Private company

Chris Reeve Knives

Logo: chrisreeve.com3

American knife manufacturing corporation

Chris Reeve Knives is an American knife manufacturing corporation with international sales and distribution headquartered in Boise, Idaho, that designs, develops, and sells folding pocket knives and fixed-blade knives.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1993Founded1

Chris Reeve Knives is an American knife manufacturing corporation with international sales and distribution headquartered in Boise, Idaho, that designs, develops, and sells folding pocket knives and fixed-blade knives.2

The story

Founded by Chris Reeve in 1993, in Boise.1

Chris Reeve Knives was founded as a sole proprietorship in January 1984, with Chris Reeve making custom knives in the single garage attached to the house in which Reeve was living in Durban, South Africa.

In March 1989, Reeve and his wife Anne Reeve immigrated to the United States, and CRK commenced manufacturing in Boise, ID.

In July 1993, Chris Reeve Knives, sole proprietorship, became Reeve Incorporated, doing business as Chris Reeve Knives.

Their motto is Think Twice, Cut Once.

From Wikipedia’s article on Chris Reeve Knives, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Leadership

Who has led Chris Reeve Knives, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Products and brands

  • knife

Listed on Wikidata.1

One Piece

Fixed blade family of knives, featuring a hollow handle and blade manufactured from one continuous piece of A2 tool steel.

Models possess blade lengths ranging from 10.2 to 22.9 cm (4" to 9").

After nearly three decades of production, the One Piece Range was retired due to the expense of manufacture and the need to make room in the CRK portfolio for new designs.

Sebenza

Folding knife, introducing a stronger variation of the Walker linerlock called the Sebenza Integral Lock, also commonly known as the framelock.

Read the full text

The Sebenza is a utility knife with titanium handles and was originally introduced with an ATS-34 stainless steel blade, followed by BG-42 and CPM S30V, and as of this writing, CPM S35VN steel and CPM S45VN steel.

Sebenza 25

Released in 2012, the Sebenza 25 is named for the 25th year of the Sebenza and has technological improvements of a ceramic ball lockbar interface, larger pivot and what they call the 'large hollow grind'.

Additionally the Sebenza 25 has a thicker blade stock of 0.14" compared to 0.125" of the Large Sebenza 21.

Umfaan

Folding knife similar in design to that of the Sebenza, but with a blade length of 58.42 mm (2.3").

Mnandi

Folding knife utilizing an Integral Lock, partially covered by a cosmetic inlay, focused at the businessperson.

The Mnandi blade length is 69.5 mm (2.75") and like the Sebenza can also be had in Damascus Steel.

Neil Roberts Warrior

Fixed blade knife designed in collaboration with William Harsey, with 152.4 mm (6"), CPM S30V stainless steel recurve spearpoint blade.

This knife is dedicated to Neil C. Roberts, the first U.S. Navy SEAL killed in Afghanistan, at the Battle of Takur Ghar, in 2002.

Inyoni

Fixed blade bird and fish knife with 88.9 mm (3.5"), CPM S30V stainless steel double row (Kubuli) serrated blade.

Umnumzaan

Folding knife, with 2nd generation Integral Lock. The Umnumzaan is a utility knife with titanium handle slabs and 93.4 mm (3.675") CPM S30V stainless steel blade. It also features a glass breaker that is exposed when the knife is closed.

Sikayo

A range of chef's knives, the Sikayo is available in both 6.5" and 9.0" blade lengths.

The name Sikayo is the Zulu word for "sharp".

Sikayo blades are made with CPM S35V stainless steel, and are ground on one side only.

Nyala

The Nyala is a modern version of the classic skinning knife with a blade length of 3.75".

The integral handle and blade of CPM S35VN is possesses spiral and lineal grooves in the micarta handle providing incremental positive grip, and serrations on the spine are provided for enhanced control.

Ti-Lock

The Ti-Lock is a folding knife featuring a new locking mechanism by the same name.

The Ti-Lock mechanism was conceived as a means to isolate the lock from the body of the knife, in order to allow more design freedom for handle and frame. It is completely ambidextrous, allowing equal left and right hand use.

The Ti-Lock was a collaborative development by Grant and Gavin Hawk, and Chris Reeve.

Inkosi

Known as the "Chief" in Zulu, the Inkosi features a large hollow grind, twin oversized washers, strengthened pivot and sturdy lock up.

While challenging the standards of the Integral Lock®, the Inkosi uses a ceramic ball as an interface for the lock bar to the blade tang for a consistent lock-up. The washer diameter is wider than the blade securing zero sideways play.

With larger lubrication holes there is even less surface area of friction.

Finally, the large hollow grind provides a shallow radius that can improve strength, making it halfway between a flat grind and a standard hollow grind.

From Wikipedia’s article on Chris Reeve Knives, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Timeline

  1. 1993Founded Founded in Boise1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4