15 Best CS2 Knife Skins

There are as many as 20 different knife types currently available in CS2, with a great variety of finishes available for each. Sapphire karambits, blood-red bayonets, and emerald butterflies—all of them are here not just to tear your opponents to pieces, but also to showcase your aesthetic preferences in the process. However, while they may be a great addition to your inventory, few players can afford more than one, even though we excluded the notoriously expensive Case Hardened skins from our list. We’ve gathered a vast range of looks that can fit any style (and, hopefully, pocket).

So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the 15 best knife skins in CS2.

!Please note that prices are current at the time the article was written (April 2024) and may change over time!

15. BAYONET | FREEHAND

The Freehand finish for Bayonet is a good item to open a list of the best CS2 knife skins. It’s a pretty cool skin for a rather popular knife, which will look great on any map. The knife’s blade is decorated with all sorts of drawings similar to notebook sketches: lines, arrows, and shapes—hence the name Freehand. Be advised that depending on the pattern index, the skin’s pattern can change significantly.

Price: $245.00 (BS) – $321.85 (FN)

ST: $323.71 (BS) – $330.70 (FN)

14. FALCHION KNIFE | DAMASCUS STEEL

The Damascus Steel skin finish looks great on any knife—just look at that white cast and the sophisticated vibe of those elegant curves. We chose Falchion Knife because it is among the more affordable options on the market. Falchion is an ample reminder that some of the best knife skins in Counter-Strike 2 are still quite accessible.

Price: $132.00 (BS) – $173.90 (FN)

ST: $1,380.07 (BS) – 210.81 (FN)

13. SHADOW DAGGERS | TIGER TOOTH

Players have very different attitudes toward Shadow Daggers. Some think they are a bit too goofy, especially considering the weird animation, while others are excited to dual-wield kunai-like knives. But one thing is for sure: they look really cool with the Tiger Tooth finish. What could be more awesome than a ninja fighting with two golden daggers? Only a ninja with an AWP, but that’s a whole different story…

Price: $149.06 (MW) – $136.77 (FN)

ST: $234.64 (MW) – $163.80 (FN)

12. M9 BAYONET | MARBLE FADE

Now we’re approaching some real heavy-weights, both in terms of price and community love. The M9 Bayonet Marble Fade is a gorgeous and rare skin. It is a weapon of choice for several pro players and has already appeared at several significant tournaments. Introduced into the game 9 years ago as part of the Chroma 3 case, this skin is a true legend. Is $1,100+ really too much for such a handsome fellow?

Checking your CS inventory value gives you a clear picture of how much you’ve invested in your in-game items.

Price: $1,193.80 (MW) – $1,233.97 (FN)

ST: $1,245.82 (MW) – $1,224.80 (FN)

11. STILETTO KNIFE | CRIMSON WEB

If you’re a fan of brutal-looking skins, this is the one for you. The stylish red knife fully justifies its high price, at least according to the pros who frequently use it. This knife also has a pattern index that determines the appearance of the webs on the blade, which will make your very own sneaky murder weapon really unique.

Price: $238.29 (BS) – $1,252.96 (FN)

ST: $271.71 (BS) – $436.20 (MW)

10. NOMAD KNIFE | BLUE STEEL

If you look at this skin in Factory New state, you can hardly understand why it is so coveted in the community. But take a glance at its Well-Worn version, and it all starts to make sense. The cracks and scuffs give this Nomad Knife a terrific look. A Well-Worn Blue Steel Nomad Knife is also a favorite weapon of Team Liquid’s Twistzz, which may be the reason why the price difference for this is not as pronounced as with some other members of this list. Its flavor text, “This is the malbec of weapon design,” confirms our observation—just like good wine, this skin is better when properly worn out.

Price: $323.00 (BS) – $463.85 (FN)

ST: $325.81 (BS) – $524.48 (FN)

9. FLIP KNIFE | GAMMA DOPPLER EMERALD

It’s emerald, and it looks a little saber. Device has one of these and frequently puts it to good use. What’s more to ask?? Can you imagine how you’ll feel when this acid blade corrodes the bodies of your opponents? This Doppler is an amazing piece of 3D design and probably one of the best-looking knife skins in CS2.

Price: $3,227.00 (MW) – $4,511.43 (FN)

ST: $6,067.43 (MW) – $3,582.08 (FN)

8. URSUS KNIFE | CRIMSON WEB

Why do both casual players and professional cyber athletes love red colors so much? Does it make us feel more threatening if ouropponents think it’s their scarlet blood when they watch the kill replay? Anyway, here we have a beautiful red knife that ropz of the FaZe Clan likes to use, and we completely agree with the pro’s choice on this one.

Price: $184.00 (BS) – $1,352.56 (FN)

ST: $205.65 (BS) – $27,601.43 (FN)

7. BUTTERFLY KNIFE | FADE

This skin is now more than ten years old, but still remains a focus for many players’ longing. Maybe it’s because of the knife’s rarity, its high price, or the general weakness of the community to the Butterfly Knife animation. Either way, Brollan from Ninjas in Pyjamas and a couple of other pro players often get much attention just by pulling out a Fade during a match. This legendary colorway is on the wish list of many players as one of the best CS2 skins for knives.

Price: $2,939.84 (MW) – $3,060.96 (FN)

ST: $2,852.41 (MW) – $2,708.75 (FN)

6. KARAMBIT | LORE

Karambit is an already popular knife choice, but applying a rare finish like Lore transforms it into an actual CS legend. And speaking of legends, this was the knife JW wielded back in his glory days. Even if you don’t care for the game’s history, it’s still one of the most popular CS2 knife skins, and getting one is a dream for most of us.

Price: $574.50 (BS) – $1,956.33 (FN)

ST: $546.52 (BS) – $1,835.10 (FN)

5. BOWIE KNIFE | DOPPLER RUBY

The Doppler family of skins is another fan-favorite (remember how we mentioned that the color red does wonders for a skin’s popularity?). In this case, we are dealing with a rare ruby phase that we can’t help but mention on our list of cool CS2 knife skins. Of notable pro players using it, the Ukrainian cyber athlete Zeus, former captain of NaVi and Gambit Esports, has pulled some incredible plays with this one.

Price: $957.00 (MW) – $1,585.72 (FN)

ST: $2,115.16 (MW) – $2,316.00 (FN)

4. BUTTERFLY KNIFE | SLAUGHTER

Another legendary skin that owes its popularity to a no less legendary owner: it is one of KennyS’ favorite knives. But even if you turn a blind eye to all the accompanying regalia, you’re left with a stunning design that easily gets 4th place in our ranking of the best CS knife skins.

Price: $1,200.00 (FT) – $1,600.00 (FN)

ST: $1,225.13 (FT) – $1,599.00 (FN)

3. KARAMBIT | GAMMA DOPPLER

Now, let’s move on from the good to the best. The Karambit Gamma Doppler is the first of the three top knife skins in Counter-Strike 2 that impressed us the most. This is one of the most beautiful designs we’ve ever seen, and it is highly appreciated by the community. However, it’s the rare pattern variations that players strive for the most.

Applying this finish to the rarest CS2 knives can distinguish you from other players like nothing else in the game.

Price: $1,850.00 (MW) – $1,990.00 (FN)

ST: $1,876.99 (MW) – $1,870.05 (FN)

2. TALON KNIFE | DOPPLER PHASE 2

The mesmerizing blade on the exquisite white hilt makes this combination look especially deadly. Dev1ce has one of these in his inventory and loves to use it to wreak some havoc. A great choice overall, but also quite expensive.

Price: $1,355.39 (MW) – $1,768.05 (FN)

ST: $1,075.95 (MW) – $1,551.22 (FN)

1. KARAMBIT | DOPPLER SAPPHIRE

Well, here we are, on the very pinnacle of visual design. Karambit Doppler Sapphire is a refined, rare, and expensive skin. A bunch of pro players are lucky to own this blue piercer, and it regularly makes an appearance at various major championships. The dark blue blade’s contrast with its black handle creates a great dramatic design.

It’s the single best knife skin in CS2, and it's definitely worthy of concluding our list. Consider yourself blessed if you can get this knife without going into debt.

Discover the most expensive knives in CS2 to understand what makes them so sought-after by the community.

Price: $9,250.00 (MW) – $12,539.20 (FN)

ST: $15,351.60 (MW) – $11,953.00 (FN)

CONCLUSION

Just like that, we’ve taken a look at some of the best CS2 knives. But what if you have a different opinion and the design you count as the best CS2 knife skin isn’t here? Well, let’s just agree to disagree, because we know very well that there are a lot of decent designs that didn’t make it into our ranking. In our defense, we tried our best to be objective and relied on the community’s preferences and pro players’ weapon choices. After all, it’s not just the look of the skin that determines how cool it actually is, but also its story. Skin that was used for the decisive kill on some Major is like a legendary sword that infuses you with the fatal power when you hold it in your hand.

But keep in mind that the real best skin for a knife in CS2 is the one that you like. It doesn’t matter how rare it is or how much it costs. It’s much more important how many kills you make with it and how cool you feel in the process.

As a final side note, consider investing in the best cheap CS2 knives to enhance your in-game aesthetics without breaking the bank.