Thanks to one of the other members i was given a very rusty bayonet as a preservation project..
When i received apart from the rust and obvious pitting the locking catch was seized and the markings were barely visible..
I started off by giving it a good spray with wd40 and after a while carefully cleaned off the loose surface rust.Once i was happy i had got off what i could manually i soaked the whole bayonet in a solution of oxalic acid,taking it out occasionally to wipe off any sludge and to check on progress..
The oxalic did a good job in removing the rust and after it was well rinsed and dried the markings had become clear.
1917
US
Remington manufacturers stamp
I could have sanded and ground and filled all the pitting in but in my opinion in this case it would have ruined it, so to preventany new rust i have coated it in a wax polish and made a simple suspension ring to hang on the wall next to the cavalry sabre which is in a similar condition.
Before n after...
![1642431306114-317802500.jpg 1642431306114-317802500.jpg](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/150/150257-af166d1470bdc62b47b1a705891a8ba4.jpg)
![164243154330461238201.jpg 164243154330461238201.jpg](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/150/150266-2293af35775db5855466cb251b962800.jpg)
![1642431523333-1920518109.jpg 1642431523333-1920518109.jpg](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/150/150265-8ecffd155926b9a323aaec7542f6b94d.jpg)
![16424315078942122637338.jpg 16424315078942122637338.jpg](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/150/150264-28eb625dff628ab08ae0e53826054e28.jpg)
![1642431479932731795444.jpg 1642431479932731795444.jpg](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/150/150263-8b0b3254ffe08bcfb5739a78763f5a69.jpg)
![1642431460880-1768548710.jpg 1642431460880-1768548710.jpg](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/150/150262-51b206c1994d2aa76ccc3a653efbef4a.jpg)
![1642431441713491636060.jpg 1642431441713491636060.jpg](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/150/150261-d60d3b8c1114bd9a15834ffc1bd61a42.jpg)
![1642431395657-1051063680.jpg 1642431395657-1051063680.jpg](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/150/150260-f3e9485b7f74243aead58ce4827701eb.jpg)
![16424313715381053015957.jpg 16424313715381053015957.jpg](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/150/150259-94cef36dfa4201ab774ee33a0c882f3a.jpg)
![1642431342775212423654.jpg 1642431342775212423654.jpg](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/150/150258-1d73b95ea80e5f23faeb1905402460c6.jpg)
![1642431562709-912472751.jpg 1642431562709-912472751.jpg](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/150/150267-9ae3a498e5c06b8949d3220e4edbde8c.jpg)
When i received apart from the rust and obvious pitting the locking catch was seized and the markings were barely visible..
I started off by giving it a good spray with wd40 and after a while carefully cleaned off the loose surface rust.Once i was happy i had got off what i could manually i soaked the whole bayonet in a solution of oxalic acid,taking it out occasionally to wipe off any sludge and to check on progress..
The oxalic did a good job in removing the rust and after it was well rinsed and dried the markings had become clear.
1917
US
Remington manufacturers stamp
I could have sanded and ground and filled all the pitting in but in my opinion in this case it would have ruined it, so to preventany new rust i have coated it in a wax polish and made a simple suspension ring to hang on the wall next to the cavalry sabre which is in a similar condition.
Before n after...
![1642431306114-317802500.jpg 1642431306114-317802500.jpg](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/150/150257-af166d1470bdc62b47b1a705891a8ba4.jpg)
![164243154330461238201.jpg 164243154330461238201.jpg](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/150/150266-2293af35775db5855466cb251b962800.jpg)
![1642431523333-1920518109.jpg 1642431523333-1920518109.jpg](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/150/150265-8ecffd155926b9a323aaec7542f6b94d.jpg)
![16424315078942122637338.jpg 16424315078942122637338.jpg](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/150/150264-28eb625dff628ab08ae0e53826054e28.jpg)
![1642431479932731795444.jpg 1642431479932731795444.jpg](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/150/150263-8b0b3254ffe08bcfb5739a78763f5a69.jpg)
![1642431460880-1768548710.jpg 1642431460880-1768548710.jpg](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/150/150262-51b206c1994d2aa76ccc3a653efbef4a.jpg)
![1642431441713491636060.jpg 1642431441713491636060.jpg](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/150/150261-d60d3b8c1114bd9a15834ffc1bd61a42.jpg)
![1642431395657-1051063680.jpg 1642431395657-1051063680.jpg](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/150/150260-f3e9485b7f74243aead58ce4827701eb.jpg)
![16424313715381053015957.jpg 16424313715381053015957.jpg](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/150/150259-94cef36dfa4201ab774ee33a0c882f3a.jpg)
![1642431342775212423654.jpg 1642431342775212423654.jpg](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/150/150258-1d73b95ea80e5f23faeb1905402460c6.jpg)
![1642431562709-912472751.jpg 1642431562709-912472751.jpg](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/150/150267-9ae3a498e5c06b8949d3220e4edbde8c.jpg)