I don't know when it was put there. That picture was taken in December of 2010 so it must have been in the last couple of years. It's actually not my photo but from a thread in Bladeforums: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showth...-Survival-Knife

It does say in the thread that the knife was recently added so I'm guessing last year?

"IIRC"... You do Joe. You are correct.

Are you positive NASA did not buy sheaths later?????

Oldguy why would NASA buy a sheath for Grissom's knife when it was at the bottom of the ocean? Maybe Grissom bought a sheath for it before he ever went into space. I don't know but maybe the people that recovered the capsule returned the knife to the Grissom family and then they may have donated it along with a sheath to th museum. All speculation on my part ...... Other than the fact, they didn't come with sheaths and they didn't go into space in Brown Button Sheaths. Or any other Randall sheath for that matter. This bit of info is respectfully submitted.

Ronnie, They may have bought the sheath's later on, like after the first batch of knives. Second NASA would not buy a sheath for this knife after it was recovered any way, as it was a private salvage venture on the recovery and if I remember correct NASA may no longer own this space craft any way. And when you start checking some web sites you will find that the first mercury mission the knife was not in a kit but attached to the hatch, further more the Randall Astronaut Knives where not the first in knives in space as far as the United States, In addition to the Randall on Al Shepard's flight there was also a military four blade pocket knife also. oldguy

Oldguy....I never said that NASA bought a sheath for this knife after the knife was recovered. You speculated that NASA may have purchased the sheaths later on. Maybe.....but I don't think so. The knives were not....I repeat were not attached to the hatch....the knives were attached to the survival kits and the kits, I believe, were attached to the hatch. A good question is, if the kits were attached to the hatch, then why wasn't the kit still attached to the hatch when Grissom blew the hatch and therefore lost. The knife was found in the capsule, not on the hatch. If I remember correctly. At ant rate this is no big deal. I just wonder how this one and any others may have ended up with a sheath since they did not come with sheaths.

Ronnie, the first manned Mercury mission the knife was attached to the hatch and was knife was lost when they blew the hatch. That is when they started putting them in the kits. And the knives made for and with the astronauts names on them had sheaths. Some of these knives were carried on missions. Now the question is, Did Grissom have his own knife packed in the kit? Who really knows. Just because NASA got the knives with no sheaths does not mean that they did not get some made later.If you will reread Mr. Gaddis's book pages 178 and 183 you will see.And check some of NASA's information sites also. The only way you will know for sure is to get a original NASA Mission Equipment Material Packing List per Mission Rules for each Mercury flight.Edit by me the oldguy.

So you are saying that Alan Shepard also lost his Randall Survival Knife? His was the first manned space flight. Just asking because I thought Grissom was the only astronaut to lose his knife.

Yes it was lost. If you want to belive what Mr.Gaddis wrote in his book look at page 183. Just remember that this was the early years of the space program they were rolling changes and mods out a mile a minute.

Ronnie, Lookie here if I tell you the moon is made of cheese just go ahead and get you some crackers and a rocket because I'm telling you right. old guy