How To Get a Knife in CS:GO
Getting a knife in CS:GO can be a bit confusing, especially for those who may be new to the game and the various marketplaces surrounding it.
But even for those who have been playing for a little while, getting a knife can seem more difficult than it should be. In this article we’ll go over the basics of getting a knife in CS:GO and show you the free ways as well as the paid methods that will get you a knife instantly.
Why Are Knives Hard to Get in CS:GO?
If you’re coming from other shooters, you may be wondering why knives are so hard to get in CS:GO. In most FPS games, knives are a basic item and one you usually have by default.
However in CS:GO, knives and gloves are considered to be rare and special items. This means their drop rate in cases is very low. In fact, CS:GO players recently learned how low those chances are when Valve was forced to reveal the odds when opening their cases due to a request from the Chinese government.
The data from Valve showed that one of the rarest knives only had a 0.26% chance of dropping. That means you could literally open hundreds of cases before getting your knife.
So let’s look at the possible ways to get a knife in CS:GO.
Getting a Free Knife From CS:GO Cases
If you want to get your knife from case drops then you’ll want to maximize the number of cases you can get.
The best way to do this is to simply play the game. By playing any matchmaking game you can earn at least one case. If you have a prime account, then you can earn an additional case, although this does require additional playtime.
If you want to speed up this process, there are idle servers available to join where you can essentially be AFK and your playtime counts toward earning a case.
If you use this method, make sure to set your PC to a power saving mode while you’re AFK. This will save you money on electricity. Just be sure to change the setting back before playing a real match.
As you earn each case, simply open them and hope the RNG gods smile down upon you. Since this method is totally free, you’ll need a little good fortune for it to work.
When you do get your knife from a case and want some skins for it, check out our list of cheap CS:GO knife skins.
Selling CS:GO Cases to Buy a Knife
The next option is to use the cases you earn and turn them into real cash. You can then use that cash to buy a knife from a marketplace. Technically this is a paid method since you will use cash, but you earn the cash for free by selling your cases earned in-game.
With this method you earn cases exactly as you did in the first method, but instead of opening cases, you sell them.
Cases have recently gone up in value and they seem to be on track to continue that trajectory, so you can earn decent money selling them. In fact, many people may already have saved up cases they forgot about so you may find you have a stockpile ready to sell.
You can sell cases on the Steam Community Market or you can choose a third-party marketplace. Check the prices on each one if you want to get the best price.
Once sold, you then use that money to buy a knife. You can shop on Steam or a third-party marketplace.
If all that grinding for a knife has got you down, check out our list of the best AWPers in CS:GO for a little inspiration to get you back in the game.
Buying a CS:GO Knife on the Steam Market
The next method is to simply buy a knife on your own without earning the money for free via cases. This is going to be the fastest but also the most expensive method as you have to spend your own money. However, you can lessen the blow to your wallet by shopping around a little.
The first place most people will go when looking for a knife is the Steam Market. It’s integrated into Steam so this is usually the most convenient way but they generally don’t have the best prices.
To access the Steam Market, simply open your Steam client and at the top you will see a menu for Community. Just hover over that and choose “Market” from the drop down list.
If you scroll down, you will see a list of items for sale. To narrow the list, go to the right of the screen and you will see a list of games. Choose “CS:GO” and the list of items will refresh to only show CS:GO.
From here, you can browse items or use the search function. For a very specific item, you can click the “Show Advanced Options” tab under the search bar. This will allow you to search for the exact items you want.
Finally, to buy anything you will need to have a balance in your Steam wallet. Your amount will show at the top of the screen. If it’s zero, click on your name and choose “View My Wallet” and you will be presented with all the funding options.
When it comes to the best deal, make sure to check out our best cheap CS stickers to get stickers at the best prices.
Buying a CS:GO Knife Skins on Third-Party Marketplaces
The Steam Community Market is very popular but the prices may not always be the best for what you’re looking for.
This is where third-party marketplaces can save you a lot of money. Trusted markets like DMarket are used by countless CS:GO players every day to find the best prices on CS:GO items and skins.
You can often maximize your purchasing power by selling on one market like Steam but then buying your items on DMarket. This is a way to “min-max” your journey toward obtaining the knife you want.
Signing up is also easy as you simply click the “Sign Up” button on DMarket and choose “Sign Up with Steam”. It will verify your email address and instantly link your accounts.
Anything you buy on DMarket can then be instantly withdrawn to Steam via your inventory.
Trading to Get a Knife in CS:GO
The last option to get a knife is to swap or trade with another user. Of course, to do this you’ll need to have an item of value already in your inventory.
On the Steam Market, you can go to your inventory and select “Trade Offers” and then “New Trade”. You then select the friend you want to trade with as well as the item(s) to be traded. The friend will receive the request and if accepted, the trade occurs.
Third-party sites like DMarket have a more robust trading system that can be used to trade any item for another. If there is a price difference, you will either receive the balance as credit or be asked to pay the difference if the value of your item is lower than what you are trading for. This means you can do full or partial trades to obtain the items you want.
Final Thoughts on Getting a Knife in CS:GO
Depending on your budget and how much time you want to invest, one of these methods will help you easile get a knife in CS:GO. All things considered, so putting in a little work is to be expected when grinding for one.
If this tutorial helped you, make sure to see our other tutorial on how to 1v1 in CS:GO. It’s a great way to practice for those clutch gameplay situations.
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