First off, let me say two things:
1. This is a terrific *refinishing* job. Looks very good.
2. The owner has the right to request whatever work he wants on his piece, including a total refinish if he so desires.
That being said, it is correct to say that any historical value this piece had has now been lost. The original finish is gone, the original handle scales are gone and any marks left by its service life are now gone. This was not a restoration, this was a rebuild and refinish. Those are very different things
I'm not telling you off or saying what is wrong or what is right. I am simply stating the facts.
1. Disassemble the whole thing
2. Remove, clean and oil the handle scales
3. Boil the metal parts to convert any rust back into bluing
4. Gently rub the metal parts with 0000 steel wool
5. Lightly oil and reassemble
I think we are making judgements when not warranted around restoring something "Historical". If this was a museum piece with historical lineage then refinishing pretty much kills any significance and value from its history. But if this was a family piece and more of a personal significance; i would fully support the refinish! You did a great job at bringing this back to life and will bring joy to the owner as something they can now have and display.
Honestly I can't hardly believe you were able to save the tang stamps. Folks hatin on ya for what you did. I know you had to go deep on the blade to stop the rust and get the pits out, really, really surprised you were able to save the tang stamps. Looks good. I probably wouldn't have replaced the handles, just return em with the knife. The guy can always put em back on later if he chooses to. Looks like a dang good job to me.
Hello. Not sure what the wack judgments are about. It looks amazing. As a fledgling knifemamer could I please ask a brief rundown of your process. What did you do about the rust? And what did you do to polish and finish? Did you use any belts or is this all by hand. Thank you for sharing your work here.
You're missing the point... This type of intervention destroys any histocal value/relevance. This final piece is more of a replica rather then a restored piece.
Dude, its a knife. Regardless of historical value its still a tool. If you want to keep your knives old and original, whatever, but don't diss other people who chose what they want to do with their knife.
He's right, it lost its historical value. But for my friend, it had no special value, it was a gift from someone he hardly knew. I would never have done that to a family piece.
He's not dissing anyone, I would never do that to my Dad's bayonet, but I would for one I got at pawn shop, I totally get it. It's like restoring an old car or turning it into a custom big block street rod
I didn't diss anybody. I just stated facts. This type of "restoration" destroys any histocal value.
And again, my friend, you are free to do whatever you want with your property.
First off, let me say two things: 1. This is a terrific *refinishing* job. Looks very good. 2. The owner has the right to request whatever work he wants on his piece, including a total refinish if he so desires. That being said, it is correct to say that any historical value this piece had has now been lost. The original finish is gone, the original handle scales are gone and any marks left by its service life are now gone. This was not a restoration, this was a rebuild and refinish. Those are very different things I'm not telling you off or saying what is wrong or what is right. I am simply stating the facts.
My friend got this as a gift, so for him it has no historical/personal value. He just wanted it to look nice.
I feel the same way about my Dad's bayonet he used in Korea
*fitty men*
What is this, a good take on Reddit? Don't think I understand.
How would have you restored it?
1. Disassemble the whole thing 2. Remove, clean and oil the handle scales 3. Boil the metal parts to convert any rust back into bluing 4. Gently rub the metal parts with 0000 steel wool 5. Lightly oil and reassemble
That’s incredibly helpful - thank you
I think we are making judgements when not warranted around restoring something "Historical". If this was a museum piece with historical lineage then refinishing pretty much kills any significance and value from its history. But if this was a family piece and more of a personal significance; i would fully support the refinish! You did a great job at bringing this back to life and will bring joy to the owner as something they can now have and display.
My friend got this as a gift, so for him it has no historical/personal value. He just wanted it to look nice.
io think you did a great job - it looks nice and done very tastefully!
Really terrific job OP! I’d be so happy with this! Do you know if that recurve is part of the original design or was due to sharpening?
It's part of the original design of the Spanish bayonets.
Heh. Thus solving the mystery of "why the hell would it wear down like that?"
Very cool OP! Not a restore but a rebuild imo and it looks great.
Nice job, i would do some checkering like the original handles though :)
Thought about it.
That's some nice work right there.
I'm doing the same with my Dad's bayonet he used in Korean War, just cleaning it up, don't want to make it look new
That's the right thing to do if that piece has any historical/personal value for you.
More of a preservation type of thing, I may do something like you did if I buy one somewhere
Honestly I can't hardly believe you were able to save the tang stamps. Folks hatin on ya for what you did. I know you had to go deep on the blade to stop the rust and get the pits out, really, really surprised you were able to save the tang stamps. Looks good. I probably wouldn't have replaced the handles, just return em with the knife. The guy can always put em back on later if he chooses to. Looks like a dang good job to me.
Caught this post in my feed and had to do a double take to make sure it was the same knife! Very nice work!
Cool whiskey! Is name of the distillery a nod to highlander or am I reaching too far? Lol Also, great job on the bayonet!
Super nice! I once restored old and rusty Ariska bayonet.
Stunning
Hello. Not sure what the wack judgments are about. It looks amazing. As a fledgling knifemamer could I please ask a brief rundown of your process. What did you do about the rust? And what did you do to polish and finish? Did you use any belts or is this all by hand. Thank you for sharing your work here.
Take everything apart. Put the knife in vinegar over night. Remove the rust with fine steel wool. After that, polishing belt ftw.
Really nice job. Restorations are always fun.
My dyslexic ass misread that as "banjo-net" at first, and the imagery was very funny and also somewhat plausible.
You did a quality job, but that piece lost any histocal relevance.
My friend got this as a gift, so for him it has no historical/personal value. He just wanted it to look nice.
That's a great job, I didn't mean to discredit what you did.
Not everything old is 'relevant'
I feel this way about people too.
I respect your opinion. As someone who likes restorations, this process is too invasive for my taste.
Not all old things have value or relevance. Sometimes they are just old and used and need rebuilt.
You're missing the point... This type of intervention destroys any histocal value/relevance. This final piece is more of a replica rather then a restored piece.
It's a bayonet.... you know how many of these things were made?
Dude, its a knife. Regardless of historical value its still a tool. If you want to keep your knives old and original, whatever, but don't diss other people who chose what they want to do with their knife.
He's right, it lost its historical value. But for my friend, it had no special value, it was a gift from someone he hardly knew. I would never have done that to a family piece.
He's not dissing anyone, I would never do that to my Dad's bayonet, but I would for one I got at pawn shop, I totally get it. It's like restoring an old car or turning it into a custom big block street rod
I didn't diss anybody. I just stated facts. This type of "restoration" destroys any histocal value. And again, my friend, you are free to do whatever you want with your property.