Gut Knife Skins

Why the Gut Knife is the ultimate budget knife

Released in August 2013 as one of the original five CS:GO knife models, the Gut Knife features a short, wide blade with a distinctive hook at the tip. The attack animation uses this hook for a gutting slash motion — a unique mechanic that no other knife shares. The inspect animation shows the blade spinning in-hand.

The Gut Knife is consistently the cheapest of the original five models (alongside Karambit, M9 Bayonet, Bayonet and Flip Knife). This pricing makes it the gateway knife for many CS2 players — your first knife is often a Gut Knife. A Gut Knife Doppler Phase 2 at ~$125 costs less than a Safari Mesh on a Butterfly Knife (~$323). That price gap means you can own a Doppler or Fade finish on a Gut Knife for less than the cheapest skin on a premium model.

Like all original knife models, the Gut Knife drops from 16 different cases, ensuring steady supply and stable pricing.

All 24 Gut Knife finishes ranked by price

All Gut Knife skins are Covert rarity. The 24 finishes split into Original (13), Chroma (6) and Gamma (5) pools.

Premium ($150–$2,000+)

• Doppler ($125–$200 standard; Sapphire ~$1,200–$2,000; Ruby ~$1,000–$1,500; Black Pearl ~$700–$1,000) — The cheapest Doppler knife in CS2. Phase 2 (pink) is the most popular. At ~$125 for a standard phase, this is less than many popular weapon skins. Sapphire and Ruby Gut Knives are the most affordable gem-tier knives in the entire game.
• Fade ($135–$200) — The cheapest Fade knife available. Full 100% fade commands ~$200, while a low fade sits near $135. Outstanding value for one of CS2's most iconic finishes.
• Gamma Doppler ($155–$250; Emerald ~$800–$1,500) — Four phases plus Emerald. The cheapest Emerald knife in CS2. If you want the rare green Emerald finish without spending $5,000+, the Gut Knife is your option.
• Marble Fade ($128–$180) — Fire and ice patterns trade at 1.5x standard. At ~$128, this is the cheapest Marble Fade across all knife models.
• Slaughter ($118–$170) — Diamond and phoenix patterns add value. Metallic red finish. The most affordable Slaughter knife in CS2.

Mid-range ($60–$130)

Tiger Tooth ($93–$125), Crimson Web ($68–$350+), Case Hardened ($78–$180; blue gems $500+), Autotronic ($72–$130), Lore ($67–$130), Blue Steel ($62–$100), Damascus Steel ($60–$75), Black Laminate ($58–$85), Night ($58–$220+), Ultraviolet ($55–$150), Bright Water ($55–$70), and Freehand ($57–$72). Tiger Tooth at ~$93 is a standout — a bright gold knife finish for under $100.

Budget ($48–$65)

The cheapest knives in CS2 (among original models): Boreal Forest (~$48 BS), Safari Mesh (~$50 BS), Scorched (~$52 BS), Forest DDPAT (~$52 BS), Urban Masked (~$54 BS), Rust Coat (~$55 BS), and Stained (~$58 BS). A Gut Knife for under $50 is one of the best entry points into CS2 knife ownership.

Which cases drop the Gut Knife

Finish Pool

Cases

Key Finishes

Original (13 skins)

CS:GO Weapon Case 1–3, eSports 2013/Winter/Summer, Op. Bravo, Winter Offensive, Op. Phoenix, Op. Vanguard, Huntsman, Falchion, Shadow, Revolver

Fade, Slaughter, Crimson Web, Case Hardened

Chroma (6 skins)

Chroma, Chroma 2, Chroma 3

Doppler (+ gems), Marble Fade, Tiger Tooth

Gamma (5 skins)

Gamma, Gamma 2

Gamma Doppler (+ Emerald), Lore, Autotronic

Same 16-case pool as the other original models. Wide availability keeps prices low and supply consistent. The Gut Knife benefits from being in the same cases as the Karambit and Butterfly Knife — many players who open these cases hoping for a premium knife end up with a Gut Knife, which keeps the market well-supplied.

How float and pattern affect Gut Knife prices

Float value determines condition. The Gut Knife's short, wide blade makes wear moderately visible. Crimson Web and Night have restricted minimum floats — FN Crimson Web Gut Knives can reach $350+, a significant premium over the $68 BS starting price.

Pattern seed matters on Case Hardened (blue gems add $300–1,000+), Fade (100% vs 80% = ~$50 gap), Marble Fade (fire and ice = 1.5x), and Slaughter (centered diamond/phoenix +15–30%). On Tiger Tooth, Rust Coat and Damascus Steel, pattern seed has no visible effect.

Best Gut Knife skins for the money

• Best overall value: Doppler Phase 2 (~$125). A Doppler for $125. That is less than most popular AK-47 skins. The pink color shift looks good even on the Gut Knife's shorter blade. Hard to beat on pure value.
• Best budget Fade: Fade FN (~$135–$200). The cheapest Fade in CS2. Even a low-percentage fade at $135 looks clean.
• Best absolute budget: Boreal Forest BS (~$48). A knife for under $50. The hook animation is unique and the camo pattern hides the Battle-Scarred wear well.
• Best premium on a budget: Gamma Doppler Emerald (~$800–$1,500). The cheapest Emerald knife in CS2. For collectors who want the rare green Emerald without a five-figure price tag.
• Best for loadouts: Autotronic (red), Blue Steel (blue/teal), Lore (green/gold), Black Laminate (black). All under $130. See our skins by color page to match weapon skins and gloves.

Best Gut Knife and glove combinations

• Gut Knife Doppler Phase 2 + Moto Gloves Transport (~$164). The budget flex combo. Pink Doppler with military gloves for under $170 total.
• Gut Knife Fade + Broken Fang Gloves Yellow-banded (~$188). Matching warm tones at a friendly price.
• Gut Knife Tiger Tooth + Hydra Gloves Emerald (~$131). Gold and green for ~$130 total. One of the cheapest coordinated combos in CS2.
• Gut Knife Marble Fade + Sport Gloves Amphibious (~$349). Fire and ice combo. The gloves cost more than the knife — a common Gut Knife scenario.
• Gut Knife Lore + Hand Wraps Spruce DDPAT (~$179). Green-gold theme. Budget nature loadout.

Gut Knife vs other budget knives

The Gut Knife competes with the Navaja Knife (~$41 cheapest), Shadow Daggers (~$36 cheapest), and Huntsman Knife (~$38 cheapest) for budget buyers. Here is how they compare:

Knife

Cheapest BS

Cheapest Doppler

Animation

Best For

Gut Knife

~$48

~$125

Hook gutting slash

Cheapest Doppler/Fade/Marble Fade

Navaja Knife

~$41

~$95

Quick razor flick

Absolute cheapest knife

Shadow Daggers

~$36

~$90

Dual-wield brass knuckle

Cheapest dual-wield

Huntsman Knife

~$38

~$115

Heavy tactical draw

Best blade size per dollar

The Gut Knife wins on premium finish access: it offers Doppler, Fade, Marble Fade and Gamma Doppler at the lowest prices across all knife models. If you want the cheapest possible knife regardless of finish, the Shadow Daggers or Navaja edge it out. But if you want a premium skin at a budget price, the Gut Knife is unbeatable.