Opening listing extracting from vpks is easy.
1) Get GCFScape from here.
https://web.archive.org/web/20191003...index.php?p=26
Note: THAT is the link published on Valves site so I assume it's safe.
https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/GCFScape
And yes version 1.86. from 2006 is the latest version!
Be sure to only open the _dir .vpk files.
If you open one of the non _dir files it will open but appear to be blank.
2) Building your own vpks is easy but tricky.
The example I am going to show is for building L4D2 custom weapons I made. I am using it because I know it all works and is accurate info. and it should work the same for csgo.
And I don't think you can replace the entire vpk set.
I think you would have to build your custom vpk with your custom models in the same paths in your vpk as in the original vpk and then place this vpk into csgo addons folder.
At least this is how I am modifying L4D2 weapons but it should work the same for csgo weapons models and whatever else...
To build you custom vpk follow these directions.
a) Create a folder anywhere on your PC and name it something anything, like
D:\BuildVPK\
The name and location of this folder doesn't matter.
b) In this folder create a shortcut to this exe from your csgo game.
Target
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\bin\vpk.exe"
Start in:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\bin"
c) Create a folder inside of this folder and give it the name you want for you custom vpk. The name can be anything you want. vpk.exe will use this folder name as the name for your custom vpk.
D:\BuildVPK\ABS_L4D2_Weapons
d) The tricky part.
Look at the vpk file that has the items you want to modify and notice the path from the root in the vpk to the items.
For me modifying L4D2 weapons these weapon scripts were in THIS folder in the vpk.
root/script/<weapon scripts are here>
You have to have this same directory structure in you custom vpk for it to work and have the game use your items instead of the default ones when it loads.
So I created this directory structure and put the modified weapon scripts in this folder to match the path of the games vpk that has them.
D:\BuildVPK\ABS_L4D2_Weapons\scripts\<my custom weapons script files are here>
e) Now go back to your base folder and drag your custom vpk folder, the entire folder, and drop it on that shortcut you made to vpk.exe.
This should create a vpk with the name of your folder and if you did it right the paths in it should match what is in the original vpk. Open it up in GFCScape and take a look to make sure.