Alan Folts is an American knifemaker from Melbourne, Florida. He has designed several fixed and folding models for CRKT. The best known is his Minimalist®, which perfectly illustrates his simple approach to knives.

The compact Minimalist® fixed knife is one of CRKT's greatest successes. Released in several versions since its introduction to the market, it sees the arrival of a brand new variant in the 2025 catalog.

Alan Folts' Minimalist®

The artisan designed this model for use during his canoe trips. He envisioned it as a tool that was "easy to access without having to dig through your pockets." Using a scrap piece of steel lying around his workshop, he shaped a handle that "stuck to his hand" with three lower concave cutouts before refining the lines. The hallmark of the Minimalist® is its handling, which is as unique as it is effective. The short handle is designed to nestle in the user's palm and rest on three fingers. Chiefly suited for the hammer grip, this handle nonetheless does not rule out the "ice pick" position. The Minimalist® features an excellent blade-to-handle length ratio.