[RTFM]

I have my dads WWII M1 Garand bayonet.
Still in good condition, no rust - no pitting, but what the antique crowd would call a patina on the metal surface.

Basically a trending toward the metal darkening from years of sitting around not being used.

My question, would you clean it up, make it "like new" or leave it just as it is now.

One of these days, I'm determined to get my own M1 so I can see it where it needs to be, on the working end of a rifle like it has been so many years ago.

Thanks

RTFM

[Brian Williams]

Leave it, unless you want it to look like it would have had a GI still been cleaning it.

Get one of those flag display cases and try and get a flag from a congress critter that might have flown over the US capital building say on your dad's birthday and fold the flag and place the bayonet in the case with it.....

[hillbilly]

This is not an artifact you would ever sell.

But "cleaning up" an item like this, and taking off the patina will knock a whole lot of the monetary value off it.

hillbilly

[ACORN]

I agree, cleaning it would remove the "character" from it and deny its history. Put a coat of oil on it to inhibit further oxidation and put it on display as an honored veteran of the "Big One".

[MICHAEL T]

Don't CLEAN like everyone says It deserves a special place I love the FLAG idea.. So a lite coat of oil and retirement.

[RTFM]

No clean it is!

Thanks guys, and I too like the idea of the flag also.

[ArmedBear]

Just keep it sprayed or wiped with something so it doesn't rust, and the patina will retain its beauty.

Before blueing came into vogue, gun barrels used to be "browned", or purposely surface-rusted then rubbed to a patina, to preserve them. The frontloader on my living room wall has a browned barrel. I coated it in Bullfrog and it stays as it has always looked.

[lawson]

never clean up an antique, just protect.

ArmedBear- i "browned" a cheap bowie knife for a buddy of my dad's that does wild west re-enactments. it was a sturdy knife, but was too new and shiny. i cleaned the blade to remove any oils, and left it bare in the presence of a swamp cooler for a while. after it had a nice amount of rust, but not enough to cause pitting, i spent some quality time with a buffing wheel. the blade had a beautiful patina, and really looked authentic. i also stripped the laquer finish of the wood handle and gave it a nice oil rub. turned a $15 knife into a faux-antique.