last Samurai.
The box is made from wood, hemp and bamboo.
I also made a daimyo flag from thin cotton and bamboo. I painted both the flag and the symbol w/ an airbrush.
Well, that's it! The complete process of possibly the most complicated figure I have ever done! *wheew!*
That is just gorgeous 
