Best CRKT Knives in 2023

As one of the most famous and popular pocket knife brands in the world, CRKT knives have a big name to live up to. These carefully crafted knives give you excellent “bang for your buck” and offer some of the most versatile selections on the market. When you’re looking for the best CRKT knives, it’s important to stick closely to your needs.

It’s a good idea to whip out a pen and paper and write down 3-5 of the most important features you’re looking for. If you don’t know what you’re looking for yet then don’t worry – by the end of this guide, you’ll have a clear picture and all the information you need to get started. Let’s get started!

Top 7 Best CRKT Knives Review in 2023

We’ve selected 7 knives from the host of options available. We believe you’ll get the best value for your money, with excellent performance and build quality to match. Each knife offers something unique and we’ve chosen them to bring to you a diverse but reliable set of options.

Our guide will help you get a good idea of what kind of value you can expect at different price points. By the time we’re done, you’ll be ready and able to make an informed choice and get a knife you can keep for years! Let’s dive into our CRKT knives review!

CRKT CEO EDC Folding Pocket Knife

If you want to add a little style to your knife collection or want to break free from what standard EDC knives look like – here’s a great option for you. It’s one of the most unique and attractive knives from CRKT. Thankfully, this doesn’t come at the cost of performance, quality, or price. It’s affordable and a great overall gentleman’s knife.

You’ll find the knife to have a very low profile that won’t draw much attention. This is what you want if you work in an office or spend time around youth. Despite this subtle and understated appearance, the blade packs some serious cutting power. Edge retention and sharpness are above average, especially at this price point.

The blade is a little on the narrow side, but with the right maintenance and care routine, that shouldn’t be an issue. It’s easy to control thanks to the well-designed glass-reinforced handle. It gives you fine control over the cutting edge and tip of the blade and is great for more intricate cutting and even grooming. We love how fast the blade deploys here.

The IKBS ball bearing pivot gives it exceptional speed and smoothness that doesn’t fade much over time. It’s this consistency and reliability that gives the knife an edge over the rest. Overall, you’re getting one of the best CRKT pocket knives (gentleman’s knife) for the money. It’s sleek, attractive, and doesn’t disappoint in terms of durability and performance.

CRKT Squid Folding Pocket Knife

Here’s a knife that ages exceptionally well. The matte black finish is stunning and adds an extra layer of protection against rusting and corrosion. You’ll find it lasts longer and doesn’t fade as easily as many similarly priced knives. It’s quite easy to grip and use this knife in different conditions.

The texture gives it some slip resistance, though you should avoid using the knife with oily hands. You’re getting a low profile knife that you can carry around with you as an EDC. It’s appropriate for use in an office (check your local laws first) and won’t draw worried looks from your colleagues.

The frame-locked handle is sturdy and reliable. It’s a little on the slow side, but in our opinion, it’s worth it for the added safety. You can use the thumb stud for a relatively swift and consistent opening action with either hand. It feels smooth and won’t loosen much over time.

You’re getting incredible utility from a lightweight, easy to carry, and subtle knife. It has respectable cutting power and excellent durability, especially considering the affordable price point. Overall, you get one of the best CRKT knives in this price range and something you can rely on for a long time.

CRKT Minimalist Bowie Neck Knife

To start, here’s a compact and trustworthy fixed blade neck knife. Despite its smaller size, this knife is incredibly versatile and has cutting power that rivals far more expensive knives. You’re getting one of the best CRKT knives at an excellent price point that’s hard to resist.

The steel’s high-carbon content helps it resist corrosion and lets it keep a sharp edge for longer than you’d expect. It’s easy enough to maintain and sharpening isn’t a headache. They’ve made sure the blade is minimally reflective, giving it a subtle and smooth appearance – which is amplified by the gorgeous handle.

Your fingers slot into the handle molds perfectly, and it works with different grip types and styles. The handle has a textured surface to improve your grip quality and make the knife slip-resistant. You’ll find the knife is very easy to carry and control thanks to the lightweight (but robust) build.

It’ll handle its fair share of knocks without scuffing, cracking, or chipping. This is all safely protected by a high-quality and well-fitted sheath. You can mount it in several different ways and still have quick access to the blade. Considering the price and the quality you’re getting, it’s no surprise that this knife is one of the most popular on the market!

CRKT M16 EDC Folding Pocket Knife

Moving slightly up in price, here’s a robust and high-performing CRKT knife for an EDC or utility knife. The tanto-style tip and Viff serrations on the cutting edge immediately stand out as key features. With its high-piercing power and impressive cutting edge, this is one of the most versatile and capable pocket knives.

You’ve got black-carbon coating on the blade to protect the steel from corrosion. This can peel off over time if you use the knife carelessly – so be warned. One of our favorite features of this knife is the high-grade G10 handle. There are cutouts along its length to help you grip the knife better in different conditions.

This, along with the textured coating, gives you all the grip power you need in a reliable pocket utility knife. The lightweight handle helps to keep the blade balanced and the overall weight lower. You can easily carry this knife in your pocket without tearing a hole through it.

Your hands will be safe thanks to the automated liner safety lock. These are reliable and exceptionally consistent – perfect for an EDC knife. This is one of the best CRKT EDC knives and offers a fantastic balance between quality, performance, durability, and price.

CRKT Snap Lock Folding Pocket Knives

While snap lock EDC knives aren’t very common, they’re awesome if you’re on the market for a unique pocket knife with excellent performance and safety. If you’ve never used a snap-lock pocket knife, it might take you a couple of days to get the opening and closing actions to muscle memory.

The good news is that it’s beginner-friendly, so you don’t need to worry about losing your fingers. The action is snappy and it can be done one-handed with a little practice. This is a great option if you want a knife that’s functional while being lightweight and subtle enough to carry around. We love minimally reflective steel and this knife is no exception.

You won’t turn heads or draw unnecessary attention with one of these on your belt. It’s quite a small and slim knife, so it’s not great for heavy-duty utility work. The razor-sharp edge and easy-to-handle design help somewhat to make up for the smaller size. Overall, you’re getting an affordable – but high performing – CRKT knife with a unique and interesting design.

CRKT Endorser EDC Folding Pocket Knife

It’s a little more on the expensive side, but considering the look and build quality – it’s worth stretching your budget a little further. The gorgeous woodgrain-finish 2-tone G10 handle immediately sets this knife apart from the others. It’s non-slip and durable enough to use as an EDC utility knife. It’s rugged and holds up well over time.

This is one of the fastest-deploying knives in this list. The Outburst Assisted Opening is speedy and trustworthy. You’ll have no trouble opening and closing the blade one-handed, and it’s very safe. We loved the black coated blade – not only for its looks – but for its enhanced durability.

It has excellent corrosion and rust resistance and doesn’t peel or scratch off easily. The frame sits comfortably in your hand and doesn’t shy away in terms of capability and functionality. While these aren’t cheap best CRKT knives, they’re well worth the slightly higher price tag – and you’ll be thankful for the improved quality in the long run!

CRKT Swindle EDC Folding Pocket Knife

Here’s another classy EDC knife if you want something with a little more “taste”. It uses the same IKBS ball bearing pivot as the CRKT CEO and has a very similar opening/closing action. There’s no thumb stud for opening the blade, and it takes a little while to build up the speed and associated muscle memory. Despite this, the opening and closing actions are buttery smooth and consistent.

You’re getting a frame lock that’s super-secure and reliable. The downside is the speed and it can be a little challenging for one-handed opening. These aren’t self-defense knives, so it’s not essential to have a lightning-quick opening action. It’s worth the trade-off, especially if you use the knife in professional settings like offices.

The steel is pretty hard, sitting around 60HRC. This gives it the strength to hold a wicked edge without being too brittle. The result is a highly functional and attractive knife that’s great for EDC and light utility work. Overall, these best CRKT knives are safe and trustworthy – and they look and feel fantastic.

Choosing the Best CRKT Knife for You

Sport, camping, hunting, surviving – you name it, they’ve got it. There’s most probably a specific type of blade that you want, so it might make the process of deciding which to get a little more complex than it should be.

Having loads of different options might not be ideal, it’s nice because it gives you more chances of finding exactly what you want, but it might not be a definitive process when decision time comes. So let’s look at what makes a knife worthy of being owned by you.

Steel Quality

Many companies try to cut costs but use lower-grade steel yet still sell the knives for a price and a half. You might want to make sure that the knife you’re considering is made from high-quality steel. German carbon steel is brilliant, as well as Japanese steel.

You’ll probably want something very durable for outdoor use, like High carbon or stainless steel. This type of steel doesn’t rust or stain; remember to keep it clean, and you’ll be fine. Also, try to find a strong sheath or other types of storage holsters for extra protection.

Handle Features

You might want to check out what’s happening underneath the sleek-looking handles of any knife you buy. A complete tang handle design is a sturdy one that looks great, but it can be interchanged with a skeletonized or partial tang without sacrificing durability.

The important thing is the material used in the handle; go for a rigid polymer or carbon fiber known to maintain its structure very well. The grip should also be comfortable and firm, preferably with end-cap grooves that can hold your fingers in place safely while using.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What Is X20Cr13?

A: This is the chemical formula of the steel in the blade. It contains 0.2% Carbon and 13% Chromium. High Carbon content gives the blade better edge retention, and chromium makes it durable and rust-resistant.

Q: Are Wooden Handles Good or Bad?

A: In terms of sturdiness, they are brilliant. However, they increase the weight of the knife quite a lot and have a more slippery smooth grip. Wooden handles need to be maintained carefully. Otherwise, they can warp or split.

Q: Will I Need to Buy a Sharpener or Honing Device?

A: It’s not likely that you’ll need one with these types of knives, but at some point, you will have to sharpen a blade of some kind, so it’s a good investment. If the steel is high quality, then you probably won’t need to sharpen it for a long time, considering that the blade doesn’t get damaged.

If the knife blade has a very high hardness rating, like those with Japanese steel, then the blade won’t need sharpening, but the catch is that the knife will be very damage-prone. So as long as you take good care of it, you won’t have a problem.

Final Thoughts

There you go! Well done for taking the time to get informed. We’ve covered quite a bit of information here, and you’ve got some options to consider. We’ve covered the good and bad points of each knife so that you know what kind of value to expect at different price points. All that’s left is for you to make a quick list of what you’re looking for in your next knife, use what you’ve learned here, and get one of the best CRKT knives in your pocket!