More and more of my fixed blades tend to not have hilts and I have used simple friction to remain in the sheath. Since I hate Velcro noise, and don’t like snaps, I have spent considerable time trying different ideas for the fixed blade with traditional guards. The extra sheath leather does help to protect the handle, but it also can act as leverage to release the hilt from the notch. It definately blocks accidental release, but I’m still experimenting on how short the leather can be and still release the blade easily. If anybody out there try’s this out, let me know.