Question 1

What pattern number is the best AK-47 blue gem?

Accepted Answer

Pattern #661 is widely considered the best AK-47 Case Hardened blue gem, with near-100% blue coverage on the front of the magazine and receiver. Patterns #387 and #321 also rank in the Tier 1 category. Most Tier 1 AK-47 blue gems trade for $10,000-$50,000+ depending on float, wear, and stickers.

Question 2

How much blue coverage makes a Case Hardened skin a blue gem?

Accepted Answer

Community consensus places blue gem status at roughly 80%+ blue coverage on the most-visible faces. The CSBlueGem.com tier system codifies this: Tier 1 = exceptional (90%+), Tier 2 = strong (75-90%), Tier 3 = decent (60-75%). On CSBoard, you can filter directly by tier with the ?tier=Tier-2 URL parameter on Case Hardened item pages.

Question 3

Are blue gems a good investment in CS2?

Accepted Answer

Tier 1 blue gems have historically outperformed broader CS2 market averages, often appreciating 30-100% per year on high-tier knife patterns. Tier 2 patterns offer better entry points ($500-$5,000 range for knives, $100-$1,000 for AK-47s) with solid 15-40% annual returns. Heat Treated tier patterns follow similar dynamics. Key risk: low liquidity — Tier 1 items may take weeks to find a buyer at the right price.

Question 4

How do I check the pattern index on a Case Hardened skin?

Accepted Answer

In CS2 itself, hover over the skin in your inventory and check the inspect screen — the pattern index is displayed natively (since the 2024 update). For pre-purchase inspection, every CSBoard listing shows the pattern index in the item details, plus a visual preview rendered at the actual pattern.

Question 5

Which Case Hardened knife has the most valuable blue gem patterns?

Accepted Answer

Karambit Case Hardened holds the top blue gem prices: a Tier 1 Karambit with pattern #387 has sold for $1.5M+. M9 Bayonet, Butterfly Knife, and Talon Knife follow at significantly lower price points (Tier 1 ~$50k-$300k).

Question 6

What are Tier 1 vs Tier 2 Case Hardened patterns?

Accepted Answer

Tier 1 = elite ~50 pattern indexes per knife model with maximum blue coverage and minimum yellow/gold spots. Tier 2 = next ~150-200 patterns with strong blue dominance but minor imperfections. Tier 1 patterns trade for 3-10x Tier 2 prices and rarely sit on the market more than days.

Question 7

Where can I buy a Tier 2 Case Hardened Karambit in 2026?

Accepted Answer

CSBoard maintains live Tier 2 Case Hardened Karambit inventory at /en/items/karambit-case-hardened-field-tested?tier=Tier-2. Listings are aggregated from CSBoard's own bot inventory plus partner sources (TradeLab, SalesPanel, SkinPlace). Filter by float, inspect pattern before buying. Zero trading fees, instant USDT payout, no KYC required.

Question 8

Are Heat Treated patterns more valuable than Case Hardened?

Accepted Answer

In the absolute top tier, Case Hardened blue gems still command the highest prices. But Heat Treated has its own valuable pattern subset — particularly knives with high blue or full-saturation patterns. Tier 1 Heat Treated Karambit and Butterfly Knife trade for $30k-$200k+.

Question 9

Why are Tier 1 Case Hardened patterns rare on the open market?

Accepted Answer

Two reasons. Supply is structurally capped — Valve's pattern RNG produces only ~50 Tier 1 indexes per knife model out of 1000 possible. Second, Tier 1 holders rarely sell — they're collectors who hold for 2-5 year price appreciation. When Tier 1 items hit the market, they're typically sold via private brokerage.

Question 10

How do I filter for Tier 1 or Tier 2 patterns on CSBoard?

Accepted Answer

Open any Case Hardened or Heat Treated item page and append ?tier=Tier-1 or ?tier=Tier-2 to the URL — for example: csboard.com/en/items/karambit-case-hardened-field-tested?tier=Tier-2. The page then renders only listings matching the requested tier, sourced from CSBoard's pattern-data pipeline (synced daily with CSBlueGem.com).

Question 11

How do I sell a blue gem knife safely?

Accepted Answer

Tier 1 blue gems are best sold through P2P platforms with escrow and trade history (e.g. CSBoard or CSFloat) or privately via a trusted broker. On big marketplaces (Steam Market, Skinport) 12-15% fees eat $30k+ on a $200k trade. CSBoard P2P = zero commission, instant USDT payout. Pre-trade: verify buyer reputation, never share your Steam API key, only use official Steam trade offers.

Attribute	Case Hardened	Heat Treated
Pattern visual	Blue/gold mottled mosaic	Orange/blue/purple saturation gradient
Tier 1 ceiling (Karambit)	$1.5M+	$30k-$200k
Tier 2 entry (Karambit)	$3k-$15k	$3k-$15k
Liquidity	Lower (collector-held)	Medium (trades faster)
Available models	9 knives + AK-47, Five-SeveN, more	12 knife models only

CS2 Blue Gem Patterns: Case Hardened & Heat Treated Tier Guide

Top 7 Case Hardened Patterns Worth Hunting

Karambit #387 — "Scar 387"

AK-47 #661

M9 Bayonet #387

Butterfly Knife #555

Talon Knife #387

Skeleton Knife #387

Huntsman Knife #387

What Defines a "Blue Gem"

Browse Tier 2 Case Hardened Knives on CSBoard

Karambit

M9 Bayonet

Butterfly Knife

Talon Knife

Huntsman Knife

Skeleton Knife

AK-47

Five-SeveN

Heat Treated: The Other Tier System

Heat Treated Tier 2 Inventory (Factory New)

Karambit

M9 Bayonet

Bayonet

Butterfly Knife

Talon Knife

Skeleton Knife

Huntsman Knife

Flip Knife

Case Hardened vs Heat Treated — At a Glance

Frequently Asked Questions

Browse Tier 2 Case Hardened Karambit on CSBoard