Perry Sudan Royal Navy Bayonets ?

[Major Weenie]

So the RN lads seem to have different bayonets than the regular infantry.

A bit of a cutlass/bayonet/thing.

What color is the hilt/hand guard?

Should I paint it 'steel' like the blade, or should it be a sort of brass?

Thanks,
MW

[Plynkes]

1871 pattern naval issue sword bayonet, cutlass guard.

Bottom one looks like it is steel, top one hard to say. The Imperial War Museum have a description of one in their collection on their website and it says this...

Pommel form: vestigially beaked with near rounded end and prominently stepped back. The stepped section forms the opening of the broad T-shaped attachment slot. A small steel press stud, on left side, operates locking catch via long steel leaf spring recessed within right side of pommel and grip. Back flat and straight, underside rounded. Pommel meets grips vertically. Grips form: two-piece black chequered leather. Left grip retained by four small steel rivets, right grip secured by three rivets and leaf spring securing screw. Both grips convex, back flat and straight, underside very slightly shaped to hand. Crossguard form: grips protected by full sheet steel basket guard, slotted near pommel for sword or bayonet knot. Inner surface of guard lacquered black,outside polished steel. The fore-end of guard is secured by steel plate in front of crosspiece, the upper section of which is formed into full high muzzle ring topped by swept forward finial. Blade form: straight, tapering very gradually towards broad spear point, unfullered. A medial rib runs the length of the long false edge to tip. Blade back, after false edge, flat.

Edit: If polished steel is what the IWM says, then that's what I'd go with, but the top pic seems to leave a little leeway, maybe. Looks like a slightly different design, and a bit brassy, don't you think? Or is it just dirty and tarnished?

[Patrice]

Top pic also looks like steel. You can get this kind of colour when you put some dark stuff on steel to prevent it from rusting.

...for some re-enactments I used Zebraline black grate polish, it gives a darker shade to steel. And with a yellow light glowing on it you could see exactly the colour on the top pic. Brass would be much more yellow-ish.

[former user]

for me, both scabbard fittings and hilt on the top one look like corroded brass.
the bottom one I recognize as polished or silvered brass on the scabbard fitting, the hilt is clearly a replacement and not original. Could it be a fake or a repaired one?

on a second look, the scabbard fitting from the bottom picture could also be white tombak

[Patrice]

Corroded brass would be green?

[former user]

Yes, provided it has not been polished for a very long time - the first steps of oxydation look like this, it becomes dull...
verdigris occurs only in contact with acid or sour environment.

on the other hand, polished steel can become reddish too in the first stages of rusting, so.....

[Plynkes]

As our photographic evidence seems to be inconclusive, I would be inclined to believe the good people at the Imperial War Museum when they say the one they have is made of steel.

[janner]

Besides, there is no way Jack would have a rusty blade yer swabs!

[former user]

As our photographic evidence seems to be inconclusive, I would be inclined to believe the good people at the Imperial War Museum when they say the one they have is made of steel.

2nd

[Patrice]

Yes but it's not the blade we were talking about 

[former user]

Yes, I like to argue too
pick another topic 

[janner]

Yes, I like to argue too
pick another topic 

Do you want the one hour argument or full on trolling, just so I can quote the appropriate rate you understand 

[former user]

what's the difference?

 

[janner]

what's the difference?

 

Now, now, you've had your free taster. Anymore is going to cost...

[Patrice]

Should I paint it 'steel' like the blade, or should it be a sort of brass?

Back to topic is a very pleasant kind of trolling 

Well I think the answer has been given. The blade could be flashing steel. The hilt, hand guard, scabbard fittings etc, could be what they seem to be on the pics: dull metal, metal polished/covered by something which protects it but doesn't shine.