[Ninja Piper]

I found this cleaning out the decades worth of junk in my basement. It is a bayonet for something. It is 25 1/4" long and has AF 1030 stamped on the right side of the hilt. There is a considerable amount of rust on the hilt and base of the blade so there may be more stamped on there. I was always told that if you start to go and remove all the rust and "pretty it up" that if it was worth anything it would lose value. Any truth to that? Any ideas?
Okay, my computer is fighting me on this one. It won't upload the pics because they are too big. I will take more on a different setting... give me 10 minutes...

A big thanks to bobvonb for helping me re size the images!

[Ninja Piper]

^ pics up

[Capt'n Mil Coll]

Yup I can tell you most definintely you have a bayonet.

I would say Jap Arisaka.

[Ninja Piper]

Doesn't seem to be an Arisaka. The cross pin used to secure it is different than the Arisakas. Also there are no Japanese markings on it that I can tell. It has AF 1030 stamped on the hilt of it.

[Ninja Piper]

Can anyone else help?

[Kaybe]

Take the grips off and there might some markings under there. Something to try. It looks like an old Spanish Mauser one to me, but that is a guess. I don't think a Japanese bayonet would have English letters stamped on it. Old, I mean Spanish/American war "old". The newer the bayo, the shorter it got. Just my opinion

[Ninja Piper]

Okay, just took the grips off. The grips are wooden with a single "V" stamped on the inside of each of them. The blade goes all the way through to the end. Any other ideas on what it is, or perhaps where I could take it to get it identified?

[Cyrano]

Quote:       Originally Posted by Capt'n Mil Coll

Yup I can tell you most definintely you have a bayonet. I would say Jap Arisaka.

Not with that point, it's not. The Arisaka bayonets all had a point of the same pattern as a katana, not the dagger point that bayonet has.

I was thinking possibly French, for a Lebel, maybe?

[cma g21]

Looks like an Italian Vetterli M 1871 second model (fits Italian Vetterli M 1870 rifle).

Italian M1871 n/s. [C341] - $225.00 : The Bayonet Connection, - Rare Bayonets from around the World

Italian bayonets (bottom of page)

[Capt'n Mil Coll]

Looks like CMA got it. You definately want to coat the entire metal with oil to stop the rust. Some oooo steel wool or scotch brite pads and lots of rubbing and your bayo will shine again.

[Kaybe]

Congrats to cma g21. Thanks

[Ninja Piper]

Thanks cma! That looks like the same one. I always thought that if I cleaned up the rust that it wouldn't be worth as much. Is this true?

[cma g21]

Quote:       Originally Posted by Ninja Piper

Thanks cma! That looks like the same one. I always thought that if I cleaned up the rust that it wouldn't be worth as much. Is this true?

Like Capt'n Mil Coll said, some oil and fine steel wool on the rust, but I don't think polishing would be a great idea.