The turning point came quickly. In 1997, just three years after launching, CRKT stepped into the Las Vegas SHOT Show with a minimalist folding knife that looked like nothing else in the room. Ed Halligan’s K.I.S.S., short for “Keep It Super Simple,” folded a single-sided blade flat against a skeletal frame and stripped the idea of an EDC down to its bones. The knife was small and spare but undeniably clever, and it immediately became the center of conversation for buyers and users who appreciated the honesty of the concept. It was the product that put CRKT on the broader map and proved that a production company could thrive by bringing a custom designer’s radical idea to an accessible price point. Over the years, the K.I.S.S. would be iterated, copied, and revisited, but its real legacy was cultural: it established CRKT as the place where unconventional ideas could become real tools you could put in your pocket.

Collaboration wasn’t a marketing line for CRKT; it was the engine that powered new models. Among the earliest and most influential partners was Kentucky knifemaker and retired Master Sergeant Kit Carson. His M16 series arrived at the end of the 1990s with lightweight, utilitarian profiles, a distinctive flipper tab, and the kind of field credibility that resonated with soldiers, first responders, and hard-use EDC users. Beyond its sales success, the M16 normalized the flipper opener in a mass-market way, helping push rapid one-handed deployment into the mainstream of production folders. The result was a family of knives that remained fixtures in the lineup for decades, constantly refreshed yet always true to Carson’s original brief: strong, dependable, easy to carry, and ready for work.

- CRKT was founded in 1994 by Rod Bremer (pictured above) and Paul Gillespie in Tualatin, Oregon

- CRKT released the Kit Carson-designed M16 series in 1999

That spirit of problem-solving drew some of the knife world’s most creative minds. In 2008, after more than a decade of groundbreaking work with Kershaw, designer Ken Onion began a new chapter by partnering with CRKT. The collaboration gave Onion the freedom to pursue fresh mechanical concepts beyond assisted opening, and it would mark one of the most productive partnerships in modern knife history. His first major success came in 2012 with the Foresight, a bold, curved folder that captured the Blade Show award for Imported Knife of the Year. Two years later, Onion and CRKT reached an even higher milestone when the Hi Jinx was named Overall Knife of the Year, an achievement that proved CRKT could compete at the very top tier of production design.

Onion’s most lasting contribution arrived in 2016 with the introduction of Field Strip Technology on the Homefront. For the first time, users could completely disassemble their folding knife without tools for cleaning and maintenance. The mechanism represented a genuine leap forward in usability and earned the Blade Show’s Most Innovative Imported Design award that same year.

- In 2008, legendary knife designer Ken Onion (pictured above) partnered with CRKT

- In 2012, CRKT released the Onion-designed Foresight

- In 2016, CRKT unveiled the Homefront, which introduced Field Strip technology

Jesper Voxnaes, a Danish designer known for his clean and functional style, brought a distinct refinement to CRKT. His Pilar folder distilled Scandinavian practicality into a compact EDC that felt instantly natural in hand. Its straightforward design and ergonomic curves made it one of the company’s most beloved small knives. Voxnaes’s influence emphasized that CRKT’s strength wasn’t just in tactical or mechanical innovation but in understanding how a knife should feel and perform during real, daily use.

Lucas Burnley added his own signature flair to the mix with designs that blended modern minimalism and rugged usability. His Squid became a mainstay of the everyday-carry world, a small, overbuilt knife that balanced simplicity and strength. The Obake, another Burnley creation, paid tribute to Japanese design with a wrapped handle and etched blade, demonstrating that CRKT could channel cultural influences without losing its core identity. Burnley’s collaborations reflected the company’s growing presence among younger EDC enthusiasts who valued straightforward performance wrapped in good design.

- CRKT has partnered with many knife designers, including Jesper Voxnaes, Lucas Burnley (pictured above), and Flavio Ikoma