Karambit Fade Patterns

The variety of knives you can get in Counter-Strike 2 is simply jaw-dropping. However, even among such universally coveted items, there are bound to be some true winners, the skins so good that players are willing to pay thousands of dollars to get their hands on one. The Karambit has it all: an eye-catching design, unique pull-out, inspection, and attack, you name it!

Furthermore, the skin currently has 25 awesome finishes. Of course, most of them are great and all that, but once again, there are some winners and some losers here. And, of course, there’s also the absolute best: Fade. This finish has a unique color palette with pink, yellow, and purple, unique patterns that determine color coverage, and a price tag to put most real knives to shame.

Today, we’re going to focus on Karambit Fade patterns, as those are key to understanding the skin’s price and appeal. Even a tiny visual difference between two Fade Karambits may create a drastic price gap. After reading our little guide, you’ll be able to tell the true Karambit Fade skins from fakes without any hassle.

What is Special About the Karambit Fade Skins?

The proportions of pink, yellow, and purple colors that CS2 Karambit Fade patterns have depend on the so-called “pattern index” (also known as “seed”). The skin randomly gets one when you open it in a case, and you sadly can’t change it later. As a rule, the most valuable Karambit Fade patterns are those with the most pink on them (they’re called Full Fade).

If you want to quickly estimate a skin’s rarity and price, here’s a list of what to look for:

1. Color balance. For example, a skin may have 85/12/3 proportions, where “85” stands for 85% of the red color, “12” for purple, and “3” for yellow. The rule of thumb here is that a higher percentage of pink usually means a higher price.
2. Pattern index. You can see this metric while viewing a particular skin on a trading platform. Note that even the neighboring numbers may significantly differ in terms of design and price.
3. Float. As usual, the knife’s float value defines whether there are any scratches on the blade. Even though Karambit Fade has only two conditions — Factory New and Minimal Wear — the differences between the two are quite substantial. Also, the lower the float, the higher the chance that the blade has a rare pattern.

Karambit Fade Pattern Seeds

In this part of our guide, we’ll help you choose the best Karambit fade in CS2 for your collection. Keep in mind that the most expensive skins are in the 100% Karambit Fade group (90% pink and 10% yellow).

100% Full Fade

#412 you can see here is probably the best Karambit Fade pattern in the game. The patterns with such a high percentage of pink are called Full Fade, 100% Fade, or True 90/10. The distinguishing feature of these knives is the total absence of the purple color ("90/10" here means that around 90% of the blade is covered in pink, while the remaining 10% is yellow).

You should be extremely careful when purchasing this knife or its high-tier relatives, as there are several similar-looking patterns that scammy traders will do their best to sell you instead. So, it’s always a good idea to double-check whether its pattern index is among the numbers provided below.

The most valuable skins from the 100% Fade group usually have a low float and clean corners. However, if you want to obtain such a blade, you should be ready to pay nearly $5,000.

Fake 99% Full Fade

It’s almost impossible to notice the difference between the knives from this group and the ones from 100% Fade without getting into some complex metrics. This skin has some purple on the blade, but still, it doesn’t exceed the yellow color. The knives from this category are usually called Fake 100% Fade, Fake 90/10, 99% or 98% Fade. The table below includes the pattern indexes of the blades from this category.

There are many factors that influence the price of these skins, but the average value of the blades from this group is nearly $3,000. However, remember that there are lots of scams that sell those as 100% Karambit Fades.

97-90% Fade

Our Karambit Fade guide wouldn't be complete without mentioning this group, which includes a wide range of great-looking finishes. Unlike the previous groups, knives in this category have all three of the Fade colors visible on the surface (but, of course, their designs differ). For example, the ratio between hues on 97-96% CS2 Karambit Fade is 90% pink, 3% purple, and 7% yellow. The lower you go, the more yellow and pink will replace the purple. Thus, the 90% Karambit Fade knife has 70% pink, 29% purple, and 1% yellow.

Even an average Karambit Fade knife is not a purchase most of us can make on a whim. The price range for the blades from this group starts at around $2,800.

89-80% Fade

The distinguishing feature of Karambit Fade skins from this group is the complete absence of yellow. As we’ve mentioned previously, the closer you get to 80% Fades, the more purple you’ll see. Also, if you can’t find the skin’s pattern index in the lists provided above, you can be 100% sure it belongs to this group.

These knives are far more common than the exotic Full Fades and are far cheaper on the community market. Nonetheless, it doesn’t mean that the price for these blades is anywhere near affordable. If you want to get one for yourself, prepare to cash out at least $2,500. Interestingly, some of these knives can cost even more than the skins from the 97-90% Karambit Fade group due to the unique look of their patterns. The CS market is a weird place sometimes.

How to Get CS2 Karambit Fade Skins?

As with any other skin, there are two ways to add a Karambit Fade to your inventory. In theory, you can get one by opening one of the following cases:

1. CS:GO Weapon Case (1-3);
2. eSports 2013 Case;
3. eSports 2013 Winter;
4. eSports 2014 Summer;
5. Operation Bravo;
6. Operation Phoenix;
7. Operation Vanguard;
8. Revolver;
9. Winter Offensive.

However, let’s face it, the chances of that happening are astronomically low. So, it’s far easier to find the desired pattern on the trading platforms, even though the supply often outstrips the demand to a ludicrous degree. Remember to always double-check the skins you’re going to buy, including  Karambit Fade percentages (a.k.a. the color ratio), float, etc. Also, don’t forget to check the knife in the game before making a purchase.

Conclusion

Any Karambit Fade pattern is an awesome cosmetic item. Getting one may even be a decent investment, as those are not getting cheaper any time soon. The natural drawback of this situation is the extremely high price you need to pay for this digital blade if you just want it for a personal collection.