Nova | Graphite (Factory New)

Skin overview

Nova | Graphite is a Restricted shotgun finish built on a dark polygon pattern laid in metallic paints of different reflectivity over a chrome base. The result is a near-black weapon where the facets show only when light hits them at an angle. In Factory New the gloss of the barrel and the contrast between matte and shiny polygons stay crisp, so the pattern reads as intended.

Item type: shotgun. Restricted sits in the middle of the rarity scale: noticeably rarer than Mil-Spec, yet not truly rare.

Anodized Multicolored: several colours in the metal coating; it wears little, the colours only dull with use.

Other qualities of this skin: Minimal Wear.

How the skin looks in Factory New

The receiver and the stock carry a dense polygon pattern in black and dark graphite tones, with some facets slightly more reflective than others. The long barrel is a deep, glossy blue-black that catches highlights along its length. The pump forend has a ribbed section in a cool grey-teal shade, and the muzzle end shows a lighter metallic tint. On worn copies the paint first thins on the muzzle, the edges of the forend and the protruding parts of the receiver and stock, letting the chrome base show through.

Factory New copies show the finish without visible damage on the barrel, forend, receiver or stock. The glossy barrel keeps an even shine, and the polygons on the stock stay sharply separated. At normal in-game distance the weapon reads as a clean, dark shotgun with subtle facet highlights. Copies near the top of the range are the cleanest available.

Factory New quality — float range 0–0.07

The whole float range of Nova | Graphite is 0–0.12; Factory New takes the 0–0.07 segment (58% of the scale). Within the range, copies with a lower float look cleaner and are valued higher.

Origin of the skin

The skin’s collection is The Arms Deal 2 Collection with 12 skins in total.

The source is CS:GO Weapon Case 2 (on sale since Sep 20, 2013).

What it costs in each quality

Among 13 skins of the Nova in the Restricted grade and this quality, this skin ranks 7th by price, counting from the dearest.

StatTrak™ and Souvenir

This skin has a the StatTrak™ version with a kill counter. Right now it is 2.1× dearer than the regular one. There is also a the Souvenir version with tournament stickers.

Stickers and crafts

Silver, holographic and foil stickers suit the metallic polygon finish and pick up its reflections. Black and white or monochrome designs keep the restrained look, while a single bright accent on the receiver stands out well against the dark body.

What to look at before you buy

• Compare the float within the range, since lower values keep the muzzle and forend edges cleaner.
• Look at the inspect view of the muzzle end and the pump, where any thinning of the paint shows first.
• Check applied stickers and name tags, as they change the overall dark look of the weapon.
• Decide whether you want a StatTrak™ or Souvenir version, as both exist for this skin.

Who the Factory New quality suits

• Collectors who want the cleanest version of a dark, understated shotgun finish.
• Sticker crafters who need a clean metallic base for silver or foil designs.
• Conclusion: the choice for those who value a flawless look.