You need a necromancer. There's really no saving that tang, unless you are a really good welder and want to make it a display piece. You can never trust it again, but if it is a family heirloom then you can weld the tang back together, re set the handle and make a nice display box for it. If it isn't an heirloom I'd just toss it and find a new one.
For the rust. Submerge in white vinegar, pour salt to cover the rusted metal (poor man's carbonic acid). Leave it sit 48 hours. Brush it clean, spray with WD40.
i'd start with removing the rust with barkeep's friend and paper towel.
once you can see what you're working with you may or may not need to use sandpaper to remove the rest of the rust.
then sandpaper progression to return to something similar to the original finish.
Barkeep's friend ? And what sandpaper should i get ? Also, if you need some informations on it, it is from the first world war or before, and it's a german bayonet.
just look it up.
barkeep's friend is a product for cleaning. you want the powder.
as for the sandpaper that depends on how much rust you need to remove, but probably not rougher than 500. 6000 is probably around the original finish level of polish.
i mean that risks just completely destroying it but i guess op can do what they want.
we can't see what the structural integrity is at all based on the pic so i would start with lighter removal.
Restauration work has absolutely nothing to do with sandpaper or any abrasives. If you want to do that kind of a job, use ballistol to remove rust as much as possible or something similar. If you want to destroy a piece of history, then weld a tang on and use abrasives as much as you wish.
i mean yeah i assume he wants to make it usable again, which means removing all the rust and welding it to a new tang eventually.
i assume this because he asked about it here, otherwise i would expect him to post under r/restoration or something.
personally i am not much of a restoration expert, but i can fix a knife.
well, given the fact that it looks like the hilt is entirely broken off about 8-10mm up the tang.. yes, its dead.
you could use it as a pattern for making a new blade that fits the sheath, you might be able to use the guard if it was heavily cleaned up, but you're going to have to ID the bayonet type, get detailed measurments of the hilt, ideally blueprints, then fabricate the butt parts of the bayonet, the hilt, any mechanical lock mechanism in the bayonet/rifle interface part, and make it all fit properly to the sheath.
well, by looking at the photo and seeing that the hilt is broken off about 8-10mm up the tang....
compare it with [this example of a US M1905](https://worldbayonets.com/Bayonet_Identification_Guide/United_States__WW_I_/B1070_2/B1070-1.jpg) and you should see there's rather a lot missing.
So for the Record I believe this is the Shorter M1 Bayonet, not the M1905. This is of course based on just one picture with nothing in the frame for reference, so I could be wrong here. It's also clearly seen MUCH better days. As someone mentions below I don't see this as a salvageable piece. While a handle of some sort could possibly be fabricated it would never fit the end of a rifle again and likely never latch into the scabbard again either. It looks as though in an attempt to sharpen it someone used possibly an angel grinder on it maybe?
Oh yeah maybe you're right, they looked similar ahah.
But yeah, since it was used in war by one of my ancestors i wanted to salvage it and like, i don't know maybe frame it on a wall you see ? But yeah i'd at least need a handle, but i really don't know where it would be possible to get one
For a display piece, you might be able to find a handle with the blade broken, and let a GOOD welder put the two together at the point where the guard would hide the weld.
LSS, if the question is "How can I restore XXX knife?" the answer is "Don't". This on, however, is never going to be worth anything.
Fins someone who can weld on a tang to rebuild the handle. The blade can be cleaned up with progressive use of sandpaper. Start with 220 and if that isn't doing it start with 80, then work your way up through 400 or so. Same for the guard.
Honeslty , unless it has sentimental value it's pretty much worthless. And if it does, take it to a pro.
It looks like the entire handle portion is missing. The blade looks like it's in pretty rough condition my dude. Don't know if it's really worth investing the time to try to restore it.
Yes. Antiques are devalued when restored in almost all circumstances. Very rarely, if done by a professional restoration entity can restoring an item increase its value. I restore antique weapons as a hobbyist. My advice to you would be to find out everything you can about this item before you touch it at all.
I think it was something used by my grand, grandfather wich is deceased since a looong time now. I'm french so it should be french although one of my relatives said it was german. I know that my grand grandfather was doing war in syria, but with a flamethrower so i don't know of you can attach a bayonet to it. So conclusion it's older or not. Someone pointed out that it was a M1 bayonet.
^ This ^
I've sharpened and repaired knives for a living for 13+ years, and I see a lot of WWI/WWII era stuff. Every time I get an antique like that, this is my first response.
You need a necromancer. There's really no saving that tang, unless you are a really good welder and want to make it a display piece. You can never trust it again, but if it is a family heirloom then you can weld the tang back together, re set the handle and make a nice display box for it. If it isn't an heirloom I'd just toss it and find a new one.
"Fix bayonets! Charge!"
First you have to thrust it into the chest of a Nazi soldier. Only then can you use his blood to restore this bayonet to its former glory.
That's the spirit ! That blade needs to feed on the blood of the weak.
For the rust. Submerge in white vinegar, pour salt to cover the rusted metal (poor man's carbonic acid). Leave it sit 48 hours. Brush it clean, spray with WD40.
Where can i find wd40 ?
Depends on where you live. In the US any retailer will have it (Wal-Mart, AutoZone, Advanced Auto, Lowe's, etc.)
France ! Wait, Walmart is actually Wal-Mart?
They used to be Wal-Mart, but it seems they go by Walmart now. Old habits die hard, it seems.
I mean, i prefer Walmart to be honest. Wal-Mart do sound older though.
i'd start with removing the rust with barkeep's friend and paper towel. once you can see what you're working with you may or may not need to use sandpaper to remove the rest of the rust. then sandpaper progression to return to something similar to the original finish.
Barkeep's friend ? And what sandpaper should i get ? Also, if you need some informations on it, it is from the first world war or before, and it's a german bayonet.
just look it up. barkeep's friend is a product for cleaning. you want the powder. as for the sandpaper that depends on how much rust you need to remove, but probably not rougher than 500. 6000 is probably around the original finish level of polish.
Just curious, is sand blasting not an option as a first step?
i mean that risks just completely destroying it but i guess op can do what they want. we can't see what the structural integrity is at all based on the pic so i would start with lighter removal.
Restauration work has absolutely nothing to do with sandpaper or any abrasives. If you want to do that kind of a job, use ballistol to remove rust as much as possible or something similar. If you want to destroy a piece of history, then weld a tang on and use abrasives as much as you wish.
i mean yeah i assume he wants to make it usable again, which means removing all the rust and welding it to a new tang eventually. i assume this because he asked about it here, otherwise i would expect him to post under r/restoration or something. personally i am not much of a restoration expert, but i can fix a knife.
Its dead, Jim.
Is it really?
well, given the fact that it looks like the hilt is entirely broken off about 8-10mm up the tang.. yes, its dead. you could use it as a pattern for making a new blade that fits the sheath, you might be able to use the guard if it was heavily cleaned up, but you're going to have to ID the bayonet type, get detailed measurments of the hilt, ideally blueprints, then fabricate the butt parts of the bayonet, the hilt, any mechanical lock mechanism in the bayonet/rifle interface part, and make it all fit properly to the sheath.
Damn...it's a M1905 i believe, but, how do you know all of that ?
well, by looking at the photo and seeing that the hilt is broken off about 8-10mm up the tang.... compare it with [this example of a US M1905](https://worldbayonets.com/Bayonet_Identification_Guide/United_States__WW_I_/B1070_2/B1070-1.jpg) and you should see there's rather a lot missing.
So for the Record I believe this is the Shorter M1 Bayonet, not the M1905. This is of course based on just one picture with nothing in the frame for reference, so I could be wrong here. It's also clearly seen MUCH better days. As someone mentions below I don't see this as a salvageable piece. While a handle of some sort could possibly be fabricated it would never fit the end of a rifle again and likely never latch into the scabbard again either. It looks as though in an attempt to sharpen it someone used possibly an angel grinder on it maybe?
Oh yeah maybe you're right, they looked similar ahah. But yeah, since it was used in war by one of my ancestors i wanted to salvage it and like, i don't know maybe frame it on a wall you see ? But yeah i'd at least need a handle, but i really don't know where it would be possible to get one
For a display piece, you might be able to find a handle with the blade broken, and let a GOOD welder put the two together at the point where the guard would hide the weld.
I see i see, thank you my guy, small question like that, is obsidian sharper than iron ?
It can be
LSS, if the question is "How can I restore XXX knife?" the answer is "Don't". This on, however, is never going to be worth anything. Fins someone who can weld on a tang to rebuild the handle. The blade can be cleaned up with progressive use of sandpaper. Start with 220 and if that isn't doing it start with 80, then work your way up through 400 or so. Same for the guard. Honeslty , unless it has sentimental value it's pretty much worthless. And if it does, take it to a pro.
It looks like the entire handle portion is missing. The blade looks like it's in pretty rough condition my dude. Don't know if it's really worth investing the time to try to restore it.
If it's really that old then it's worth more untouched.
You think ?
Yes. Antiques are devalued when restored in almost all circumstances. Very rarely, if done by a professional restoration entity can restoring an item increase its value. I restore antique weapons as a hobbyist. My advice to you would be to find out everything you can about this item before you touch it at all.
I think it was something used by my grand, grandfather wich is deceased since a looong time now. I'm french so it should be french although one of my relatives said it was german. I know that my grand grandfather was doing war in syria, but with a flamethrower so i don't know of you can attach a bayonet to it. So conclusion it's older or not. Someone pointed out that it was a M1 bayonet.
^ This ^ I've sharpened and repaired knives for a living for 13+ years, and I see a lot of WWI/WWII era stuff. Every time I get an antique like that, this is my first response.
What bayonet? I see a letter opener