How Do You Ruin a Matching #'s Bayonet?

[MD Helmets]

Answer: Sharpen the blade, and then use light grade sand paper to knock off the rust.

Why do people do these things??!!

Well, if you need a cheap bayonet and don't mind a sharpened blade or sand papered scabbard and grip, this one will be in the classifieds. As with all my items, open to offers. Thanks.

[Datrus]

Looks like it has been "sharpened" on a slab of concrete.

[MD Helmets]

LOL, yes, doesn't it? In the previous owners defense, his father did the sharpening after bringing it home from the war. Son, however, decided it was a good idea to sand paper the rest. I could have knocked him in his head, but I just smiled and nodded....and nicely told him to never, ever do that again, on anything TR related item.

[Datrus]

Now that we are in the horror department. You should see what somebody did to my relic P08. I told the exact same thing. To the word

[Walkwolf]

Lol - was this before or after you bought it ?
This does not help the value any.........!

[Datrus]

If it's me you are asking, then it was one we found ourselves. Some moron just wanted to do a "favor" while cleaning other items. Still have it somewhere. Now he knows to leave things "as is"! I just came to think of it looking at the poor bayo.

Both bayo and P08 is ruined. Not so much the bayo.

[Walkwolf]

Shame about the P-08. The sharpened K98 bayonet is not too bad,
although it should have been left alone.

A relic should stay a relic. There is no sense in trying to 'clean them
up' - at least not too much, perhaps only surface rust - but not
with a grinding wheel.........!

[Datrus]

Much agreed Steve.

Regards, Lars

[MD Helmets]

Lol - was this before or after you bought it ?
This does not help the value any.........!

If you are referring to the bayonet, the previous owner said his father brought it back from European Theater, along with the Luftshutz helmet with carbine hook strap I posted over in the helmet section. He does not know who sharpened it, but thinks his father did. The owner (son) was the yahoo who decided sand paper on a bayonet was a good idea. He told me he has a Kreigsmarine battle flag (?) but can not find it. Knowing now what happened to the bayonet, he probably used the flag as a dish rag or to change the car oil, in which case I would be in prison for doing something unpleasant to him.

[Datrus]

Yes it's a damn shame. Matching numbers and all. Maybe a buyer could polish the whole blade and get rid of the ugly grinding and "edge" and experiment with some cold bluing? Get it anodized or whatever was done to it originally. I mean it can only get better from here on, and it has matching number. That is always nice.