If I were to find myself in fear of my life and had to draw my sgian in anger, it would slip easily from the sheath, which would remain in my sock. In such a situation I wouldn't really be too concerned about getting it back in.

If I remove my sgian to show a friend the blade, or to utilize the blade for cutting a stubborn piece of steak, I slip my fingers down into the sock, grasp the sheath, remove the still-sheathed knife, use it, then reverse the process. I don't like the image of whipping a bare blade from my sock in polite company.

Like others, I never carry a knife unless it is honed and stropped to a fine edge.