Skeleton Knife Fade Guide
The Fade skin family is an extremely popular and diverse group of cosmetic items in CS2, encompassing nearly all knives, one type of glove, and several guns. Among these, the Skeleton Knife is also honored to have a Fade skin, and it is safe to say that it stands out as the most beautiful coloring variant for this type of knife. While it competes closely with the Crimson Web and Case Hardened skins, players consistently favor the Fade due to price dynamics.
However, the Fade skin itself isn’t so straightforward. Numerous variants, patterns, and color percentages influence the value of this skin in the eyes of the community and, therefore, its market price. This complexity can be overwhelming, so we’re here to clarify this matter and resolve this issue. Let's find out what is so special about Skeleton Knife Fade in CS2, what the patterns are, how they differ, and what the best Skeleton Knife Fade seed is.
What is Special About the Skeleton Knife Fade Skins?
The Fade Skeleton Knife skin belongs to the Fade skin family. The distinctive feature of this family is the presence of three main colors: yellow, pink, and purple. The distribution of these colors is determined by where the pattern is taken from the original texture.
Every skin is assigned a random number from 1 to 999 to every skin. This number is called a seed or pattern index, which defines the knife's appearance.
Not all patterns hold the same value; those featuring all three colors, especially with a predominance of purple, are considered more valuable. Patterns with minimal purple are less valuable, accordingly. The cheapest patterns have purple only at the tip of the blade, with no color at all closer to the hilt.
The ideal Fade finish showcases a beautiful gradient from yellow to purple, with knives featuring the best Skeleton Fade seed referred to as Full Fade knives and are considered the benchmark for representing 100% Fade.
Skeleton Knife Fade Patterns
Let's examine the differences among Skeleton Knife Fade patterns with specific examples. Below, you can see two instances. The first is the 520 pattern, which is a 100% Fade or so-called Full Fade. This is a highly sought-after pattern, featuring an even gradient distributed across the entire blade, prominently displaying a purple color closer to the tip of the blade.
Pattern #520, 100% Fade
And this is a #652 Skeleton Fade pattern that has 80% Fade. The purple tones here are only present at the tip of the blade. Closer to the hilt, the texture is not painted at all, showing the gray-vanilla color of the blade. The contrast is noticeable, and such patterns are less valuable.
Pattern #652, 80.8% Fade
Now that the difference is clear, let's break down the key value patterns. It may be difficult to distinguish them with the naked eye, but their price and value differ significantly.
100% Full Fade
Minimal Wear (ST), Pattern #651, Price: $4,774
Fade | Patterns |
|---|---|
100% | 41 87 93 205 326 341 348 403 468 520 527 575 583 601 636 651 742 763 807 892 897 910 911 961 |
First of all, let's take a look at the best Skeleton Knife Fade pattern. We have already described what must be in the pattern for it to be considered a Full Fade. Knives with low float value in Factory New condition can fetch prices close to $5,000. However, even with that price, acquiring such a knife is quite challenging. It is a big chance to get such a knife from cases, and there is no guarantee that the owner will want to part with it for the sake of profit.
Fake 99% Full Fade
Factory New, Pattern #34, Price: $1,800
Fade | Patterns |
99% | 34 84 105 107 147 150 201 256 345 375 380 396 399 422 428 449 486 494 517 521 550 571 576 577 639 648 664 668 714 745 747 754 793 800 824 825 834 848 856 872 914 925 936 943 944 968 975 981 |
The difference between Full Fade and Fake Full Fade can be mere millimeters of purple texture, yet the price varies significantly. Hence, the lower prices tend to range around $1,500. Exceptions occur, but the general market dynamics are just that.
98%-97% Fade
Minimal Wear (ST), Pattern #80, Price: $1,860
Fade | Patterns |
98% | 11 29 43 46 64 80 136 137 141 172 173 224 229 236 249 278 308 313 314 358 395 401 435 447 455 462 465 482 572 597 599 608 640 657 690 703 712 726 751 781 789 827 838 840 849 881 917 956 |
Factory New, Pattern #103, Price: $1,574
Fade | Patterns |
97% | 6 12 21 30 73 76 89 94 103 130 145 168 181 211 223 260 282 283 295 302 377 381 430 440 458 466 488 508 511 514 525 536 564 566 568 665 677 686 749 759 790 798 813 887 891 915 940 |
Skeleton Fade patterns from this category are also extremely appreciated by the community, and it can be quite tricky to tell them apart from Full Fade. In general, you’ll notice they feature a bit less purple and a bit more pink and yellow.
96%-94% Fade
Factory New, Pattern #210, Price: $1,550
Fade | Patterns |
96% | 22 33 37 47 109 154 155 157 161 191 210 212 227 276 285 293 324 336 361 392 424 429 433 442 446 481 487 513 538 586 587 612 687 698 719 752 762 782 811 815 860 863 875 878 898 953 960 979 |
Factory New, Pattern #376, Price: $1,700
Fade | Patterns |
95% | 18 23 57 79 104 111 117 176 179 187 273 277 289 299 312 376 382 389 416 421 528 596 645 658 697 740 757 758 769 774 802 808 821 835 851 866 886 895 916 921 933 955 974 984 990 993 995 |
Factory New, Pattern #78, Price: $1,799
Fade | Patterns |
94% | 2 63 78 114 118 163 167 240 251 291 298 301 318 323 342 414 431 437 453 470 491 512 518 549 556 584 588 592 604 633 654 666 737 760 801 804 806 864 884 885 901 902 912 920 924 942 946 991 |
Here, the differences from 100% Full Fades are already visible to the naked eye. The balance of colors inexorably shifts towards pink and yellow in the middle, making purple more dominant only closer to the tip of the blade. Nevertheless, this has little impact on the price. Patterns from these categories still retain significant value, often ranging from $1,500-$1,700.
93%-90% Fade
Factory New, Pattern #272, Price: $1,790
Fade | Patterns |
93% | 10 38 50 53 61 65 67 95 97 139 140 175 228 255 271 272 294 300 343 357 379 390 427 439 475 554 573 617 641 661 676 695 729 734 735 738 828 829 837 841 903 904 947 950 964 967 978 996 |
Minimal Wear, Pattern #619, Price: $1,553
Fade | Patterns |
92% | 19 25 51 69 82 85 91 133 200 207 214 297 327 346 347 363 365 533 548 567 613 619 625 629 644 700 718 722 741 765 778 797 799 814 819 823 830 831 847 850 870 877 889 900 905 963 970 |
Minimal Wear, Pattern #86, Price: $1,464
Fade | Patterns |
91% | 26 36 40 52 55 56 70 74 86 123 124 128 192 199 215 239 245 257 264 267 270 322 350 367 460 501 524 543 565 615 620 635 643 662 707 713 724 775 786 836 842 879 880 888 906 932 938 957 |
Factory New, Pattern #247, Price: $1,564
Fade | Patterns |
90% | 15 35 81 92 99 100 120 144 158 225 247 261 288 305 316 319 331 366 391 418 426 474 495 500 503 505 509 563 581 609 618 622 623 671 682 704 755 768 771 779 833 882 934 937 945 965 985 987 |
Finally, the last representatives of Skeleton Knife Fade patterns in the >90% Fade range have a notably reduced amount of purple. In these patterns, purple is confined to the very tip of the blade, and the blade itself is predominantly covered in yellow. At the same time, the transition between colors becomes less prominent, and uncolored areas, or the blade's vanilla texture, start to become clearly visible at the hilt.
90%-80%
Factory New, Pattern #867, Price: $1,421
The category below 90% doesn’t stand out too much in terms of price compared to its higher-tier counterparts, but the difference is easy to pick up on with the naked eye. There’s barely any purple color in these knives, and it’s noticeable. Nevertheless, your opponent will still be blown away by the beauty of your skin when they check it out on the kill cam.
How to Get CS2 Skeleton Fade Skins?
Like any other skin, there are two ways to get your hands on a CS2 Skeleton Fade. The first is by cracking open cases. For this, you need money, time, and a good bit of luck. The chances of pulling this particular skin in good condition and with the right pattern are slim to none, but it’s not impossible. If you’re planning to go down this route, you’ll want to focus on:
- Shattered Web Case;
- Fracture Case.
Otherwise, you can simply pick up the exact skin you want with the pattern and Fade percentages that suit you. It's a quick and reliable option, though it comes with a hefty price tag. In the long run, you could even think of it as an investment, especially since the skins’ prices have been climbing lately. Just keep in mind that truly valuable items don’t show up on the market too often, so you might be waiting a while for the right deal to come along.
Conclusion
Fade is a top skin for the Skeleton Knife—possibly even the most stunning one. Out of the entire selection of skins for this weapon, only the Case Hardened can hold a candle to it, but even so, CS2 Fade Skeleton Knife edges out as the more prized option. The endless variations and standout design leave plenty of players chasing after that perfect colorway.
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