Full Restoration of Turkish Mauser Bayonet - 1887

Video Description

Hi! Today, restoration of Turkish Mauser bayonet from the Ottoman Empire era. This item isn't mine — I was asked to restore it. Its condition is below average: rust on the blade and scabbard fittings, the scabbard itself is heavily damaged, and the spring mechanism doesn't work properly. But all of that is fixable! I'm starting the restoration process. Stage 1: The Blade First, I checked the condition of the rust using a solvent — it turned out not to be very deep. I began with the bayonet itself: I used WD-40 and 2000-grit sandpaper. Then I applied a special metal cleaner and removed the remaining rust from the blade's surface. Next, I used polishing paste and sandpaper. After cleaning, I lightly polished the blade, oiled it, and moved on to the mechanism. I managed to fully restore it — now it works perfectly. I also cleaned the guard, removing both rust and dark spots. Stage 2: The Handle The handle was in good condition, so after finishing work on the blade, I simply preserved it with a special wax-based paste. This will protect the wood from moisture and water for a long time. Stage 3: Scabbard and Fittings Then I moved on to the metal fittings of the scabbard. I used metal cleaner and soft steel wool. The work was long — I cleaned each part step by step. Using a light hammer, leather, and a specially shaped piece of metal, I straightened the deformed parts, cleaned them, and applied oil. I didn’t disassemble the scabbard itself in order to preserve its authenticity. I started by removing dust, then used leather care products. There was a deep crease in the leather — an unpleasant and difficult issue to fix. But I managed to smooth it out using linseed oil, a heat gun, an iron, and rounded wooden forms. After straightening, I coated the scabbard with dark protective dye, polished it, and preserved it with wax paste, rubbing it into the leather with a wool cloth. Stage 4: Staples and Leather Suspension Next, I worked on the staples that held the parts of the scabbard together. I restored two of them, and made a third — which was missing — from an old safety pin. After assembling all the pieces, I moved on to making a leather suspension strap for the bayonet. Using a reference image from a book, I recreated the strap based on an original design. I used natural dark-colored leather of medium thickness. The first time I made a sizing mistake, but the second attempt turned out great. I glued, stitched, and added an extra inner layer of leather. Since I didn’t have a manual sewing machine for thick leather at hand, I asked a tailor for help. After finishing the suspension strap, I rounded the contours, smoothed the edges, and fully assembled the piece. The entire restoration process was truly fascinating and enjoyable. Please support the video with a like a comment, and don’t forget to share it with your friends. Thank you! Sincerely, Alex. Thanks for attention! Good luck and health to everyone! With best wishes, Alex! Please subscribe to my channel: @ScrewsAndTools 🍖 My New Cooking channel! @screwsandtoolscooking Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Screwsandtools Paypal: paypal.me/screwsandtools Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scresandtools/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/screwsandtools/ #screwsandtools #bayonet #restoration