A scabbard for holding a knife having a folding blade, the scabbard having means therein for engaging thumb slits in the blade of the knife while the knife is being removed from the scabbard to enable the user of the knife to pivot the blade to the open position as the knife is being withdrawn from the scabbard. The means for engaging the thumb slits in the blade can be two pins mounted in the side of the scabbard or two longitudinal ridges or springs extending from the inner walls of the scabbard to engage a substantial length of the thumb slit in the blade of the knife. In one embodiment of the invention, the conventional thumb slits of a folding knife are extended to the end of the portion of the knife blade which first contacts the means for engaging the knife blade to enable the thumb slits to be engaged by the ridges, springs, or pins in the scabbard.