This post was originally written in 2015 but was updated in May 2024.
Every now and again, we like to take a look at the best-selling knives here at Knife Depot to find out what models and designs are currently the most popular. While the best-sellers change pretty frequently, this is usually a good indicator of the types of knives people are reaching for.
We thought I’d be cool to share this information with you, so you can also see what knives people are picking up. We took data from the last 12 months but also mixed in some of our own proprietary calculations like revenue to determine the top-sellers from CRKT.
The original list only contained five knives and four of those are now discontinued.
10. CRKT Onion Throwing Knife
People love new knives, so many of the knives on this list were released in the last year or so. Coming in at number 10 was Ken Onion’s first foray into throwing knives: the aptly named CRKT Onion Throwing Knives.
Throwing knives are always among the top-sellers at Knife Depot, so when you add Ken Onion’s iconic name and design cues to a set of three throwers, you get a bestseller.
9. CRKT Ritual
The Ritual is an unusual knife in that it’s probably not a knife you’re going to be carrying around much because it’s big and gaudy. Still, people love this large folder from Alan Folts.
It’s inspired by Persian knife designs with a 4.37-inch upswept blade and Micarta and steel handle.
8. CRKT Squid Compact
You might not think so, but people love small knives.
CRKT released a few compact versions of its knives the past few years, and they’ve all been very successful. However, the Squid Compact was by far the most popular.
With its 1.75-inch blade and steel handles, the Squid Compact makes the best little big knife a little smaller but still as capable. There’s some dark magic at work here.
7. CRKT KatanaX
A trend of the past few years is the manual out-the-front folder, and the KatanaX is CRKT’s foray into the genre.
It’s received some mixed reviews, but people seem curious to get ahold of this model. Unfortunately, it looks like CRKT is already abandoning this model for reasons unknown.
6. CRKT Taco Viper
The Taco Viper is a massive flipper from veteran Antonio Rodriguez. It’s a solid knife with an interesting backstory, but I like to think the reason it’s on this list of bestsellers is its awesome name.
The blade is 4.22 inches and the handle is made from glass-reinforced nylon.
5. CRKT CEO Flipper
The CEO was arguably the biggest hit for CRKT in the past few years because people were itching for a simple EDC that you could comfortably take to your workplace.
Since then CRKT has created a few different iterations, but the CEO Flipper has been the most successful.
4. CRKT Shrill
The Shrill is the second oldest model on this list, but it’s not surprising the Shrill is still a bestseller.
This fixed blade boot knife has a 4.7-inch dual-edged blade with Micarta scales. Because it’s a boot knife it comes with a leather sheath you can attach to your boot. Either way, it’s an excellent self-defense or last-ditch knife.
3. CRKT MinimalX
The MinimalX is a relatively new knife with a cool backstory. Darriel Caston was tasked with commemorating a SpaceX launch, so he made something that’s modern and minimalistic. The result is an undeniably compelling design.
It has a rectangular 2.19-inch blade with a flipper that disappears into the steel handle.
2. CRKT LCK+
The LCK was a surprise hit a few years ago when it released under the Ruger line made by CRKT. It was discontinued but brought back pretty quickly to rave reviews.
The CRKT LCK+ — along with its all-black iteration the CRKT LCK+ Tanto Blackout — is a fairly simple design. It’s a slim flipper with a 3.31-inch assisted blade and black GRN handle.
Whether because of its price or thoughtful design, this model will likely continue to be a bestseller.
1. CRKT M4-02
When I first made this list back in 2015, the CRKT M4 series was our bestseller. Believe it or not, the M4 series remains the bestselling CRKT knives at Knife Depot.
This Kit Carson design boasts a classic look and feel while adding in some modern innovations like assisted-opening mechanisms.
I think this knife was helped by the recent release of the CRKT M4-02M, which features a white Micarta handle. There are currently four different iterations of the M4-02 and they’re all very popular.
March 24, 2015 at 7:37 pm
What about dragon shaped knifes?
March 29, 2015 at 11:43 am
im a bit of a collector,i have about a 108 knives,swords,bayonets,some are
very old and some are newer,i was an avid thrower but had to give it up for
some yrs.account med. problems with my hands.
I just got back into it again,i have 9 different types of throwing knives and 3
tomahawks,so im always lookin for throwers,i also carry a fixed blade on my side in plane view of the public as by law in Canada.
smith & Wesson and gerber are my favourd edged weapon companys.