a ground dug kampfmesser !

[Zeller]

here what remains from a german kampfmesser, before and after restoration. The scabbard is in very poor conditions but it helped preserving the blade...

before cleaning and restoration it was not possible to remove the blade from the scabbard ...




restoration is not complete: I still have to add the liquid bee wax but it gives you an idea of how it looks now




last step

[Jimbo]

Very good results, plus nice to see the item being preserved too.
How do you apply the liquid beeswax?
Jimbo

[rra227]

That is neat! Rich A. in Pa.

[Good Pwny]

Nice job, Zeller! I love those dug relics!!

[Zeller]

thank you guys!

I purchase the natural bee wax directly from farms. It comes in small tiles of 500 grams.
The best way to use it is to prepare the wax by cutting it in small pieces in a plastic bottle, then add turpentine and let it melt (it takes a while). Once it's liquid, you can apply it. It is a totally reversible process in case you're not satisfied and it preserves the artifact.

[Good Pwny]

thank you guys!

I purchase the natural bee wax directly from farms. It comes in small tiles of 500 grams.
The best way to use it is to prepare the wax by cutting it in small pieces in a plastic bottle, then add turpentine and let it melt (it takes a while). Once it's liquid, you can apply it. It is a totally reversible process in case you're not satisfied and it preserves the artifact.

I've messed around and used wax on some of my U.S. Civil War relic buttons, and one WW2 Russian Relic Lid. They came out nice! It was Howard-Feed-N-Wax Beeswax and orange oil. Was recommended to me by a big Civil War collector.

[Zeller]

yep, I learnt this method myself from a collector of WW1 artifacts ! The result is really good

[Glenn66]

Wow! Any more fragile and there'd be nothing left of the scabbard at all. Well done!