There are four ways to get a knife in CS2: unbox one from a case (a 0.26% chance, about 1 in 385 openings), get lucky with the weekly drop, craft one through a trade-up contract from 5 Covert skins, or simply buy it on the market. Buying is the most reliable and usually the cheapest option: the most affordable knives on LIS-SKINS cost about $35, while a hundred case openings cost hundreds of dollars with no guaranteed result. Below we cover each method, its odds and its cost.
Opening cases
The most obvious way is to open cases that can drop knives. For example, the Kilowatt Case can drop various Kukri Knife skins, and the Dreams & Nightmares Case contains several dozen finishes for the Butterfly Knife, Huntsman Knife and Falchion Knife, including valuable Gamma Doppler phases: a Butterfly Knife in this finish starts at about $1,700. Which cases give the best knives is covered in our roundup of the best knife cases in CS2.
The main drawback is the low probability. A knife or gloves drop with a 0.26% chance, about once per 385 cases on average, and there is no pity system: every opening is independent. The chance of getting at least one knife is about 2.6% over 10 cases, about 23% over 100 and about 63% over 385. Each opening costs the case price plus a $2.49 key. Newer cases like Kilowatt cost about $0.1, so the key is almost the whole cost, and a hundred openings come to roughly $260. On average cases only pay back part of what you spend (about 31% for Kilowatt at current prices), so open them for fun, not for profit.
Weekly case drops
You can also get knife skins in CS2 through regular drops, although this can take a long time. If you have Prime and play regularly, leveling up once a week unlocks a reward pack: you pick two of four offered items, which can include cases, graffiti and skins. You still need to buy a key for a dropped case, and the knife odds stay the same.
The other approach is to sell the skins and cases you get this way and save up for the knife you actually want. Earning enough for a knife or gloves is quite possible, but it takes a lot of time and patience.
Crafting a knife with a trade-up contract
Since the October 2025 update you can also get a knife through a trade-up contract. It takes exactly 5 Covert skins, all normal or all StatTrak, with no mixing. The result is a random knife or gloves from the cases and collections of the skins you put in. The outcome is still random, but you know the pool of possible items in advance. The step-by-step process is in our guide to crafting knives and gloves in CS2.
Buying on the Steam Community Market or third-party sites
If you do not want to rely on luck or spend months chasing the item you want, the easiest way is to buy a knife on Steam or another marketplace. The selection differs from site to site, so you may need to browse several catalogs, especially if you are looking for a rare copy. Skins on the Steam Community Market are often more expensive, and Valve keeps 15% of every sale.
That makes third-party marketplaces such as LIS-SKINS a good alternative. You can pick the exact model, finish and wear right away, and buy an item without the Trade Protection lock so you can use it immediately. The most affordable knives, such as Shadow Daggers or the Navaja Knife in basic finishes, cost about $35; the full list of models with prices is in our overview of all CS2 knives.
Which method pays off
Buying: the knife you want right away at a known price, from about $35 for the most affordable models.
Opening cases: about $2.6 per opening for cheap cases, a 0.26% knife chance, and on average only part of the cost comes back.
Crafting: 5 Covert skins, you choose the item pool, but the result is random.
Weekly drops: free, but very slow and with the same low odds.
FAQ
What are the odds of unboxing a knife in CS2?
0.26% per case opening, which works out to 1 knife or pair of gloves per 385 cases on average. The odds are the same for every weapon case and do not grow with the number of openings.
Can you get a knife for free?
Only with a lot of luck: you can open a case from the weekly drop if you buy a key, and the odds are the same 0.26%. Sites promising free knives are usually scams, so never enter your Steam login on them.
How much is the cheapest knife in CS2?
About $35 on LIS-SKINS for models like Shadow Daggers or the Navaja Knife in basic finishes and worn condition. Prices change daily, so check the catalog for the current figure.
