CS2 Knife & Glove Crafting Guide
Complete guide to crafting knives and gloves through CS2's revolutionary October 2025 trade-up update. Learn how the new system works, which collections to use, cost analysis, StatTrak crafting strategies, and the massive market impact that reshaped the entire CS2 economy.
The October 2025 Update Overview
On October 23, 2025, Valve released a groundbreaking update for Counter-Strike 2 that fundamentally reshaped the game's skin economy. The introduction of knife and glove crafting through the trade-up contract system was the biggest change to the CS2 economy in years, causing billions of dollars in market value shifts overnight.
Before this update, trade-up contracts stopped at Covert (red) rarity. There was no tier above Covert, so red skins were the "end of the line." The only way to obtain knives and gloves was through case openings (at approximately 0.26% odds) or direct purchase. This update changed everything by allowing 5 Covert skins to be traded up into a gold-tier item: a knife or gloves.
Key Change Summary
- Before: Trade-ups stopped at Covert rarity (10 Classified skins → 1 Covert skin)
- After: Trade-ups continue to gold tier (5 Covert skins → 1 Knife or Gloves)
- Requirement: Only 5 skins needed (not 10) for Covert-to-gold trade-ups
- Availability: Available to all players, no Prime required
How Knife & Glove Crafting Works
The new crafting system uses the existing trade-up contract interface but with modified rules for Covert skins. Understanding the mechanics is essential for making informed crafting decisions.
The Crafting Formula
All 5 skins must match in StatTrak status
Step-by-Step Crafting Process
- Open Trade-Up Contract: Access the trade-up contract feature from your inventory or loadout screen.
- Select 5 Covert Skins: Choose exactly 5 Covert (red) quality weapon skins. The skins must come from collections that have knives or gloves in their rare special items pool.
- Match StatTrak Status: All 5 skins must be either all StatTrak or all non-StatTrak. You cannot mix them.
- Confirm Collection Pools: The game will show you which knives/gloves are possible based on your selected skins' collections.
- Execute Trade-Up: Complete the trade-up to receive a random knife or gloves from the combined collection pool.
Collection Pool Mechanics
The knife or glove you receive depends entirely on which collections your 5 Covert skins belong to. Each collection has a specific pool of rare special items. When you combine skins from different collections, you expand (or combine) the possible output pool.
Single Collection Craft
Using 5 Covert skins from the same collection limits your output to that collection's specific knife/glove pool. This is useful when targeting specific knife types.
Example: 5× AWP | Fade (Gamma 2 Collection) → Gamma 2 knife pool only (Flip, Gut, Karambit, M9, Bayonet)
Mixed Collection Craft
Using Covert skins from different collections combines their pools, giving you more possible outcomes. This can be cheaper but less targeted.
Example: 3× Gamma 2 + 2× Chroma → Combined knife pool from both collections
Crafting Requirements
Understanding the exact requirements for knife and glove crafting is crucial to avoid costly mistakes. Here are the complete rules according to Valve's official documentation:
Mandatory Requirements
- Quantity: Exactly 5 Covert (red) rarity weapon skins
- Collection Validity: Skins must come from collections that include knives or gloves in their rare special items pool
- StatTrak Matching: All 5 skins must have the same StatTrak status (all StatTrak or all non-StatTrak)
- Weapon Skins Only: Cannot use knives, gloves, or special items as inputs
- Tradeable Status: Skins must be tradeable (not trade-locked)
What You CAN Use
- Any Covert weapon skin from a valid collection (AWP, AK-47, M4A1-S, M4A4, etc.)
- Skins with any float value (wear doesn't affect the output)
- Skins with or without stickers (stickers are destroyed in the process)
- Skins with name tags (name tags are destroyed)
What You CANNOT Use
- Covert skins from collections without knives/gloves (some map collections)
- Existing knives or gloves
- Agent skins or other special items
- Trade-locked items (VAC banned inventory, recent market purchases during hold)
- Mixing StatTrak and non-StatTrak skins in the same craft
Important Warning
Not all Covert skins are valid for knife crafting. Some collections (like certain map collections) only have weapon skins without knives in their rare special items pool. Always verify the collection's contents before purchasing skins for crafting purposes.
Collection Selection Guide
Choosing the right collections is perhaps the most important strategic decision in knife crafting. Different collections have different knife and glove pools, affecting both the possible outcomes and the potential value of your craft.
Popular Case Collections for Knife Crafting
| Case/Collection | Example Covert Skins | Knife Types | Glove Types |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gamma 2 Case | AWP | Oni Taiji, AK-47 | Neon Rider | Bayonet Flip Gut Karambit M9 Bayonet | — |
| Chroma Series | AWP | Hyper Beast, M4A1-S | Master Piece | Bayonet Butterfly Flip Gut Karambit M9 Bayonet | — |
| Spectrum Series | AK-47 | Bloodsport, M4A1-S | Decimator | Bowie Butterfly Falchion Huntsman Shadow Daggers | — |
| Glove Case | M4A4 | Buzz Kill | Bowie Butterfly Falchion Huntsman Shadow Daggers | Driver Hand Wraps Moto Specialist Sport |
| Kilowatt Case | AWP | Chromatic Aberration, AK-47 | Inheritance | Bayonet Butterfly Flip Karambit M9 Bayonet Kukri | — |
| Revolution Case | AWP | Duality, AK-47 | Head Shot | Bayonet Butterfly Flip Karambit M9 Bayonet Kukri | — |
For a complete list of all knife types and their characteristics, see our Knife Types Guide. For glove information, visit our Gloves Guide.
Collection Strategy Tips
Targeting Specific Knives
- Use skins from a single collection to limit the outcome pool
- Research which collections contain your desired knife type
- Calculate total cost vs. expected knife value
- Consider that rarer knife finishes have equal probability within a collection
Budget-Friendly Crafting
- Look for the cheapest Covert skins from valid collections
- Consider mixing collections to find lower-priced inputs
- Monitor market for temporary dips in Covert skin prices
- Accept wider outcome possibilities for lower investment
StatTrak Crafting
One of the most significant aspects of the new crafting system is the ability to guarantee a StatTrak knife or gloves. For background on StatTrak mechanics, see our Complete StatTrak Guide.
Non-StatTrak Craft
Input: 5× Non-StatTrak Covert skins
Output: Non-StatTrak knife or gloves
Cost: Lower input cost
Output Value: Standard knife/glove prices
StatTrak Craft
Input: 5× StatTrak Covert skins
Output: StatTrak knife (gloves don't have StatTrak)
Cost: Significantly higher input cost
Output Value: StatTrak knife premium (typically 1.5-3× base price)
StatTrak Crafting Economics
StatTrak Covert skins are substantially more expensive than their non-StatTrak counterparts. The question is whether the StatTrak knife premium justifies the additional input cost.
StatTrak Craft Considerations
- Premium Factor: StatTrak Covert skins often cost 2-4× more than non-StatTrak versions
- Output Premium: StatTrak knives typically sell for 1.5-3× the non-StatTrak price
- Risk Analysis: Higher total investment means higher absolute loss if outcome is undesirable
- Glove Note: Gloves do not have StatTrak variants, so if your collection can produce gloves, a StatTrak craft still has a chance to yield non-StatTrak gloves
Important: Gloves and StatTrak
Gloves do NOT come in StatTrak variants. If you use StatTrak Covert skins from collections that can produce gloves (like the Glove Case), you may receive non-StatTrak gloves despite your StatTrak input. Only knife outputs will be StatTrak. Factor this into your decision when choosing collections for StatTrak crafts.
Cost Analysis & Economics
Understanding the economics of knife crafting is essential for making informed decisions. The total cost depends heavily on which Covert skins you choose and current market conditions.
Example Cost Breakdown (Non-StatTrak)
Expected Value Analysis
Like all randomized mechanics in CS2, crafting is subject to variance. The expected value depends on:
- Total Input Cost: Combined price of all 5 Covert skins
- Collection Knife Pool: Which knives are possible from your selected collections
- Knife Distribution: Each knife type and finish in the pool has equal probability
- Market Prices: Current prices for each possible outcome
The average outcome value can be calculated by: (Sum of all possible knife values) ÷ (Number of possible outcomes)
For detailed probability calculations and ROI analysis, use our Trade-Up Calculator or Case ROI Calculator.
Key Economic Insight
Since the October 2025 update, the market has largely priced Covert skins based on their "crafting fuel" value. This means that the cheapest crafting paths often have expected values close to or below the input cost. The market is efficient, and arbitrage opportunities are limited. Crafting is best viewed as entertainment with variance, not as a guaranteed profit mechanism.
Market Impact
The October 2025 update caused one of the largest market disruptions in CS2 history. According to market tracking sites like Pricempire, the total market cap dropped from over $6 billion to approximately $4.25 billion in just 24-48 hours.
Immediate Market Effects (October 2025)
- Knife Prices: Dropped 40-70% across all types and finishes
- Glove Prices: Similar crash of 40-60%
- Covert Skin Prices: Surged 50-200% as they became "crafting fuel"
- Total Market Cap: Lost approximately $2 billion in 24 hours
- Example: M9 Bayonet | Doppler dropped from ~$2,053 to ~$780
Why Prices Crashed
The price crash was driven by fundamental supply and demand dynamics:
- New Supply Path: Previously, knives only entered the market through rare case drops (0.26%). Now, anyone with 5 Covert skins can create a knife.
- Massive New Supply: Thousands of knives were crafted immediately after the update, flooding the market.
- Perceived Value Shift: Knives went from rare, exclusive items to craftable commodities.
- Panic Selling: Existing knife holders rushed to sell before prices dropped further, accelerating the crash.
Current Market State (2026)
As of January 2026, the market has stabilized at new equilibrium prices:
- Knives trade at roughly 50% of their pre-update values
- Covert skins have settled at elevated prices reflecting their crafting utility
- The crafting cost for a knife roughly equals the average knife value (market efficiency)
- Some rare knife finishes (Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald) retain more value due to their rarity even within the crafting pool
For a deeper dive into CS2 market economics, see our Case Economy Guide.
Best Crafting Strategies
While crafting involves randomness, strategic thinking can help optimize your experience and manage risk. Here are proven approaches:
Strategy 1: Targeted Collection
Focus on a single collection containing your desired knife type.
- Higher cost per craft (single-collection skins may be pricier)
- Smaller outcome pool = better odds for specific knife
- Best for players who want a specific knife type
- Example: All Gamma 2 skins for Karambit chance
Strategy 2: Budget Hunting
Find the cheapest valid Covert skins regardless of collection.
- Lowest total investment
- Wider outcome pool (more uncertainty)
- Best for players who just want any knife
- Requires market research for best deals
Strategy 3: StatTrak Premium
Invest in StatTrak inputs for higher-value StatTrak outputs.
- Significantly higher input cost
- StatTrak knives command premium prices
- Higher absolute risk (more money invested)
- Avoid collections with gloves (no StatTrak gloves)
Strategy 4: Patience Play
Wait for market dips to acquire cheaper Covert skins.
- Monitor prices over time for dips
- Major sales/events can temporarily lower prices
- New case releases can impact older Covert prices
- Requires patience and market knowledge
Responsible Crafting Reminder
Knife and glove crafting is a form of gambling with real money. The outcome is random, and there is no way to guarantee a profit. Only spend money you can afford to lose, and treat crafting as entertainment rather than an investment strategy. For more on responsible practices, see our Gambling Psychology Guide and external resources like BeGambleAware.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I craft a knife in CS2?
Since the October 2025 update, you can craft a knife by using 5 Covert (red) quality skins in a trade-up contract. The skins must come from collections that include knives in their rare special items pool. All 5 skins must be the same StatTrak status (all StatTrak or all non-StatTrak). Open the trade-up contract interface, add your 5 Covert skins, and complete the trade-up.
How many Covert skins do I need to craft a knife or gloves?
You need exactly 5 Covert (red) quality weapon skins. This is different from regular trade-ups which require 10 skins. The reduced requirement makes knife crafting more accessible but still represents a significant investment given Covert skin prices.
Can I craft a StatTrak knife?
Yes. Using 5 StatTrak Covert skins will guarantee a StatTrak knife (assuming the collection only contains knives, not gloves). Using 5 non-StatTrak Covert skins will produce a non-StatTrak knife or gloves. You cannot mix StatTrak and non-StatTrak skins in the same craft. Note that gloves don't have StatTrak variants.
Which knife or glove will I get from crafting?
The result depends on which collections your Covert skins belong to. Each collection has a specific pool of knives or gloves. All items within the combined pool have equal probability. By choosing skins from specific collections, you can target certain knife types (e.g., Butterfly, Karambit) or include/exclude gloves from the possible outcomes.
Can I craft a specific knife finish like Doppler or Fade?
No. Within a collection's knife pool, the finish is also random. Each knife type and finish combination has equal probability. You cannot increase your chances of getting a Doppler or Fade specifically.
Did the October 2025 update crash knife prices permanently?
The market has stabilized at new, lower price levels. Knives now trade at approximately 50% of their pre-update values. While this represents a permanent shift in the market structure (knives are now craftable, not just from case drops), individual knife prices may still fluctuate based on supply, demand, and other market factors.
Is crafting knives profitable?
The market is generally efficient, meaning the average expected value of a craft is close to the input cost. Some crafts may result in profit, others in loss. Crafting should be viewed as entertainment with variance, not as a reliable profit mechanism. Use our ROI Calculator to estimate expected values for specific combinations.
Does the float value of my input skins affect the output?
In traditional trade-ups, the output float is influenced by input floats. For knife crafting, the output float is determined by the same averaging formula, but since each knife/glove has its own float range, the practical impact may vary. Generally, lower float inputs tend to produce lower float outputs.
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Last updated: January 2026