One of my instructors in photography collected Nikon cameras. He had one made just post-war with the leaves of the shutter iris made from GI beer cans. You could see where the black paint didn't quite cover the Budweiser logo on the original beer can. Excellent use of found materials to do something pretty good. I have a WWII NCO-issue Samurai sword. It is NOT a good example of quality or craftsmanship, but it's still pretty strong. Mine was, according to the at least third-hand story, captured from the arsenal in Tokyo after the war, in unfinished condition. The blade wasn't sharpened yet. Still isn't, in fact. I've had for something close to 37 years. When I have the time, and the right stones, I'll probably sharpen it. But I wouldn't hesitate to use it today as is.? And the strongest rifle action I know of is the Arisaka, and even ones made late in the war were pretty tough. P.O. Ackley though well of them. Japanese electronics were not quite so good, at first. But their Zero fighters were better than just about anything we had until very late in the war.

One of the reasons I wanted a lathe in the first place was to make my own cameras. Still not quite there yet, and beer cans are no longer made of steel.

Bill in OKC

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