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How To Remove Rust From A M1 Scabbard?


Tasken_Lander
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Tasken_Lander

Hi,

I purchased a 1943 era 10' bayonet and the scabbard has light to moderate surface rust on the 'ordiance stamp band' and its VERY jarring to me and for the display purpose I need it to fill.

 

I was wondering how to go about removing said rust. I am a total noob and know nothing of this matter. Don't wish to scratch or damage it. Is it possible to use steel wool and NOT create all those criss cross scratch patterns??

 

Please help. :(

 

 

Thank you in advance

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I have found the "Big 45 Gun Cleaner Pad" to be the miracle drug for rust. It will remove rust and not damage bluing or any other surface as far as I'm concerned. I've removed rust from guns, knives, steel forks, spoons and knives as well as M1 helmets.....yes I said helmets. It works. Just google Big 45 gun cleaner pad.

Darby

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KROIL - and then proceed slowly with an old copper coin

 

Copper is harder than rust but softer than steel

 

If you cannot find an old coin use copper wool

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Tasken_Lander

Okay, so I was removed the rust from the metal ordiance band and hook with some Hoppes oil and 0000 grade steel wool. However, I belive I've also removed some of the parkinization (spelling?) as the band is now too shiny, light looking.

 

I was suggested to use Birchwood Casey Super Blue to get the band a shade or two darker and parkerized looking. I plan to do this tomorrow after work. Any suggestions/thoughts on me doing this?

 

Thnaks in advance

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gooseandspoons

i kinda like my old military stuff rusty, but i am interested in this process for other projects i'm working on. I am part of the historical society in my town and presevation is one of my jobs in the society.

add some pics of the process. i would love to see how it comes out.

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  • 1 month later...
Tasken_Lander

Sure will. Finished a while ago. Pretty darn happy with how it came out. Will post pics soon. Just have to upload them..

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Another suggestion is a product called "Evaporust", sold in auto parts store, harbor Freight, etc. Stupid name, but really works well. Used it first on a Arcade cast iron toy with nickel wheels, removed the rust, left the nickel, the paint and did not affect the cast iron patina. great stuff

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Tasken_Lander

Here's pictures of how the bayonet came out, starting with how it looked when it was first purchased. The throat/ordinance stamp/belt hook part of the scabbard was badly covered in light rust. I removed it with some Hoppes oil and light grade steel wool and removed the rust with relative ease, but I stripped away all the patina (parkerization), so I bought some Birchwood Casey Bluing liquid and applied it with a cotton ball then hit it with some Break Free and lightly rubbed it down a little with some of the steel wool to make it look not too perfect/shiny new and -- voila!

 

I'm pretty pleased with how it came out. It DID take three or so tries of me repeating all the above said steps to get it the right color/darkness/evenness but this was my first time ever 'bluing' something.

 

It was important to me to restore it to its original look as best I could as I wanted it to look like it would have first issued during the war and not aged; like a relic.

 

Anyway here's some pics:

 

DSCF5327.jpg

DSCF5332.jpg

DSCF5346.jpg

DSCF5425.jpg

 

Thanks for looking,

Mike

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  • 2 weeks later...

Very well done, I am going to use the method above to take care of a bayonet I have. The 0000 steel wool didn't leave any visable scratches that the camera didn't pick up did it? Thanks for the posts and information!!! I can't wait to get my stuff cleaned up to make the display that much better! Good call!!!

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Tasken_Lander

No, just press lightly w/ the steel wool and you should be fine. Hope the process works for you as well as it did for me. :-)

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