You deal with one of the most debated knife finishes in CS2 when you look at the Gut Knife | Fade. Many players rank the Gut Knife near the bottom of the knife hierarchy, yet others view it as overlooked rather than bad. The wide blade face gives the Fade finish room to display its gradient clearly, which changes how you should judge each pattern.
The Fade finish blends white, pink, purple, and yellow across the blade. The pattern index (paint seed) controls how those colors distribute, and that distribution determines the fade percentage. In total, you have 1,000 possible pattern indexes, and each one produces a slightly different result.
Fade percentage drives value more than wear or float within this finish. A higher percentage means less visible white on the blade and a stronger presence of pink, purple, and yellow toward the tip. The community uses this percentage as the main benchmark when pricing and trading.
What Makes a “Good” Gut Knife Fade
When you inspect a Gut Knife Fade, you should focus on three factors:
- Amount of white on the blade
- Balance between pink, purple, and yellow
- Position of purple near the tip
The most desirable examples minimize white on the blade surface. Ideally, white appears only on the handle or at the very base, where it is barely visible in gameplay. At the same time, you want an even transition between the remaining three colors rather than a harsh shift.
Because the blade is broad and flat, color placement becomes easy to spot. Small differences in seed patterns stand out more clearly here than on narrower knives.
100% Fade Patterns
A 100% Fade Gut Knife shows strong coverage of pink, purple, and yellow across the blade. White remains confined mainly to the handle area and does not interrupt the visible blade during play.
Collectors treat these as premium items. Prices usually sit well above average Gut Knife Fades because supply is limited to specific seeds.
100% Fade Pattern Indexes:
| Fade % | Pattern Indexes |
|---|---|
| 100% | 41, 87, 93, 326, 341, 403, 468, 520, 521, 575, 636, 651, 763, 897, 910, 911, 961 |
Some of these seeds, such as 575, 636, 763, and 897, often receive attention for strong purple coverage near the tip. You should still verify the exact fade percentage with an inspection tool before buying, since visual similarity can mislead you.
99% and 98% Fade Patterns
To the untrained eye, 99% and 98% Fades look nearly identical to 100%. In gameplay, you likely will not notice the difference unless you compare them side by side.
Collectors, however, distinguish sharply between 100% and anything below it. If you care about numbers and long-term value, that 1–2% gap matters.
99% Fade Pattern Indexes:
29, 34, 105, 107, 147, 150, 201, 205, 256, 345, 348, 380, 396, 399, 422, 428, 449, 494, 517, 527, 550, 571, 576, 577, 583, 601, 648, 664, 668, 714, 742, 745, 747, 754, 800, 807, 824, 825, 834, 848, 856, 872, 892, 914, 925, 936, 943, 944, 975, 981
98% Fade Pattern Indexes:
11, 46, 80, 84, 136, 137, 141, 172, 173, 181, 224, 229, 236, 278, 308, 313, 314, 358, 375, 395, 401, 435, 447, 455, 462, 465, 482, 486, 572, 597, 599, 608, 639, 657, 690, 703, 712, 726, 751, 781, 789, 793, 813, 827, 838, 840, 849, 881, 917, 956, 968
When you buy at this tier, confirm that the seller does not price a 98–99% knife as a 100%. Visual inspection alone does not guarantee accuracy.
97% to 90% Fade Patterns
Once you drop below 98%, you start to see clearer differences. White begins to extend onto the lower portion of the blade, and the purple shifts closer to the tip.
These changes do not ruin the finish, but they alter its balance. Even casual players can usually spot the difference compared to a high-tier Fade.
Below are the pattern indexes grouped by percentage.
97%:
12, 21, 30, 43, 64, 73, 76, 89, 103, 130, 145, 168, 211, 223, 249, 260, 282, 283, 295, 302, 377, 381, 430, 458, 466, 481, 488, 508, 511, 514, 525, 536, 566, 568, 640, 665, 677, 686, 749, 759, 790, 798, 887, 891, 915, 940
96%:
6, 33, 37, 47, 94, 109, 154, 155, 161, 191, 210, 212, 227, 276, 285, 293, 324, 336, 361, 424, 429, 433, 440, 442, 487, 513, 538, 564, 586, 587, 612, 687, 698, 719, 762, 782, 815, 860, 863, 875, 878, 898, 953, 960, 979
95%:
18, 22, 23, 79, 104, 111, 117, 157, 176, 179, 187, 277, 289, 376, 389, 392, 416, 446, 528, 596, 645, 658, 740, 752, 757, 758, 769, 774, 808, 811, 821, 835, 851, 866, 886, 895, 916, 933, 955, 974, 984, 990, 993, 995
94%:
57, 63, 78, 163, 273, 298, 299, 312, 323, 342, 382, 421, 431, 549, 588, 592, 633, 666, 697, 737, 760, 802, 804, 806, 864, 884, 885, 901, 902, 920, 921, 924, 942
93%:
2, 53, 61, 95, 114, 118, 167, 228, 240, 251, 271, 272, 291, 294, 301, 318, 343, 414, 427, 437, 453, 470, 475, 491, 512, 518, 556, 573, 584, 604, 654, 661, 801, 828, 829, 903, 904, 912, 946, 947, 978, 991, 996
92%:
10, 38, 50, 65, 67, 91, 97, 133, 139, 140, 175, 255, 300, 357, 379, 390, 439, 533, 554, 567, 617, 629, 641, 676, 695, 729, 734, 735, 738, 741, 765, 797, 823, 837, 841, 877, 964, 967
91%:
19, 25, 40, 51, 52, 55, 69, 82, 85, 86, 124, 200, 207, 214, 297, 327, 346, 347, 363, 365, 367, 460, 548, 613, 619, 625, 635, 644, 662, 700, 707, 718, 722, 778, 799, 814, 819, 830, 831, 836, 847, 850, 870, 888, 889, 900, 905, 932, 950, 963, 970
90%:
26, 36, 56, 70, 74, 81, 99, 123, 128, 192, 199, 215, 239, 245, 257, 264, 267, 270, 305, 316, 319, 322, 331, 350, 366, 391, 418, 501, 524, 543, 565, 615, 618, 620, 643, 713, 724, 755, 768, 775, 786, 833, 842, 879, 880, 882, 906, 934, 938, 945, 957
At this level, you balance appearance and price. You still get a recognizable Fade, but you accept visible white intrusion onto the blade.
89% to 80% Fade Patterns
Most Gut Knife Fades fall within this range. White occupies a noticeable section near the base of the blade, and purple becomes limited or nearly absent.
Many players consider these the weakest Fade variations from a collector perspective. As a result, they usually trade at lower prices.
If you want the Fade aesthetic without paying a premium, this bracket offers practical value. You still get the gradient effect, just with less ideal color placement.
When you evaluate any Gut Knife Fade, you should inspect the seed, confirm the fade percentage, and compare color balance directly in-game. The pattern index determines everything, and small numerical differences can change both appearance and market value.
