Valve’s October 2025 Re-Retakes update turned CS2’s Trade Up Contract into the fastest way to own a knife or gloves, without opening a single case. Five Covert (red) skins now guarantee one gold-tier item from the same collection.
Here’s the blueprint to craft knives and gloves profitably.
Table of Contents
Step 1: Pick Your Target
Every knife and glove belongs to one specific case.
Use five Covert (red) skins from the Dreams & Nightmares Case (for example: AK-47 Nightwish, MP9 Food Chain). Staying inside one case guarantees the outcome comes from that collection.
Feed the Trade Up Contract with five Covert skins from the Clutch Case to lock the result to the glove pool and target Sport Gloves | Vice specifically.
Mixing collections splits your odds. Stick to one case for 100% control.
Step 2: Master Float Math
The output float equals the average of your five inputs, adjusted for the knife or glove’s min-max float caps.
Range: 0.00–0.07
Requirement: All five input floats must average below 0.07 to craft a Factory New knife.
Range: 0.06–0.37
Guideline: Use input floats that fall inside this range so the averaged output lands within Minimal Wear for gloves.
Step 3: StatTrak or Bust
Produces a StatTrak knife only.
Gloves are not available as StatTrak items.
Yields a regular knife or gloves.
The odds are typically 50/50 if both item types exist in the selected case.
Since gloves have no StatTrak variant, using regular inputs can result in either outcome.
Step 4: Execute the Contract
Go to your Inventory → Trade Up Contract to start the process.
Drag five red (Covert) skins into the contract slots to set up your trade.
Sign the contract to complete the trade and reveal your new knife or gloves.
New items have a 7-day trade hold. Crafted knives become tradable afterward. Then you can sell them on the Steam Market or third-party platforms like Tradeit.
Step 5: Profit Checklist
Purchase input skins 20% below market via Steam buy orders.
Target cases with one high-value finish (e.g., CS20 Classic Knife requires only 2 Coverts).
Don’t craft items that may be worth less than your input cost (e.g., Gut Knife DDpat).
Calculate Expected Value: (Outcome price × probability) – Input cost > 0
Risks
The knife market remains volatile—floors keep sliding.
Mixing wrong collections can yield a $50 Navaja instead of an $800 Butterfly.
The 7-day hold prevents instant flipping of crafted items.
Conclusion
If you do not yet own a pair of cool-looking gloves or a decent knife skin in your Steam inventory, the Re-Retakes CS2 update gives you the opportunity to trade 5 Covert skins for an Exceedingly Rare one. If you do it skillfully, you may even end up making a profit from the trade.
FAQs
1. Can I still get a knife or gloves from a Trade Up Contract in CS2?
Yes. Since the October 2025 update, using five Covert (red) skins from the same case guarantees a gold-tier item, either a knife or gloves, depending on the collection.
2. Do StatTrak skins affect the Trade Up result?
Yes. Using five StatTrak Covert skins produces a StatTrak knife. Gloves cannot have StatTrak, so using regular Coverts can yield either a knife or gloves.
How do I ensure my Trade Up item is Factory New?
Your input skins’ floats must average below 0.07 to stay within the Factory New range.
What’s the biggest risk in Trade Up contracts?
Mixing collections or misjudging float values can turn an $800 knife opportunity into a $50 low-tier drop. Always stick to one collection and verify the math.
Can I sell my crafted knife or gloves immediately?
Not right away. Newly crafted items come with a 7-day trade hold before they can be sold or traded on the Steam Market or third-party sites.
