CRKT
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersTualatin, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
CRKT firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CRKT
- Legal name
- Columbia River Knife & Tool
- Website
- https://crkt.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CRKT industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cutlery and Outdoor Cutting Tools
- NAICS
- Cutlery and Handtool Manufacturing (33221), Metal Kitchen Cookware, Utensil, Cutlery, and Flatware (except Precious) Manufacturing (332215)
- SIC
- Cutlery, Handtools & General Hardware (3420)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hunting & Shooting Specialty Knife/Tool Retail (CRAMAKAH)
Keywords
Where CRKT is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tualatin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
CRKT business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Knife Sales: CRKT generates revenue through the direct sale of folding knives, fixed blade knives, automatic knives, assisted opening knives, axes, and multi-tools. Products range from budget-friendly options under $50 to premium knives exceeding $500.
- Kitchen Knife Sales: Premium kitchen knives including chef's knives, paring knives, and utility knives priced from $450 to $1,125, featuring Damascus steel and premium materials.
- Accessories: Sale of accessories including sheaths, replacement parts, knife maintenance tools, gear, and replacement handles for axes.
- Corporate/Gift Sales: Corporate sales program offering engraving services and volume purchasing for corporate gifts and professional use.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Everyday Carry - Under $100 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium EDC - $100-$200 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Professional/Tactical - $200 and up |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Limited Edition/Grail - $200-$1,125 |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
CRKT product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CRKT designs, manufactures, and distributes a broad line of knives and cutting tools — including folding, fixed-blade, automatic, and assisted opening knives, multi-tools, axes, kitchen knives, and related accessories — for outdoor, tactical, professional, culinary, and everyday carry use. The company develops its own proprietary locking, opening, and edge technologies and collaborates with custom knife makers and former military/law enforcement professionals to deliver production tools at accessible price points.
Product overview
CRKT (Columbia River Knife and Tool) is a family-owned knife and tool manufacturer based in Tualatin, Oregon, offering a comprehensive portfolio of purpose-built cutting tools. The product lineup centers on multiple knife families (CEO, M16, Provoke, Minimalist, Squid, Pilar) along with axes, multi-tools, and kitchen knives. Key proprietary technologies include Kinematic® rail-lock opening systems, OutBurst® and FireSafe® assisted-opening mechanisms, Veff Serrations™, and Deadbolt® locking systems. The company operates a Made in USA program alongside imported products, with global supply chain manufacturing in China, Taiwan, El Salvador, Italy, and the United States. Services include free replacement parts and a limited lifetime warranty.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Forged By War®: A specialty line of mission-ready knives and tools designed by military veterans, with a portion of profits donated to veterans' charities.
Products and services
- Folding Knives
- Fixed Blade Knives
- Automatic Knives
- Assisted Opening Knives
- Pocket Knives
- Kitchen Knives
- Multi-Tools
- Axes
- Sheaths
- Knife Accessories
- CRKT Gear (Branded Apparel and Merchandise)
- Replacement Parts
- Gift Certificates
- Limited Lifetime Warranty
- Forged By War Knife Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Lifetime warranty on all knives
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use CRKT
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
CRKT technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
CRKT partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and major.
- Veteran Designers (Forged By War)coreEstablished in 2016, the Forged By War program collaborates with military veterans who apply their combat experience to design mission-ready knives and tools. Designers receive commission on sales, and a portion of profits are donated to veterans' charities of their choice.
- Lucas BurnleyflagshipRenowned designer known for Provoke, Redemption, and other flagship CRKT knives. Burnley's designs emphasize tactical functionality with refined aesthetics.
- Ken OnionflagshipLegendary knife designer with multiple CRKT collaborations, bringing innovative opening mechanism designs and tactical expertise.
- T.J. SchwarzmajorDesigner creating contemporary EDC knives with modern aesthetics and functional designs.
- Joe CaswellmajorDesigner behind successful CRKT models including the M16 family and other tactical designs.
- Richard RogerscoreEstablished designer contributing to CRKT's tactical and outdoor knife lines.
- Alan FoltscoreDesigner known for the Minimalist series and other purpose-built fixed blade knives.
- Michael WalkerflagshipAcclaimed designer behind the Walker Blade Lock mechanism and other innovative CRKT designs.
- Kaila CumingscoreDesigner contributing modern designs to CRKT's growing portfolio.
- Princeton WongcoreDesigner creating functional everyday carry knives for CRKT.
- Tom Veffcore20-year partnership with Tom Veff for proprietary Veff Serrations, a distinctive serration pattern featured on select CRKT knives.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CRKT competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Buck Knives: Idaho-based heritage knife brand with broad folding and fixed-blade catalog and strong Made-in-USA positioning. Overlaps with CRKT on tactical/outdoor knives and dealer channel.
- Kershaw Knives (KAI USA): KAI USA's flagship knife brand offering assisted-opening and folding knives at value-to-mid price points. Directly comparable to CRKT on price tier, assisted-opening technology, and channel presence.
- SOG Specialty Knives: Washington-based knife and multi-tool manufacturer with broad catalog across tactical, EDC, and outdoor categories. Comparable business model and channel mix to CRKT.
- Cold Steel: California-based knife and tool maker specializing in tactical folders, fixed blades, and training weapons. Direct competitor on tactical and locking mechanism innovation.
- Gerber Gear: Portland, Oregon-based outdoor/tactical tool brand owned by Vista Outdoor. Competes with CRKT in EDC, outdoor, and multi-tool categories with broader mass-retail distribution.
- Benchmade Knife Company: Oregon-based premium knife manufacturer offering folding, fixed, and automatic knives with proprietary AXIS lock mechanisms. Direct competitor in EDC, tactical, and outdoor categories with overlapping customer base.
- Spyderco: Colorado-based premium knife maker famous for the round hole opening feature and broad folding/fixed catalog. Direct competitor across EDC, tactical, and kitchen-adjacent segments.
- Zero Tolerance (ZT): KAI's premium/hard-use sub-brand competing with CRKT's tactical and higher-end folders, with deeper Made-in-USA positioning and overlapping designer collaborations.
Emerging players
- Chris Reeve Knives: Idaho-based boutique manufacturer of premium folders (especially the Sebenza/Inkosi lines) with the Reeve Integral Lock. Compares to CRKT on designer-driven innovation but operates at a much smaller, higher-priced niche.
- WE Knife Co. China-based knife maker known for premium folders and collaboration designs (Shirogorov, etc.). Comparable to CRKT on collaboration-driven catalog and assisted/locking mechanism innovation, with stronger premium-tier positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CRKT social profiles
Digital presenceCRKT financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CRKT leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
CRKT funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CRKT M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CRKT
What does CRKT do?
CRKT designs, manufactures, and distributes a broad line of knives and cutting tools — including folding, fixed-blade, automatic, and assisted opening knives, multi-tools, axes, kitchen knives, and related accessories — for outdoor, tactical, professional, culinary, and everyday carry use. The company develops its own proprietary locking, opening, and edge technologies and collaborates with custom knife makers and former military/law enforcement professionals to deliver production tools at accessible price points.
Is CRKT a public or private company?
CRKT is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was CRKT founded?
CRKT was founded in 1994. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is CRKT based?
CRKT is headquartered in Tualatin, United States, in the North America region.
How does CRKT make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Knife Sales are the primary driver. The others are kitchen Knife Sales, accessories and corporate/Gift Sales.
Who are CRKT's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Buck Knives, Kershaw Knives (KAI USA), SOG Specialty Knives, Cold Steel, Gerber Gear, Benchmade Knife Company, Spyderco and Zero Tolerance (ZT). Emerging players are Chris Reeve Knives and WE Knife Co..
Does CRKT have an API?
No public API is recorded for CRKT.
What industry is CRKT in?
CRKT's product category is Cutlery and Outdoor Cutting Tools. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMAKAH, Hunting & Shooting Specialty Knife/Tool Retail. Its NAICS code is 33221 and its SIC code is 3420.