Knife

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This article is about the Spy's stock melee weapon. For other knives, see Knife (disambiguation) or dagger.
Let's settle this like gentlemen!
The Spy

The Knife, also known as the Butterfly Knife or Balisong, is the default melee weapon for the Spy. It is a foldable Template:W with a handle clip and drop point blade.

Arguably the most recognizable and important weapon of the class, the Knife is responsible for the majority of kills made by efficient Spies. Should the player equip the weapon while within a 180° radius behind an enemy, an animation will play wherein the Spy holds the Knife aloft in a striking position. Attacking at that point will cause the player to backstab the enemy, killing them in one hit.

In any other instance, such as when used from the side or front, the Knife is one of the weakest melee weapons in the game. From these angles, the Knife deals roughly as much damage as the Scout's Bat per hit, but attacks at a slower rate. In addition, random critical hits do not occur when using the Knife. Players would therefore be well-advised to use this weapon primarily for its backstabbing feature.

When affected by a crit boost, or some other means of ensuring critical hits, attacking with the Knife will always produce the backstab animation. This weapon will only deal normal critical hit damage, as opposed to killing the victim outright, if the attack does not land within the backstab radius.

Taunting with the Knife equipped makes the Spy perform a deadly Fencing maneuver.

Damage and function times

See also: Damage
Damage and function times
Damage
Base damage 100% 40
Point blank 34-46
Backstab 600%
Critical 120
Mini-crit 46-62
Function times
Attack interval 0.8
Values are approximate and determined by community testing.

Demonstration

Related achievements

Leaderboard class soldier.png Soldier

War Crime Spybunal
War Crime Spybunal
Kill a Spy who just backstabbed a teammate.

Leaderboard class sniper.png Sniper

Consolation Prize
Consolation Prize
Get backstabbed 50 times.
Shock Treatment
Shock Treatment
Kill a Spy whose backstab attempt was blocked by your Razorback.

Leaderboard class spy.png Spy

A Cut Above
A Cut Above
Kill a gun-wielding Spy with your knife.


Agent Provocateur
Agent Provocateur
Backstab your Steam Community friends 10 times.


Come in From the Cold
Come in From the Cold
Get a Revenge kill with a backstab.


Counter Espionage
Counter Espionage
Backstab a disguised Spy.


Die Another Way
Die Another Way
Kill a Sniper after your backstab breaks his Razorback.


Dr. Nooooo
Dr. Nooooo
Backstab a Medic that is ready to deploy an ÜberCharge.


Fast Fingers
Fast Fingers
Backstab a Scout that is using the Back Scatter.


FYI I am a Spy
FYI I am a Spy
Backstab a Medic who has healed you in the last 5 seconds.


High Value Target
High Value Target
Backstab an enemy who is dominating 3 or more of your teammates.


Identity Theft
Identity Theft
Backstab the enemy that you're currently disguised as.
Is It Safe?
Is It Safe?
Backstab 50 enemies who are capturing control points.


May I Cut In?
May I Cut In?
Backstab an enemy and the Medic healing him within 10 seconds of each other.


Sapsucker
Sapsucker
Sap an enemy building, then backstab the Engineer who built it within 5 seconds.


Slash and Burn
Slash and Burn
Backstab an enemy, who then switches to Pyro before they respawn.


Spymaster
Spymaster
Backstab 1000 enemies.


The Man from P.U.N.C.T.U.R.E.
The Man from P.U.N.C.T.U.R.E.
Stab an enemy while fencing.


The Man with the Broken Guns
The Man with the Broken Guns
Backstab an Engineer, then sap 3 of his buildings within 10 seconds.


Triplecrossed
Triplecrossed
Backstab 3 Snipers in a single life.


Wetwork
Wetwork
Stab an enemy to death while under the influence of Jarate.


You Only Shiv Thrice
You Only Shiv Thrice
Backstab 3 enemies within 10 seconds.

Update history

February 19, 2008 Patch
  • Fixed a case where a Spy stabbing from the front of a player would score a backstab.

May 21, 2009 Patch (Sniper vs. Spy Update)

  • [Undocumented] Fencing now injures enemy players.

May 22, 2009 Patch

  • Fixed cloaked Spies being able to taunt attack.

August 13, 2009 Patch

  • Fixed a couple of issues with the way critboosts affected this weapon.

May 19, 2010 Patch

  • Spies can no longer perform Fencing whilst Cloaked (with any watch).

February 14, 2011 Patch

  • Fixed melee attacks not destroying remote detonation pipes (Stickybombs).

April 14, 2011 Patch (Hatless Update)

  • Spies now speak their Domination or Revenge lines correctly when using the Knife or Conniver's Kunai.

July 12, 2011

Bugs

  • If the player raises the Knife to stab and then switches their view to any world model, the Knife will remain raised.
  • When the Knife is thrust forward during an attack, a stray polygon can be seen coming out of the Spy's wrist.

Trivia

  • The original drawing animation for the Knife featured a much more elaborate spin. It was cut, however, for being too long and complicated. Valve feared that this would draw the player's eye away from their target during a fight. This animation can, however, still be seen in the teaser trailer for Team Fortress 2 (from 1:33 to 1:35).

Gallery

See also