www.mnsi.net/~nbtnoel/ Eric is an old friend of Doug and myself. If you have any knife needing a superior aftermarket system go to Eric.If you cannot justify the expense ( think system here) the alterantive is to amputate the belt portion and use the plastic sheath as a liner for a leather sheath. Lower guards are a PASSIVE safety feature. And like safety features on firearms a PASSIVE user can still get in trouble.For a dedicated survival blade they are still good insurance.Scandi Knives are woodcraft blades, and in the hands of a familiar user superb for WOODLAND survival. Remember always any survival scenario is a cessation of the norm, which includes carving spoons with your Mora. You are under stress, your knife is under stress. This is why we gravitate to more robust and safety redundant knives like the other scandi knife FALLKNIVEN and it's peers.