Every knife added to CS2 has it’s real life prototype, history and legends. New knife skins are regularly added into the game along with the updates, new operations and cases. Even the knives from back in 2013 are still very popular among the player base and are quite rare.
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Nowadays the most rare knives have ridiculous prices, costing even more than an apartment in New-York. Not everyone can afford one, but every CS2 player wants to have one in his inventory, something like a butterfly knife or karambit with StatTrak™ to show off your frags. In this article we’ll cover all currently existing knife skins and their history.
By the way, statistics say that the higher a player's rank is, the more often he uses the knife, meaning this weapon is quite underrated among new players. It increases your movement speed and allows you to silently dispatch your opponents. As of 2024, we have access to 20 different knife types along with the basic one. Let’s take a closer look!
Bowie Knife
Bowie Knife is a powerful cleaver with teeth on its back and a curved clip point blade that has a history and legends about a harsh mercenary’s everyday life behind it. It’s appearance is inspired by the times when you had only one shot with your pistol or a rifle and the reloading took a long time. This massive yet elegant knife was an alternative to a gun during duels.
Bowie Knife was added to the game during the “Wildfire” operation in 2016.
M9 Bayonet
M9 Bayonet can be attached to rifles such as M16 and that’s how it got its name in-game. Of course you won’t be able to attach it in Counter-Strike, but your enemies will be intimidated by it nonetheless. M9 looks similar to the Bowie Knife but with a straight clip point blade and a ring on a handle.
Bayonet
The classic bayonet knife without the teeth on its back and straight clip point blade. The great alternative to a standard knife without any excesses. The classic Bayonet was added along with the M9 in “The Arms Deal” collection back in 2013.
To get this knife you either have to open tons of cases (probably not the best idea), trade it on dedicated trading websites or just get enough money to buy it. Nowadays a bayonet costs almost as much as a good gaming PC does, however. Well, we’ve all browsed the Steam Marketplace and know how insane the CS2 knife market is.
Classic Knife
Counter-Strike veterans will recognize this knife at first sight. This is the same legendary knife taken from the very first versions of the game - CS 1.6, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero and Counter-Strike: Source. It's funny that in the files this knife is called knive_css, which means that this is a knife from Counter-Strike: Source. The knife attracts with its simplicity and animation familiar to many players. Time to get a little nostalgic!
Shadow Daggers
Shadow Daggers are definitely one of the most popular knife types among the player base in 2024. The design is extremely unusual for a Counter-Strike, wouldn’t you agree? In the past, knives like these were used in work rather than self-defence, the Alaskan natives used them as skinning knives, for example.
The most unique and peculiar thing in it’s design is that it’s handle is perpendicular
to a blade and is being held between index and middle fingers, making its wielder almost impossible to disarm, not like something like that can happen in Counter-Strike though. Another thing is that the player character wields two knives at the same time. When you strike with a heavy attack, your character hits with both knives at once or with a single knife during the light attack.
Shadow Daggers were added in the “Shadow Boxing” update in 2015.
Falchion Knife
Falchion is one of the contenders for the most notable knife skin in CS2/CS:GO. Due to its slick and refined form it fits the hand like a glove, becoming the curved blade at the end. Falchion has two different animations for inspection - you can either spin it or vertically balance it on your hand. Too bad it doesn’t raise the actual combat stats, only your visual enjoyment and the envy of your teammates who watch you spin the blade.
The Falchion was added during the operation “Bloodhound” back in 2015.
Nomad Knife
Nomad is one of the newer folding knives were added into the game with the “Shattered Web” operation in 2019. It has a unique equipping animation of your character unfolding the knife by its blade and shaking his hand as if he cut himself. Overall, it’s a sharp, good-looking and dangerous knife with a classic blade.
Butterfly Knife
Probably every CS player knows this balisong knife (the actual name of the butterfly knife). It consists of a blade and two parts of a handle held together by hinges. This design allows for unending tricks with this knife, making it seem like a fluttering butterfly in your hands. In CS2 you’re more likely to find this knife on a Steam Market rather than in actual in-game matchmaking, the virtual versions of this weapon cost even more than the real ones with prices starting at $500.
Its main feature is definitely the animations, both the attacks and the inspection followed by knife juggling. Butterfly Knife was released during the “Breakout” operation in 2014 and still is one of the most popular knives on the market.
Gut Knife
Gut Knife was released in “The Arms Deal” update in 2013. Somewhat of a predecessor for the Huntsman Knife with similar animations. Its unique feature is the evisceration hook at the tip of a blade. Has a quite low price, making it one of the options for a budget knife.
Flip Knife
Flip Knife is one of the first unique knives that were added into the game along with Bayonets and Karambit during “The Arms Deal” update in 2013. Flip knife lacks any unique animations, making its elegant curved shape the only benefit of having this knife in your collection.
Karambit
One of the most famous, unique and aggressive knife types in the game. Every CS2 player would like to have Karambit with any skin in his collection. Would you? Its curved blade brings an eagle beak or a talon to mind and has an extremely sharp tip. Karambit is a standard equipment for Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) and many other paramilitary organizations and was considered the knife of the year due to its unique characteristics.
In your collection Karambit will be the object of envy of every other player and ideal candidate for your loadout. Due to it’s unique animations you’ll want to swing it again and again.
First Karambit skins were added into the game in “The Arms Deal” update in 2013.
Talon Knife
If you’re looking for something more modern compared to the classic Karambit but with similar features, take a closer look at this updated version. Talon knife has the same curved shape as the Karambit but the blade itself also features teeth and holes on the back. Its unique inspect animation allows you to infinitely spin it on your point finger, something that even the Karambit can’t do in CS2. Talon was released in “A New Horizon” update in 2018.
Stiletto Knife
This thin and incredibly quick knife of Italian origin just beckons you to use it’s heavy attack. In the Middle Ages the stiletto allowed its wielder to face an armored opponent. Now it will be a handy tool to win a FACEIT knife round. It’s fast and sharp animations make its user look like he has some kind of superpower.
Navaja Knife
Navaja Knife was also released in “A New Horizon” update along with several others. This folding knife of Spanish origin doesn’t really stand out among the other folding knives, however it reminds of a barber’s razor. It’s name actually means something like “dangerous razor”. The way you slowly unfold the knife with two hands just radiates confidence with your every move. There’s no need to hurry, you know victory will be yours. Might as well shave a couple of enemies along the way.
Huntsman Knife
This knife’s name speaks for itself. This knife was made to be used for survival in harsh environments such as forests or mountains, even the famous Bear Grylls has a knife like that. Whenever you’re the last man standing against the whole enemy team, aren’t you the huntsman? Killing 5 enemies with a knife would earn you $7500, think about it. Heavy handle and a massive blade with teeth on its back will fill you with confidence in pursuit of the ace.
Huntsman Knife was added with “The Hunt Begins” update in 2014.
Ursus Knife
Another survival knife from “A New Horizon” update with a straight shape and a distinctive chisel-edged blade. Punishing your enemy will be nice and easy with this hunting knife. It has similar animations to a Huntsman knife but with the ability to juggle and catch it with the same hand.
Paracord Knife
Paracord was released with the “Shattered Web” operation in 2019, looks similar to the Ursus knife except for the holes on a blade and the specific handle. It’s unique animation allows you to juggle the knife from hand to hand.
Survival Knife
Survival Knife added in the operation “Shattered Web” would be a great choice if you’re looking for an aggressive and menacing weapon. It has the similar hook at the tip as the Gut knife and the general look of a Huntsman knife. Survival knife clearly shows that you’ve come here to kill and win.
Skeleton Knife
But if you really want to try something unusual, feel free to choose the Skeleton Knife, the prototype for which was the G4 Stryker throwing knife. The unusual design of the Skeleton Knife and its' repeating animation will make you fall in love with it at first sight. However, even for the cheapest skin for this knife you will have to fork out at least $300.
Kukri Knife
The last knife added to the game, and first in CS2 was the Kukri Knife. It appeared in the game on February 6, 2024, when it was in the new Kilowatt case. The Kukri knife is used by the armies and police of India and Nepal. And the blade of the knife resembles a falcon's wing, and this is what the Kukri knife is called by the people. At the moment, the knife is only available in standard colors:
- Slaughter
- Blue Steel
- Case Hardened
- Crimson Web
- Stained
- Night
- Boreal Forest
- Urban Masked
- Forest DDPAT
- Scorched
- Safari Mesh
- Fade
Whatever your choice will be, after getting a knife you can consider yourself among the wealthiest CS2 players. Now you can run around the map gutting your enemies at every opportunity and doing celebratory spins or juggles of your knife afterwards. However, you still shouldn’t forget about using other weapons, getting an expensive knife won’t save you from a headshot.
