Using a $200+ knife to open an Amazon box containing your new replacement boxer-briefs is kinda like hitting stop-and-go traffic in a Ferrari. Always thinking outside the box, CRKT used practicality as its latest muse, constructing an EDC knife specifically used to slice through cardboard and nothing else.
Rogers at the Wheel
The man behind the Box Key Slip Joint is Richard Rogers, and his credentials are frankly hard to argue with. He designed the CEO, a $40 knife that walked away with Blade Show’s Best Buy of the Year in 2019, and the Persian Frame Lock, which took Best Factory Imported Knife at Blade Show West in 2024. That’s a pretty wide range for one designer, and the Box Key sits firmly at the utilitarian end of his catalog. It’s a compact, non-locking slip joint with a 1.24-inch chisel-shaped blade in 12C27 steel, a stonewash finish, a stainless steel handle, and a total weight of exactly one ounce. Simply put, this thing disappears in your pocket.
The chisel geometry is optimized for slicing through tape and corrugated cardboard without snagging, and the full-length groove along the spine keeps the blade light while making two-handed deployment intuitive. The knife gives you a confident full stop, but you can also opt to open it half-stop at 90 degrees thanks to a tuned detent paired with seated ball bearings.
The Small Stuff
Giving the knife a sleek monochromatic look, the stainless handle doubles as a low-profile clip designed to be flexible enough to work across various pocket thicknesses, and it can moonlight as a money clip when needed. There’s also a lanyard hole for keychain carry, which is probably the most sensible placement for a knife this purpose-built. If it lives on your keys, it’s always there when the UPS driver drops something at your door.
While not strictly known as a budget brand, CRKT has the Box Key listed at an unbelievable price of just $38. At that number, you could argue it’s almost irresponsible not to own one.
Spec Sheet
Model: Box Key Slip Joint (7118)
Blade Steel: 12C27
Blade Finish: Stonewash
Blade Edge: Plain
Blade Length: 1.24″
Blade Thickness: 0.10″
Overall Length: 3.24″
Closed Length: 2″
Handle Material: Stainless steel
Weight: 1 oz
Price: $38
Pricing & Availability
The CRKT Box Key Slip Joint is available now directly through CRKT and select retailers like Blade HQ for $38.
Recap
CRKT Box Key Slip Joint Knife
CRKT tapped award-winning designer Richard Rogers to create the Box Key Slip Joint, a dead-simple, one-ounce slip joint folder built specifically for breaking down boxes and opening mail — and at just $38.
