Advance Review
Frank Trzaska, Author/Researcher, creator of usmilitaryknives.com
Ralph E. Cobb’s Post-War M4-M7 Bayonet-Knives, M8A1 & M10 Scabbards is a specialist’s deep dive into one of the most technically overlooked but historically rich facets of American military equipment—the bayonets and scabbards that accompanied the transition from the WWII era M1 Garand and M1 Carbine to the M14 and then to the M16 family of service rifles. Bayonets like the M4, M5, M6, and M7 bridged generations of infantry tactics and technology from World War II to Vietnam and beyond into the new millennium, functioning at once as spear-point thrusting arms, utility knives, and symbolic emblems of soldiering identity.
Cobb, already known for his meticulous cataloguing of bayonet types and scabbards on platforms like worldbayonets.com and through Society of American Bayonet Collectors Journal publications, brings that same level of detail to this book. His work frequently appears as a primary reference for museums, collectors, and historians due to the scarcity of comprehensive guides on post-WWII U.S. bayonets.
Content & Structure
The book examines each model across multiple dimensions:
Design History: Cobb traces the lineage of each bayonet from its conceptual roots—the M4 descendant of the WWII M3 Fighting Knife—to later designs optimized for new service rifles. For example, the M4 was developed for the M1 Carbine in 1944 and remained in service through Korea and Vietnam, and its basic blade architecture formed the later M5, M6, and M7 designs.
Technical Specifications: Detailed breakdowns of blades, locking mechanisms, scabbard compatibility, and attachment systems.
Manufacturing Variants: Importantly for collectors and historians, Cobb catalogues production runs, contractor variations, and subtle differences in grips, finishes, and markings. This is where the book’s research value is most potent—identifying nuances that separate government contract pieces from foreign copies or commercial reproductions.
Foreign Copies & Scabbards: Unlike many references that stop at U.S. production, Cobb goes further, documenting foreign copies and the evolution of scabbards like the M8, M8A1, and M10 which traveled with these bayonets through decades of service.
Strengths
Authoritative Detail: Cobb’s expertise as a long-time contributor to bayonet scholarship is evident. Facts are laid out systematically with precision useful to academics and serious collectors alike.
Collector Utility: The inclusion of measurements, maker marks, and contract histories elevates this beyond general history into practical reference territory.
Bridging Gaps: There are few comprehensive English-language resources that treat these mid-20th-century bayonets with this degree of care; Cobb fills that niche admirably.
Fully Indexed: No effort was spared in creating and exceptional index and appendices for those looking to follow up on facts and where to look.
Endnotes: The text is fully covered in endnotes and listed as such again making follow up on facts easy and straight forward.
Conclusion
For military historians, weapon collectors, and museums, Post-War M4-M7 Bayonet-Knives, M8A1 & M10 Scabbards by Ralph E. Cobb is a must-have reference. It’s not merely a catalogue of blades; it’s a structured exploration of how U.S. infantry edged arms evolved in response to changing rifles, wars, and production realities. The book sets a new standard in bayonet literature by combining meticulous detail with accessible organization. Although its appeal will remain strongest among specialists, beginners can form a well-rounded base with the information and photos in this book. The book itself is hard bound, 265 pages in full color. Hard to beat as the information contained within cannot be found any place else. Bravo Ralph.