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140ish year old blade has a nice ring to it.  Any way to get the dents out of the scabbard?  Going to the stepdaughter for Christmas, she likes swords.

I’m going to let you finish but post 1874 gras was the best chassepot bayonet.

Dunno which year exactly this is, but it's a 22" blade.  My FIL is tasked w/ making the bayonet mount.  Bbl ring mikes @ .680", going w/ .625" @ the muzzle to the hilt.

27" bbl blank on order from Green Mountain.

It’s pre 1874.  In 1874 the chassepots were converted to a metallic 11mm gras round.  All converted rifles were issued a newer straight blade. So with out question yours is 1866-1874

Cool.  So at least 144 years old.  Light Brasso on the hilt Chrismas Eve, silver polish on the blade?  Bronze wool on the crosspiece & bbl ring?

Any ideas on how to get the dents out of the scabbard?  I would think water/oil pressure would push them out if I could apply that much pressure.

if its thin enough fill the scabbard with sand up to the dent.  The hammer a pointed rod into the sand and it will push out small dings.

FIL was suggesting to fill the dents from the outside w/ Bondo then paint?

Nope, wet sand and go pound it. That is actually how the Brits made headers for the GT40's in the 1960s - all hand bent. They would take dry - really dry - sand, pack it into the tubing, weld it shut, then heat it in a furnace and hand bend it around mandrels to shape, each tube one at a time, then clean them up and weld them at the collector. They were cut equal length and had to match up. Packing them with sand would force the tubing to stay round and not collapse or wrinkle, unlike air bent at the muffler shop.

Fill the scabbard with sand and then add pressure, the dents will finally move out. Bondo won't work, it eventually falls out and you haven't done a thing to fix the actual problem.

There is also the concept that collector value will be determined by the method used - sand is restorative, Bondo is hillbilly. Refinishing or polishing it may reduce it's value, too.

It's 144 years old -

Great reply, but FIL knows Bondo, and has filled in the dents, sanded it smooth, and primer coated in preparation for turquoise Duracoat.

It'll all strip off if her grandchildren want to restore the scabbard with sand...  

Mounted on a pencil bbl:

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Turns out that's a 27" bbl from muzzle to bolt face - from a 27" Green Mountain Blank.  Paladin Machine Service rocks!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paladin-Machine-Service/106042336407804

My FIL made the bayonet lug from a P-14 lug and cleaned up the Chassepot rifle bayonet and its 22" blade made in 1869.