CRKT Quietly Revived One of Its Weirdest, Handiest Minimalist Knives

The Daktyl Slide Lock boasts unique deployment, clip-on carry and a clutch bonus function.

Published January 30, 2025

·

Updated January 30, 2025

Every product is carefully selected by our editors. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more

One of my favorite American knife and multi-tool brands, CRKT, made big news earlier this month with the introduction of the Provoke X, a “pocket axe” that deploys with the flick of your wrist.

Meanwhile, a knife the brand reintroduced late last year flew completely under the radar.

crkt daktyl off side unfolded — Fully deployed, the Daktyl measures 6.81 inches long.

Yet I would argue its deployment mechanism is nearly as unique, and on a day-to-day basis, the knife itself probably makes way more sense for most people.

Meet the unusual, streamlined and surprisingly useful Daktyl Slide Lock, which offers a bit more than meets the eye.

Crafty and handy

At first glance, this little folder designed by Talent, Oregon’s own Tom Hitchcock is rather unassuming. Its uniqueness begins to reveal itself only when you deploy it.

To do so, you pull the slide lock — the ridged component at the pivot — out and push it down. You then rotate the blade to the open position and push the slide lock back in.

ckrt daktyl folded — The Daktyl folds up to a tidy 4.42 inches when not in use — and the built-in carabiner neatly hooks to your belt loop.

As you might guess, returning the blade to the truly skeletal handle involves reversing these steps. With practice, everything can be done one-handed.

While the mechanism is somewhat similar to that of Ed VanHoy’s sensational Snap Lock (also recently re-introduced by CRKT), the Daktyl differs in that it offers a couple of additional traits.

crkt daktyl blade — The Daktyl’s skeletonized 3.05-inch blade can make short work of packing tape, twine and Granny Smith apples.

On the bottom of the ring that forms the base of the blade is a pivot point enabling you to press in and open up the ring. This step essentially turns it into a carabiner, making it easy to clip onto a belt loop or pack for easy carry.

But that’s not all. You can also use the little notch this pivot unleashes to press the Daktyl into service as a bottle opener.

crkt daktyl bottle opener in hand — Doubling as a bottle opener, the Daktyl fits nicely in the hand.

While the blade is made of fairly unremarkable 420J2 steel, it is sturdy enough and, at 3.05 inches, long enough to tackle everyday tasks.

The stainless steel handle is equally durable, and at 2.4 ounces, the Daktyl won’t weigh you down. Perhaps not unlike a pocket axe (for some folks), it’s simply ready when you need it.