First post here. Been a collector of ww2 military items ranging from helmets to uniforms and propaganda posters. My latest acquisition is what brought me to this amazing forum.

My uncle gave me a 120/35 SS dagger that he acquired from a ww2 vet many many many years ago. It is definitely not a show piece. the bottom crossguard is loose, the pummel nut appears to be untouched and is very tight.The eagle is lifting from the bottom and of course the blade is very rusty. But from what I can tell, this knife all matches and is consistent with being all original. It also has the four word phrase etched into the blade.

I’m looking for advice on the knife as far as trying to clean it up. I know I can’t expect a show sign here, but is there thing I can do to clean the blade and nickel guards up? A google search mentioned soaking the blade in vinegar, but I don’t want to destroy the knife. I’m open to your more experienced ideas, as I don’t want the knife to further deteriorate. Any idea what a knife in this shape is worth? Not that I want to sell it, but any idea would be nice. There is no scabbard unfortunately.

I appreciate your time and looking forward to using this great forum.