A full size handle sticking out of a sheath will almost always get attention.
A pouch sheath usually gets less notice.
I have a 19 that gets much less notice in my pouch sheath than it does in the regular sheath, same knife just that it's mostly in leather.
Not saying carry a 19 but a 4 inch blade has a bigger outline of the blade in regular sheath than a pouch does, JMO.