This Karambit CS2 guide covers what the knife is, how it is modelled, where it comes from and what it cost on the Steam Community Market on the day we checked. The Karambit is one of the most wanted knives in Counter-Strike. That demand puts even its cheapest finishes in a much higher price band than most other knives.
Prices change, check the market. All prices here are the lowest Steam Community Market listings we saw on 2 November 2026, in US dollars. Knives have far fewer listings than normal skins, so the cheapest price can jump when one listing sells. Nothing here is investment advice. Knife prices can and do fall.
What is the Karambit in CS2?
The Karambit is a curved cosmetic knife. The Counter-Strike Fandom wiki lists it as one of the five original knives from CS:GO's Arms Deal update. It carried over to CS2 with players' inventories. Like every knife skin, it performs exactly like the default knife. Our knife damage guide covers how knife hits work.
Design and grip
The wiki says the in-game Karambit is based on the United Cutlery Honshu Karambit. In first person it uses a traditional grip. The model other players see in third person uses a pistol-style grip, which is designed not to stick out further than the standard player model around corners.
The Karambit is widely known for its flashy animations, which is a big part of its appeal. The best way to judge them is to watch the knife yourself. Use the "Inspect in Game" button on a market listing, as covered in our inspect links guide. Our inspect animation guide explains how inspecting works in CS2.
Where does the Karambit come from?
Knives drop rarely from weapon cases. The Gamma Case, released on 15 June 2016, is one case that can contain the Karambit, together with the Bayonet, Flip Knife, Gut Knife and M9 Bayonet. Our cases and collections guide explains how to check a case's contents. Since October 2025, eligible Covert trade-up contracts can also produce knives.
Which Karambit CS2 finishes are on the market?
We saw these finishes listed on the Steam Community Market on 2 November 2026. It is a snapshot, not a full catalogue.
- Camo and plain finishes: Urban Masked, Safari Mesh, Scorched, Boreal Forest, Forest DDPAT.
- Other lower-priced finishes: Bright Water.
- Premium finishes: Doppler, Tiger Tooth, Damascus Steel, Case Hardened, Slaughter, Lore, Autotronic.
Doppler phases and Case Hardened patterns can make two copies with the same name worth very different amounts. See our Doppler phases guide and pattern seeds guide. Our rare knife finishes guide covers the high end.
Karambit CS2 price range on the Steam Market
| Listing | Lowest price (2 Nov 2026) |
|---|---|
| Urban Masked (Well-Worn) | $499.92 |
| Safari Mesh (Field-Tested) | $500.25 |
| Scorched (Field-Tested) | $506.55 |
| Boreal Forest (Field-Tested) | $506.69 |
| Doppler (Factory New) | $1,539.62 |
| Lore (Factory New) | $1,564.93 |
| Tiger Tooth (Minimal Wear) | $1,707.43 |
| StatTrak Case Hardened (Minimal Wear) | $1,974.64 |
Steam showed 143 distinct Karambit listings across finishes, wears and StatTrak. The cheapest was about $500. The top listing was just under $2,000. That is not the real ceiling. Spilled.gg (23 October 2025) reported Karambit Fades trading at several thousand dollars, even after the trade-up change cut prices. Very high-value knives are often not listed on Steam at all.
How the trade-up change affects knife prices
In October 2025 Valve changed Trade Up Contracts so that 10 Covert skins can produce a knife or gloves from eligible collections. Before that, knives came almost only from case openings. Spilled.gg (23 October 2025) reported that premium knife prices fell 30 to 60 percent within hours of the change. That is a clear reminder that one update can reshape knife prices overnight. Our trade-up guide explains how contracts work.
Is a Karambit worth buying?
Only if you love the look and can afford for its value to drop. A knife is a cosmetic, not an investment, and the October 2025 crash showed how quickly knife prices can fall. Steam also takes a fee on each sale, explained in our Steam Market fee guide. If the Karambit is out of budget, our cheapest knife guide covers lower-cost knives. Browse every finish in the Karambit skin catalogue.
Expensive knives are a favourite target for scammers. Never trade outside Steam's official trade window, check every item before confirming, and read our safe trading guide.
Sources and checks
Prices and listing counts were checked on 2 November 2026 against the Steam Community Market. Knife history, design and grip details come from the Counter-Strike Fandom wiki and its Gamma Case page. The trade-up price drop was reported by Spilled.gg (23 October 2025). Market rules are explained in the Steam Support Community Market FAQ.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Karambit better than the default knife?
No. The Karambit is cosmetic only. It performs exactly like the default knife.
How much is the cheapest Karambit in CS2?
On 2 November 2026 the cheapest Steam Community Market listing was Urban Masked in Well-Worn at $499.92. Prices change often, so check the live market.
Does the Karambit stick out around corners?
According to the Counter-Strike Fandom wiki, its third-person model is designed not to stick out further than the standard player model.
