Kitchen Knife

The kitchen knife is two different items depending on whose hand it's in. In Michael's, it's the icon — his starting weapon, taken from Nichols Hardware in the campaign, the blade every Stalk level makes deadlier. In a civilian's, the honest answer: it's worst-tier — a short, non-throwable blade Michael overpowers you straight through.

For Michael

The constant in the kit: melee, grabs, and the execution animations that challenges expand. Damage scales with the systems around it — a tier-3 Bloodthirst Michael with the starter knife beats a tier-1 Michael with anything. The axe remains the established weapon unlock beyond it.

For civilians

The worst tier — kitchen knife, fire poker, broken bottle, police baton, pipe wrench, shank — shares one problem: short and non-throwable means fighting at grab range with no range option. If it's a knife you want, the butcher knife at least throws. The full tier map is at household weapons; the fights worth having are in the best tier.

The one civilian use: literally anything beats empty hands when a shove needs backup. Pick it up, swing it once, trade up at the first opportunity.