The Shadow Daggers CS2 knife is the odd one out among knives: you hold two short push daggers instead of one blade. This guide covers how they animate, where they come from, every finish family, and the Steam Community Market price range we saw on 2 November 2026. Like every knife, they are cosmetic only.
What are the Shadow Daggers in CS2?
The Shadow Daggers are a pair of push daggers. A push dagger has a short blade and a T-shaped handle that sits across the palm. The blade sticks out between the fingers when you make a fist. The in-game description sums it up: using one is "as simple as throwing a punch or two".
Valve added them on 18 September 2015 as the rare special item in the Shadow Case. The plain "vanilla" version has an all-black look, which sets it apart from most other vanilla knives.
They deal the same damage as every other knife. Our knife damage guide covers the numbers, and the CS2 knives overview compares every model.
How do the Shadow Daggers animations work?
Most knives are held in one hand. The Shadow Daggers put one dagger in each hand, with the handle gripped between the fingers. That is why the whole animation set looks like boxing rather than slashing.
- Light attack: a quick jab with one dagger.
- Heavy attack: a strike with both daggers at once.
- Draw and inspect: described by animation guides as unique to this knife, not shared with any other model.
The animations are the main reason people either love or skip them. Some players like the punchy, two-handed style. Others prefer a single blade. Try them before you buy. Our inspect animation guide explains the inspect key and bind.
Which cases drop Shadow Daggers?
Shadow Daggers appear in five cases. Each case carries one family of finishes.
| Case | Finish family |
|---|---|
| Shadow Case (2015) | Original finishes |
| Spectrum Case, Spectrum 2 Case | Chroma finishes |
| Dreams & Nightmares Case, Operation Riptide Case | Gamma finishes |
Since the 22 October 2025 update, a knife can also come from a trade-up of five Covert skins from the same collection. The outcome is random. Our cases and collections guide explains how collections work.
Every Shadow Daggers finish
There are 25 finish options in total.
- Original (13): Vanilla, Fade, Case Hardened, Crimson Web, Slaughter, Night, Blue Steel, Stained, Boreal Forest, Forest DDPAT, Safari Mesh, Scorched, Urban Masked.
- Chroma (6): Doppler, Marble Fade, Tiger Tooth, Damascus Steel, Ultraviolet, Rust Coat.
- Gamma (6): Gamma Doppler, Autotronic, Lore, Black Laminate, Freehand, Bright Water.
Doppler and Gamma Doppler come in phases, including the rare Ruby, Sapphire, Black Pearl and Emerald. See our Doppler phases guide. Case Hardened looks depend on the pattern seed, covered in our Case Hardened patterns page. Browse all of them in the Shadow Daggers skins catalogue.
Shadow Daggers CS2 price range on 2 November 2026
We checked the Steam Community Market on 2 November 2026. It showed 184 listed variants once StatTrak and wear are counted.
- Lowest: Boreal Forest (Well-Worn) at about $42.35.
- Highest on the first page: StatTrak Slaughter (Field-Tested) at about $401.75 and Case Hardened (Factory New) at about $390.59.
Two caveats apply. Steam market names do not split Doppler phases, so a rare phase or a strong Case Hardened pattern can sell for far more elsewhere. And the low end is crowded, with many finishes in the $42 to $46 band. A separate post on the cheapest Shadow Daggers lists those budget options in detail.
Prices change, check the market. These numbers are a dated snapshot, not advice. Skins are not an investment.
Are the Shadow Daggers worth it?
Editorial view: they suit players who want a knife that looks different from everyone else's for a modest price. They suit you less if you prefer a single large blade on screen. Because damage is identical, the choice is purely about taste. Inspect a few finishes in game first, then compare prices on the market.
Sources and checks
Facts were checked on 2 November 2026 against the Counter-Strike Wiki and the Steam Community Market. Case and finish lists were cross-checked with public skin databases. We are not affiliated with Valve.
Frequently asked questions
When were the Shadow Daggers added?
They were added on 18 September 2015 with the Shadow Case. Later cases added Chroma and Gamma finishes.
Do Shadow Daggers do more damage because there are two?
No. They deal the same damage as every other CS2 knife. The two blades only change the animations.
How many Shadow Daggers finishes are there?
There are 25 finish options: 13 original finishes including Vanilla, 6 Chroma finishes and 6 Gamma finishes. Doppler and Gamma Doppler also come in phases.
