***Cleaned up Enfield Bayonet***

[relichound]

Fellow Diggers-

i posted a week or so the dig I was on in the Low Country of South Carolina beginning of the month. I had only recovered 3 good finds, a period silver (COIN) ring, a Kepi buckle and my first Enfield bayonet which is complete. It appears the user was using the bayonet as a gardening/digging tool as the tip is blunted. She’s been cooking for over a week in the electrolysis bath and I pulled her out this morning and she looks good, now I need to soak in gemplers then clear coat.

The bayonet came up in low 40s on my XP Deus using high frequency coil, Deus fast, 28KHZ. I almost did not dig it as my first signal 5 minutes earlier was a rusty pipe and when I dug this target I was thinking the same thing-gotta dug that iron diggers! Happy Hunting.

 

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[smokeythecat]

Wayne, the best way to preserve it is to get a heavy duty container, I use a cake pan, get about 5 pounds of microcrystalline wax, the kind used for crafts, although candle wax will work, melt the wax OUTSIDE with a propane torch in the container and with the bayonet immersed, the heated wax will force any air or moisture out of the pores of the metal, replace it and conserve it for another few hundred years. Everything else just doesn't work well. Don't set yourself on fire.

 

[erfranks]

Great Save!

 

[relichound]

Wayne, the best way to preserve it is to get a heavy duty container, I use a cake pan, get about 5 pounds of microcrystalline wax, the kind used for crafts, although candle wax will work, melt the wax OUTSIDE with a propane torch in the container and with the bayonet immersed, the heated wax will force any air or moisture out of the pores of the metal, replace it and conserve it for another few hundred years. Everything else just doesn't work well. Don't set yourself on fire.

Thanks Smokey! I may need to do that outside my townhouse without burning our entire 34 townhouse community up in smoke! LOL

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Great find !

I also read that soaking rusted steel in a Lye Bath will help stop deterioration ?

 

[smokeythecat]

And not on a grill. I set my pan up on two bricks, then use the torch on the bottom. You can't just leave it, if the wax starts to smoke, remove the heat a few minutes. Melting will continue. When the iron is hot enough, it will start to bubble then bubble vigorously. When the bubbling slows down, remove it, turn off the heat and blot with a paper towel.

 

[Truth]

Wow just beautiful I mean gorgeous one day I will have my own. Now if you want that beautiful piece of history saved for life please take the time to do what Smokey said she’s 100% right. With my cannonball grape shots my Indian Tomahawks you have to go all the way with it and get all that moisture out because it’s beautiful now but that rust will live on and you’ll notice it in six months. You are one man again congratulation!!!

 

[lenmac65]

Sooooo cool! Congrats on finding such a great piece of history!

 

[Gene Mean]

Very cool find. Nice display piece for sure.