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Restoration Project

GardDog

LT
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 16, 2009
2,200
1
52
New Orleans
Not a rifle, but from the era. The backstory: My mom's uncle was a Seabee during WWII. He was married, but had no kids. Whenever we went to visit, I would always show interest in his stories from the Pacific. After he died, his wife gave me some of his memorabilia from the war. I recently reacquired some of these after my ex "found" them in her attic, despite disavowing all knowledge of their whereabouts after we split. I'm super excited to have them back in my possession and will be doing my best to clean and restore them. The only info that I have on the items is from the stories that my great uncle had told me as a child, if any of you have any info to add, please do.

1st - Knife made from plane parts. Handle is from plexiglass windscreen, tip of handle was made from propeller part.

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2nd - A model of a P-38 Lightning made from .50 and .30 caliber casings. The base of the ashtray is from a large naval round?

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3rd - A Japanese hand thrown bomb (so the story went?). All parts have Japanese markings on them.

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Anyone have anything similar? I know that these were made specific for my great uncle, as the knife handle has his initials embedded in it. No chance of ever selling this stuff, as it will have a place of honor in my house.
 
Re: Restoration Project

Trench art is some amazing stuff. I have a few pieces and it amazes me that it is not more widely collected. You can get amazing pieces of trench art at flea markets and on eBay for peanuts.

Soldiers had a LOT of time on their hands... what's the saying, 99 percent boredom, one percent terror? So trench art was a way to pass the time.

It will all clean up magnificently with Brasso. No worries about hurting the value by removing patina. It will fade again and looks wonderful all polished up. Just don't use a wheel on it that can scuff/burn the finish.

That knife is a gem. There was a great article I read in The American Rifleman when I was a kid about a guy who inhereted his dad's homemade knife which was made from a German fighter part. Your knife completely reminds me of that article (which also introduced my entire middle school class to the game of Mumbledypeg... much to our parents consternation.)

I'll post pictures of some of my pieces over the next few days... and would love to see other folks' trench art items!

Cheers,

Sirhr
 
Re: Restoration Project

Thanks, Sirhr. I remember bringing the knife and Japanese bomb to school in the 3rd or 4th grade for show & tell. Could you imagine the uproar if someone did that today?

Post your items, I'd love to see others.
 
Re: Restoration Project

WOW!! The couple wyo lived next door to me, had a brother in WWII. I received these several years aga after they had passed away. Looks like the same P-38!!!
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Re: Restoration Project

Those are some awesome pieces of art that can tell a story. I wouldn't restore them at all. They are perfect the way they are. The age and wear they they show only enhance the story that they have. I am glad to hear that you have them back home now.

Tom
 
Re: Restoration Project

I've got a P-38 ashtray that looks very similar to yours.It was my Dad's.I also have his knife,the handle is made of alternating washers of cartridge brass and plexiglass from the canopy of a Zero.I believe he got the knife on Guadalcanal.I think that he may have put on the handle while he was on Okinawa as he told me about a Zero that strafed him and another Marine which then crashed into a hill after they fired back at it.
 
Re: Restoration Project

I have not had a chance to take pictures of some trench art bits... but this is my latest mini-restoration project.

It was a wreck when I got it for cheap. Mouldering outside a local junk shop. Basically it just said 'take me home and fix me up' The details... 1000 Watt Navy Signalling Spotlamp. Made by General Electric in the late '30s.

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I didn't restore it 'authentic' because all the brass and copper parts were just too nice to paint grey. So everything was lacquered and polished. And the aluminum and steel parts were painted in a battleship grey.

It works perfectly... the bulb is a work of art in and of itself!

It's WWII vintage... I have the serial number and could probably find out which ship it was on... Wish it could talk.

Cheers,

Sirhr