Better ways for securing and protecting the blade of a paring knife?

Make a sheath.

Or contact Tom Krein for a kydex sheath. He makes them for that knife. Google Krein knives. Tell him B.Goode sent ya

Victorinox makes a sheath. You can use a blade guard from a kitchen store or make one from a report binder spline, or you can buy a knife with a fitted sheath in any kitchen store. I have made a sheath using duct tape with a milk jug plastic liner.

Bottom up: rosewood handled Victorinox in belt sheath (sheaths are ~$5 on line)

Typical paring knife with report binder spline and rubber band

Paring knife with kitchen store blade guard (trim to fit)

Kitchen store paring knife with fitted sheath

Victorinox Little Vickie with fitted sheath

I have the top one in the picture, the Little Vickie.

I have a few Little Vickie knives too. If there’s an REI near you, go to the Action Sports desk and ask if you can have a few scraps of 1″ tubular webbing. They’re free, and you get to pick your color. Seal the end with a Bic, and cut the top at an angle to fit the knife handle. Use your Bic to clean up the frayed end by the handle. Done. Free, light, and effective.

Love the Little Vickie (thank you Dale for pointing it out a while back), have used it picnicking and car camping. Some great sheath ideas, Gary I especially like the scrap webbing idea.

Spending more than a few bucks for a kydex sheath seems like overkill for such an inexpensive knife.

If you have the Little Vickie, you don’t need more protection than the sheath it comes with unless you want to carry it on your belt. Commercial fishermen use the Victorinox sheath in my photo.

If you like small light knives like this and want good carry options, check out the AG Russell Woodswalker at  http://agrussell.com/knife/189

Mine may not be the Little Vickie but possibly one before it that people suggested on here about 5 years ago or so.

I bought kydex sheath from someone here a while back, if I remember, it was just a few bucks and gives option for lanyard hole.

Edit:

Found the post where they were being sold.

http://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/100437/

“Spending more than a few bucks for a kydex sheath seems like overkill for such an inexpensive knife.”

I disagree with that..

A $8 vic paring knife is as sharp as a scalpel and strong enough to be battoned through light kindling. Not something you want rolling around in your pack in a crappy sheath,IMHO.
Proper knife sheath design is about adequate strength and knife retention.
A good well made kydex sheath provides that.
Some of the DIY and SUL solutions here do not.
If the user sees the need, a Vic parer deserves a good sheath as much as a $10-$15 Mora.

Garrett, I remember that sale – it was a good value.

James, if you are saying that a Little Vic which you carry and use often and which is sharp should have a well-functioning sheath, we’re in agreement. However, it doesn’t have to cost anything. 2 pieces of thin light flexible scrap plastic from an old binder, and some duct tape, and voila, a sheath that retains the knife securely. Cost: $0. I have some spendy gear I enjoy very much, but love to find simple inexpensive DIY fixes too. Dale’s edge binder sheath gave me the idea.

If you take the flexible plastic pieces and run them up tightly over the handle a bit, it helps retain the knife.

I have another light fixed blade which I carry more often that came with a kydex sheath. I prefer kydex to leather as you don’t have to take care of it.

I haven’t batoned a piece of wood since practicing winter bushcraft skills in the Boy Scouts and feel no compulsion to do so unless taking a bushcraft skills course. If you had to use a Little Vic to baton a small diameter piece of wood, I guess you could, but I wouldn’t when there are stouter inexpensive alternatives out there.