WW2 Bayonet Cleaning Idea's?

MrNightly

My grandpa gave me this WW2 Bayonet that was his personal Bayonet during the war. I never really touched it before, but pulled it out tonight, and man... it's covered in rust. This is the Exact Model, and I really want to clean mine up to see if it will sell.

Any idea's on a good knife cleaner, (I've heard WD40 to gun cleaning stuff, but wondered if anyone here had ever cleaned before) both for the blade as well as the handle and scabbard.

Thanks guys!

David

shawn474

My grandad used to always clean his stuff with turtle wax. Don't know how it worked but he told me it takes rust and oxidation off of just about anything.

Shawn

dorokusai

CLP + Steel wool. Vintage steel will rust if you breath on it, get used to it and just do periodic cleanup.

I would use the same products you use to store firearms and you'll should be fine. CLP is my choice.

Refefer

You could always track down some ****'s to stab. That'd probably clean it pretty well.

hockeyboy

I would make sure the cleaner doesn't have any ammonia, vinegar or alcohol although have never cleaned a bayonet before. Tell me did he ever poke anybody with it?

MrNightly

Ya, I'm pretty sure he did. He refuses to talk about it to this day... just says it was bad.

I've heard the Steel wool will scratch up the surface though? Is that true? I heard sandpaper, 220, then 400, 800, 1600 grit to make it shine... but I just wasn't sure if it would really work.

Guess a stop by the hardware store is in order!

audiobliss

You want to sell it? I'd think I'd wanna keep it.

MrNightly

audiobliss wrote: »

You want to sell it? I'd think I'd wanna keep it.

Well it's going for 250+ online... and the sentimental value isn't there, so why keep something that will just collect dust?

I'm in a house cleaning mood over here!!! The speakers are next!! Maybe...

wingnut4772

audiobliss wrote: »

You want to sell it? I'd think I'd wanna keep it.

Me too. Don't sell that. That' a very nice piece of family history for you and your family.

janmike

Too bad the setimental value is not there. I have items from my Grandfather that I would not sell for any, yes any, amount of money.

ben62670

SOS if it is not blued.
Then apply gun oil.

John in MA

Don't clean it in any way that will change the finish. You can turn a $250 bayonet into a $50 pretty quickly. Consult with the guys on Bladeforums.com They'll steer you in the right direction.

Any sandpaper will likely harm it, using grades down to 220 will turn it into a $5 prybar.

BaggedLancer

Put it in a plastic container filled with Coca Cola. Leave it in for atleast half a day....that will remove any rust without the abrasiveness of steel wool/sandpaper, etc.

Beekyman

Totally agree with John in MA about cleaning that may change the finish. It is so easy to ruin a valuble piece with well intentioned cleaning! In some circles, alight coat of oxidation (rust) is considered a "patina" and any removal of it would cause it to be less authentic and therefore less valuble. Proceed with caution in this area!
If you choose to clean the bayonet up I would recommend the LEAST abrasive method that you can find. This would be the finest grade steel wool available at the worst and then move on to gentler abrasives such as crushed walnut shell in a tumbler system or find a shop that can blast ultrafine media such as baking soda at the bayonet to remove the corrosion. A red eraser has helped in a pinch but this is for detail type work and there are many metal polishing agents out there that work extremely well. I like Flitz !
To get the heavy stuff off I am fond of using PB Blaster or better yet ...CLP as Doro recommended a few posts up above. An old tooth brush and a fine scotchbrite pad are helpful as well. Very heavy corrosion can be dealt with by using NAVAL JELLY.
Dont worry about the black spots on areas that are visible on the steel, there is nothing that I know of that can reverse that process and it is common in blades that have a high carbon content in them.
To do this right, you might want to spend the dough to get this properly done but that would eat into your sales...try to sell as is and let the other fellow worry about those details...chances are they probably know what to do if they are willing to drop $250 on an old bayonet.
I personally would not sell this item but I totally understand the logic of parting ways with something that serves no purpose.
If you keep the bayonet after getting all the rust removed, do not keep the bayonet in a sheath or its scabbard as this will promote more corrosion.
A good quality wax (bees wax is my favorite) polished into a nice shine onto the bayonet will help protect the bayonet from further corrosion. Handle the steel as little as possible and always wipe your fingerprints off the steel as the oils in your skin will start the corrosion all over again.
Good luck!

Polkersince85

Personally I would keep it. The only cleaning that should be done is a light oiling using gun oil to the metal surfaces only, none on the handles. Don't use anything abrasive or as they said prior, you will have a five dollar paper weight to sell. Shiney is bad in collectables.

hockeyboy

Keep it dude. If your grand daddy stabbed a **** with it in the war, it DOES have sentimental value. A couple of hundred bucks is nothing.

bruss

yeah that would be a keeper in my book

MrNightly

Ha... some great responses here! Killing ****'s... gotta love it. I know it has sat around for 10 plus years since he gave it to me, and I have pulled it out a few times when I was younger and played with it... but really, for the past 5 years it has sat in my closet and gathered dust.

Beekyman.. thank you for the wisdom offered. I think I will leave the cleaning alone for now, and attempt to sell for a few and see what it brings in.

And really... if an item is just sitting around in your house, collecting dust, never used... why keep it just because it was in the family? Doesn't even make sense to me. Then again... I don't really collect old things.

Cheers!

audiobliss

MrNightly wrote: »

And really... if an item is just sitting around in your house, collecting dust, never used... why keep it just because it was in the family? Doesn't even make sense to me. Then again... I don't really collect old things.

Well, I just hope you don't ever change your mind. You'll never again find a WW2 bayonet that your grandfather used.

RuSsMaN

I couldn't do it, no way, no how. Not for just enough to pay the light bill for sure.

Surely you have something else laying around to bring that money if need be. Let it gather dust until your grandfather passes (hopefully a long time from now), and see if you feel the same then.

What a personal peice to have. Me? I'd have it professionally cleaned and mounted in a framed shadow box (with other WW2 items of his? Epaulets, medals?) and pass it down through the generations. A real symbol of sacrifice, honor, and tragedy all wrapped up in one, simple, seemingly insignificant blade.

Cheers,
Russ

MrNightly

Wow you guys make me want to grab a tissue

Never knew everyone here was so sentimental... impressive. I think I should abstain from commenting on this thread any further... I might envoke the wrath of Kahn!!!

Polkersince85

Like Russman said. I have my father's dress blues, The Hawaii dollar bill with all the ports of call written around the border. From San Diego to Japan and back on his carrier. A bag of Japanese money given to one his pilots in Korea when they had to land at a Japanese airfield to repair his canopy. The stories of the typhoon the fleet went through. No way that stuff would leave the family. USS Cabot.

audiobliss

dorokusai

I would keep it and pass it on to my....well, I'm not spawning, so perhaps to the next CSI detective that finds it would be a better choice.

John in MA

Nightly, I'm curious about something if you don't mind me asking. Was this a trophy of your father's, or was it his actual issued bayonet on the side who carried K98s instead of Garands?

MrNightly

John in MA wrote: »

Nightly, I'm curious about something if you don't mind me asking. Was this a trophy of your father's, or was it his actual issued bayonet on the side who carried K98s instead of Garands?

It wasn't my father's, but my Grandfathers. It wasn't a trophy at all... but his issued bayonet. Kinda like my sidearm from the police. It was issued. That is all...

George Grand

I'd mount it next to a picture of him building a birdhouse or something.

PolkThug

Keep it. While you might not care for it, maybe your daughter's children, or their children might appreciate it.

audiobliss

PolkThug wrote: »

Keep it. While you might not care for it, maybe your daughter's children, or their children might appreciate it.

Exactly.

If Dad told me he used to have his Granddad's bayonet from WW2 but that he sold it.....:eek:

cfrizz

I too would not sell it. Your Grandfather helped protect our way of life with that bayonet. He would probably be horrifed to know that you don't appreciate it or what it represents.

If you really don't want it, try to find a VFW to turn it over to. They most certainly WILL appreciate it.

John in MA

MrNightly wrote: »

It wasn't my father's, but my Grandfathers. It wasn't a trophy at all... but his issued bayonet. Kinda like my sidearm from the police. It was issued. That is all...

Thanks for answering. A lot of good men fought in that war on both sides.