What are the best CS2 knives? Let’s get this out of the way first, there’s technically no such thing as a best or worst CS2 knife, they all perform in exactly the same way. Now, subjectively there’s a huge difference between each knife, and that’s where we come in. If you want to be the most stylish person on the battlefield, you’re going to want to analyze every knife in the game.
CS2 skins are purely for show, they don’t enhance or upgrade the weapon in any way other than visually. Counter-Strike 2 knife skins in particular sell for anywhere between $100 and $100,000+ depending on what knife and finish you’re dealing with. No matter what your CS2 rank and rating is, brandishing a fancy knife is one way to get your teammates talking. Here’s a look at some of the best Counter-Strike 2 knives on the market, including two tier lists and a look at the most expensive knives.
The best CS2 knives
While the odds of opening up a crate and receiving a knife are less than 1%, you might be surprised to learn that there are thousands of knives on the market. Prior to the announcement of Counter-Strike 2, knife prices were at an all-time low. That all changed once CS2 was announced, drastically raising the prices of the most expensive CS skins.
You could argue that the ‘best’ knives in Counter-Strike 2 have been sorted by their market value. As a result, we’re going to break down all 19 knife variations in terms of their price.
Here are the best CS2 knives right now, sorted by tier:
| Tier | Knife |
| S | M9 Bayonet, Karambit, Butterfly Knife, Bayonet, Skeleton Knife, Talon Knife |
| A | Stiletto Knife, Classic Knife, Flip Knife, Nomad Knife, Ursus Knife |
| B | Falchion Knife, Paracord Knife, Survival Knife, Bowie Knife, Huntsman Knife |
| C | Gut Knife, Shadow Daggers, Navaja Knife |
The best CS2 knife finishes
Each knife features a number of finishes that vary in terms of quality and price. Not all knives in CS2 have the same number of finishes, so don’t feel too bad if your favorite knife doesn’t have a particularly great finish. Don’t worry, Valve has been known to add new finishes to existing knives, keep an eye on the latest crate drop to find out more.
Here are the best CS2 knife finishes right now, sorted by tier:
| Tier | Knife |
| S | Fade, Case Hardened, Lore, Gamma Doppler, Marble Fade, Doppler |
| A | Vanilla, Autotronic, Black Laminate, Freehand, Tiger Tooth, Damascus Steel |
| B | Blue Steel, Crimson Web, Night, Stained, Rust Coat, Ultraviolet, Bright Water |
| C | Boreal Forest, Scorched, Forest DDPAT, Urban Masked, Safari Mesh |
The most expensive CS2 knives
One of the most important factors in setting the price of a CS knife is its float value, determining the pattern or the amount of wear on a skin. The float value can be the difference between a knife selling for $1,000 or $100,000, it depends on the combination of both the knife and finish. The Case Hardened finish is the best example of this effect in action, a bad float value produces a dull bronze whereas a good float value reveals a shiny blue finish. The larger the blue Case Hardened effect is, the more valuable the weapon skin becomes.
There are a handful of unique knives that can go for upwards of $10,000, but you may have to resort to buying high-end skins away from the Steam market. This introduces a whole bunch of security issues that we don’t want to have to deal with, that’s why we’re going to focus on Steam market knives only. Our list of the best CS2 knives focuses on weapons that you can pick up right now if you’ve got the cash.
Karambit – Crimson Web
The Karambit is the ultimate knife when it comes to the inspect and reload animation loop that CS players know all too well, a neat little trick that has no doubt led to many Karambit owners getting killed early. Combine that with the Crimson Web finish and you’ve got yourself a knife that not only shows off your love for spiders but also compliments your red inventory.
What makes this knife so expensive is the factory new Crimson Web finish, ensuring that most of the blade is covered in red. If you’re particularly lucky with the knife’s float, the higher the float, the more webs will appear on the blade. Depending on the float, you can expect to pay anywhere between $850 – $2800.
M9 Bayonet – Lore
If CS2 knives had their own sets of stats, the M9 Bayonet looks like it would deal the most damage with its massive blade and serrated edges. To contrast the M9 Bayonet’s deadly looks, the Lore finish complements the knife with its Celtic pattern that runs on the edge of the blade. The Lore finish features a beautiful gold blade that gets darker as you approach the M9 Bayonet’s dark green handle.
High amounts of wear on the Lore pattern scrape away some of the finish on the blade, revealing dull patches on the knife. If you’re looking for a stylish knife, you’re going to want that blade to look fresh and vibrant. The M9 Bayonet Lore will set you back $800 – $1800, but we’d recommend picking up at least field-tested skin to avoid huge amounts of wear on the knife.
Butterfly Knife – Fade
There’s something about the Butterfly Knife that just screams stylish, even when you see it in some of the worst finishes available like Forest DDPAT and Scorched. Pair this knife with the stunning Fade effect and you’ve got yourself the talking point of the match for both sides.
The Fade finish looks even better in CS2 now that the Source 2 engine upgrade has received a massive lighting upgrade, making the knife’s blade shine bright whenever you’re near a light source. You can only pick up Fade knives in either minimal wear or factory new, setting you back around $3,000.
How do I get a CS2 knife?
When it comes to acquiring your own CS2 knife, you have two options: purchase a CS crate and open it using a key, or buy directly from the CS marketplace. We highly recommend avoiding the first option as you can spend thousands of dollars trying to open crates to no avail, and the odds of opening the exact knife you’re after is extremely low. Save your money and wait for a bargain to appear on the Steam market if you’re running low on cash.
The price of each CS2 knife has been set by the community based on supply and demand. There’s a bubble in the market at the moment and it’s unclear whether it’s likely to burst any time soon. Right now feels like a bad time to drop some cash on a knife, so we suggest waiting to see how the market responds once the initial CS2 hype dies down.
That’s all you need to know about the best CS2 knives. Scoring a knife kill in Counter-Strike is one of the boldest moves you can make, so you’re going to want a flashy knife to really rub some salt in your opponent’s wound. More important than any weapon skin are your skills, grab one of the best CS2 crosshair codes to improve your aim. We also have the best CS2 binds if you’re finding the new jump smoke to be unreliable.