CS2 Knife Tier List - All Knives Ranked
Knives have always been the biggest flex in Counter-Strike 2, which is no wonder when they can only be acquired by getting very lucky on case openings, or by dishing out a ton of cash. But not all knives were created equal. Over the years, many knives have been released, with various different finishes on them, but the best among them have more or less been solidified by the community now.
Knife Tier Overview
There will always be a personal preference at play which dictates why someone rates one knife higher than the other, but our ranking represents the overall community sentiment of each knife. All knives in the game have been placed in a respective tier. There is no particular order within that tier, which means that all knives in a tier are more or less on an equal footing. First, we will take a look at what each tier represents.
- Entry-Level: Your first step into knives. You have gotten away from the bland default ones, but might not impress anyone by having one of these equipped. However, as with most things CS2, it’s still an investment that will probably go up in price in the long run.
- Mid-Range: These are decent knives that can be had on a decent budget, and if you are not picky, a higher-end finish on these looks good and may be a more affordable option as well.
- High-End: Pricier options that are pretty much the cream of the crop. However, only a few minor elements are what keeps these from being in the next tier. A lot of usage on the pro scene as well.
- S-Tier: You are rich, or a professional CS2 player. Either way, you have class and you know your knives.
Entry-Level Knives
Okay, after establishing the four different tiers, let’s take a look at our list of entry-level knives. Any of these knives may be your first. They are not flashy or super cool, but still better than the default knives.
Navaja Knife
The Navaja officially took the crown for the least favorite knife in CS2 from the Gut Knife on its release. What do you get when you shorten and widen the Butterfly Knife blade, take the wooden part of the Gut Knife handle and put them together? The Navaja. If you don’t focus on the knife, it kind of feels like your agent is holding a paintbrush. Not a knife that seems to belong to the game, but nevertheless, you might want to buy it as your first knife just to get away from the default knives or perhaps as a first step as you save up for something better in the long run.
Shadow Daggers
Infamously, also known as the b***-plugs. Dually wielded, the Shadow Daggers are so powerful they shake the very screen when you use them. However, this problem seems to have been rectified, as witnessed by some lucky individuals who have access to the CS2 beta, leading to a substantial price hike for these knives, especially on certain rare finishes.
Falchion Knife
Introduced during Operation Bloodhound, the Falchion, for the most part of its existence has remained in the shadows as an entry-level option and is the only knife in this tier with a rare inspect animation where the player character tries to balance it vertically on their palm. All said and done, the Falchion with its aesthetics is more suited to a T-side agent than a CT.
Bowie Knife
A relic from the mid-nineteenth century, the Bowie comes with a large, intimidating blade. So large in fact that when wielding the knife, the unutilized hand is not shown on the screen, and so the true potential of having a nice pair of gloves to go with a Bowie is wasted. That, and an average equip animation have kept this knife in the lower rungs since its introduction.
Gut Knife
Inspired by a type of knife particularly used by hunters in the real world, the Gut Knife was pretty much an outcast until the release of the Navaja. Now it’s one or two steps up that ladder. Although the blade is nice and hefty showing a decent amount of the finish on the knife, its shape and the underwhelming handle on the knife have kept it firmly placed in the entry tier.
Mid-Range Knives
Next, we’ll take a look at all the mid-range knives in our ranking. The knives in this tier are definitely nicer than the entry-level knives, but still not very flashy. You can find good-looking finishes for them on a budget though!
Classic Knife
Introduced on the 20th Anniversary of Counter-Strike in the aptly named CS20 case, the vanilla Classic Knife is the modern-day reincarnation of the knife used by both the CT & T sides in CS 1.6. What sets it apart from its previous iteration are the new finishes it comes in and a rare equip animation which is a nice addition.
Flip Knife
The Flip Knife has always been in the mid-tier ever since the days when the first generation of knives was released in the Arms Deal update. It comes with a nice equip animation where your agent flips a button to release the thin curved blade of this knife. Some of the high-tier finishes such as the Fades and Dopplers look great on the Flip Knife and perhaps make this the best mid-tier option in the lineup. Another advantage of a Flip Knife is that the higher floats such as WW and BS look cleaner on it than on other knives.
Huntsman Knife
The Huntsman wears the crown for being the most under-appreciated and under-valued knife in CS2. It has a big, great-looking blade that rivals the M9 Bayonet’s and a good equip animation which is the same as that of the Gut Knife. Perhaps the inclusion of a rare animation would have made this a high-tier knife, but it still remains a very decent option in the mid-range tier.
Survival Knife
The Survival Knife is the modern, sleeker-looking version of the Gut Knife. It shares a similar hook design on the top of the blade but adds serrations on the bottom and a distinctive gap in the middle. The blade is also less rounded in contrast to that of the Gut. While the normal equip animation is underwhelming to say the least, the rare equip animation is good, where the character reverse flips the knife and catches it from the handle. All in all, this is a modern, improved take on the Gut Knife, and it delivers. A good knife for the price point in the mid-range.
Paracord Knife
The Paracord is a knife that will appeal to people who like clean lines and a simple design. An overall minimalistic aesthetic of the blade, with a paracord tied to the handle, is what this knife is all about. It has the same equip animation as the Survival and Nomad knives, as well as a rare one where the player character throws it from the secondary hand and catches it in the primary hand.
Ursus Knife
If the Cybertruck was a knife, it would be the Ursus. With a relatively squared shape handle and blade, the Ursus shares the same equip animation as the Survival Knife, but a different rare one. After the Stiletto, this knife has the highest potential of growth in the mid-range tier when the newer finishes are released, owing to the clean, well-sized blade.
Nomad Knife
If the Nomad hadn’t been included in case drops, it could well have passed off as another option as a default CT-sided knife. The regular pull-out animation of the knife is quite ordinary, while the rare one is goofy or cool, depending on your personal preference. The knife also has a rare inspect animation but remains overall a basic mid-tier knife.
Stiletto Knife
Once the preferred knife of the Italian mafioso, the Stiletto finds its way into CS2. Although not well received when it was first introduced in the game and called an oversized toothpick by many CS2 Youtubers, the knife has since grown in popularity and now became one of the most preferred mid-tier knives.
Stiletto Knife
The Kukri Knife has quickly risen to popularity after its release, making it a solid mid-range knife. By the time of its release, the game already had so many different knife options that many people had their doubts about Valve being able to successfully launch another knife. But they managed to do it!
High-End
Okay, now it’s getting spicy! Here come the high-end knives from our ranking of all CS2 knives. These knives cost a little more but they also look really good in-game. Anyone with a larger budget can find a killer finish here.
Bayonet
The Bayonet is often referred to as the smaller and simpler version of its M9 counterpart. It has a less wide and simpler-looking blade than the M9, but a much better pull-out animation. This fact alone makes it one of the best knives to have in the game. The only downside to the Bayonet is that a few finishes below Minimal Wear are not particularly aesthetically pleasing.
Talon Knife
The Talon has come to be known as the lesser Karambit. Although it has a bigger blade with serrations, and an ivory handle on mid-level finishes and above, it lacks the class of its predecessor; for instance, spamming the inspect and reload buttons makes the player spin the knife in a similar manner, but it isn’t as good as that of the Karambit. Having said that, it is still firmly a high-end knife to have, and at this point, it all goes down to personal preference.
Skeleton Knife
Inspired by throwing knives as used in martial arts, the Skeleton Knife has a large hole in the middle, with smaller ones going up the blade. The blade and handle are made from a single piece of metal, where the handle is covered by a fabric wrapped around it. Overall, it’s a beautifully designed knife, with a very cool looking rare equip animation. Once the full range of finishes is released for this knife, it will easily move into the S-Tier.
M9 Bayonet
The M9 is the bigger, better version of the Bayonet. Made famous through the popular American culture of the eighties where every US special forces soldier seemed to be carrying one, this one gives you similar vibes in the game. One of the most widely used knives by the Pros, it commands a premium price tag for the high-end finishes. Its only downside is the equip animation and the lack of a rare one.
S-Tier
And finally, the creme de la creme. The following S-Tier knives are the most expensive and prestigious knives in the game. If you want to own any of these, you are probably rich or a very dedicated CS2 player.
Karambit
The Karambit is tied with the Butterfly Knife as one of the best knives in the game. The blade is slick, the handle is perfectly designed, the regular equip and rare animations are amazing, and even the lower-tier finishes can be passable on one of these. If you have the money, getting either this or the Butterfly will get people noticing you in matchmaking, and giving you some deserved respect.
Butterfly Knife
Having a Butterfly equipped in-game is one of the biggest flexes in CS2, and even though you may be lacking in skill, you’ll be on top in style points. Even though you may not play like a pro, having one of these will make you feel like one until the end screen shows the scores.
Conclusion
In conclusion, knives have always been a coveted possession for players in Counter-Strike 2. While the rarity and the high price of acquiring them have made them a status symbol, not all knives are created equal. The community has established a hierarchy of knives in terms of their quality and aesthetics.
We presented you with a comprehensive list of knives and grouped them into four tiers based on their popularity, price, in-game animation, aesthetics, and overall value. It is important to note that personal preference plays a role in determining the best knife for an individual, but community sentiment has been taken into account in this ranking. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced player, we hope that our ranking serves as a helpful guide to choosing the best knife according to your budget and preferences.
