About ★ Butterfly Knife | Fade
The ★ Butterfly Knife | Fade combines two of CS2's most beloved aesthetic elements: the most theatrical knife type and the iconic gradient finish that has been a collector reference since the original Karambit Fade in 2013. Released alongside Operation Hydra in May 2018, Butterfly Fade quickly established itself as the streamer's choice when Doppler felt too marbled.
Design
Fade renders the blade in a smooth purple-to-yellow gradient, with no marbling or pattern — pure color transition. On a Butterfly Knife, the gradient runs along the length of the unfolded blade, so the inspect animation reveals the full color spectrum as the blade flips. This produces a distinctly different visual effect from Karambit Fade's curved-blade gradient or M9 Fade's straight gradient.
Pattern Index
Fade's pattern index controls the percentage of yellow vs purple visible on the blade. Top-tier "100% Fade" specimens (full purple-to-yellow visibility, no green) trade at +25-40% premiums over standard. Pattern numbers 1-100 produce the most desirable distributions; specifically Pattern 27 and 38 are documented top-tier specimens.
Market Position
Butterfly Fade FN trades at ~$2,660. Through 2025-2026 it has appreciated +14% per year — strong but below the Doppler segment's growth (+18-22%). It's the entry-level top-tier Butterfly Knife — collectors building toward Butterfly Doppler often own a Butterfly Fade first. Active FN supply: ~2,400 specimens worldwide.
