I'll probably sound like a broken record here with this intro, but I have long believed the "Scalemead/Night Raider" knife is among the more under-appreciated props. 6 marines carried them (Six!!!) implying they were 'standard issue', yet it seems like the knife gets no love. I'm sure it is because it was never 'featured' and isnt particular sexy...but still, it is a good prop.
While that distinct 'screw cap' handled knife itself may be a bit hard to find, a screen accurate sheath is more common than you might think. If you start with a nice accurate sheath, any number of knives or resin casts would look damn good with your kit.
Here I hope to shine some light on available sheath options by highlighting the knives that come with similar sheaths (several of which might be found for under $20).
The sheath design seems to be heavily influenced by the sheath of the Gerber Mk 1 (first produced in 1976). Not unlike the Gerber's larger pal the Mk2, as the Mk1 gained popularity, it inspired countless "clones" which included "cloned" sheaths. To illustrate, first up is my own little collection. I have a bit of a knife fetish so these things kind of accumulate...
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Here we see:
A- Explorer "Night Raider"
B- Explorer "Camo Night Raider" w/compass & green sheath (but I painted the handle black and buffed the blade to a shine to make it look like a Scalemead)
C- Unknown brand (no markings at all) "Clone" of Gerber Mk1 (camo edition, w/green sheath)
D- Explorer "Survival" ("Clone" of Gerber mk1)
X- Sheath, but no knife from "Rothco Raider I"
Here are other options which can readily be found. (some cheaper than others). The gerber Mk1 is center top, and you are unlikely to get one of those for less than $100, but the others can be snagged for $20-$50 depending on condition and luck.
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Now some quick tips to watch out for when shopping:
-If you find one that looks correct, make sure the overall knife length is ~9 inches. Most Mk1 clones are very close to 9" and the sheaths will be a good match.
-Note here that there is an embossed weave pattern on the "Parker Brothers" knife. Not all Parker brothers Mk1 clones have that pattern but some do, so watch out.
-You should not necessarily discount a "green" sheath as wrong and ignore it. I have read an acetone wash will remove the green coloring, then some black acrylic paint (higher quality the better, of course) is all you need to permanently refinish it black. I plan to test this very soon and will update.
-Being these are all different brands, quality varies. Oddly enough some sheaths are very thick/robust while others are a bit thin and flimsy.
Check the 'unknown' brand vs. the Explorer "survival" sheath.
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-In my experience, the cheapest to find are the "Explorer Survival" and the "Rothco Raider I". Be warned though, the differences in the Raider I sheath are subtle, but it is actually the least accurate (while still being very close) sheath out there. Below is the "Raider I" next to the actual "Night Raider" sheath. The Raider one has flatter sides and is a bit larger. The belt clip is noticeably thinner than all the other versions and it 'feels cheaper'. It is probably the worst quality knife of the entire lot, and its sheath reflects that. If you plan to wrap a sheath in duct tape on your kit, this might be your best bet!
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Hope this may be useful and thanks for looking. Good luck in your search if this inspired anyone.
