need some input???
https://i.imgur.com/TkBgEmh.png

https://i.imgur.com/XjqtmoF.png

Sorry Rupert, I am out of ideas here.
The only thing I could do now is ask for the blend and see if I could figure it out on my own. But as I say, I am not a mapper, and therefore would not be able to inject it into map to check it out, so going down that road would not be of benefit to you.

I am not a mapper, so I don't.

This is a reference to an in-game CVar and has nothing to do with the actual compile (I think). The model just isn't playing nice with that particular game CVar.

However, I just had a look at the CS:GO CVar list on the Steam Developer wiki and that particular CVar isn't even listed. As it is only a WARNING and as suggested in the thread you linked, I doubt that this is actually causing the problem.

Now if the map that you're using was actually created and ported into game from WalWorm (a plugin that allows you to create maps in 3DSMax) then the Warning itself could stem back to the map and the way it was created.

So I take it you're trying to create and inject this static prop into a particular map. (Through Hammer?)

Well, I'm out of ideas, other than maybe using a different version of Studiomdl to do the compile to see if it is something in the compile that is causing the problem.

One thing I haven't seen during the entire investigation process is your collision/physics mesh, but that shouldn't be causing the problem.

If you use SFM or have Alien Swarm, you try using the version of Studiomdl for those and load the compile into HLMV. But again, I doubt that you're going to see a difference.

Try changing the
"anims\idle.smd"
in the sequence statement to
"RK_LowPoly_Stone_Fireplace_01a.smd"

Your model is a static prop, it doesn't move, so you should be able to just reuse the exported SMD.

The sequence statement would look like this

$Sequence "idle" {
"RK_LowPoly_Stone_Fireplace_01a.smd"
fadein 0.2
fadeout 0.2
fps 1
}

Nope, I'm not seeing anything out of the ordinary here, unless your Idle sequence is using a SMD that was exported before you made any changes and wasn't re-export after them.

what does your QC look like?

One other thing to try, Select the object in Object mode and check the Object Property Panel, see if Auto Smooth is active, If it is, uncheck it and try your Export/Compile again.

Sorry, that should have been the Context Property panel (the old Vertex panel, looks like the inverted triangle) under Normals....

have nothing to do with materials or textures if the sharps are being created in both 2.79 and 2.80. It may be your modelling process.

Create your model. Leave it as quads, add your modifiers, but don't apply them before you export. Export your model and let Blender Source Tools and Studiomdl do the work with the modifiers. Try a compile. See if that fixes your problem.

Hmmm... have you tried doing this with Blender 2.79 to see if it does the same thing?

You can't open a Blender 2.80 .blend file in 2.79, but you can append the model from the 2.80 .blend into 2.79. You may have to remove doubles to get it back to the original state then add your edge split modifier.

If the problem seems to go away when using 2.79, you might want to move this into the Bug report section here. I know that Artfunkel is actively investigating and trying to fix the problems the 2.80 update has caused and this might be something he needs to look at (especially with 2.81 sitting in the wings). But keep in mind he is pretty swamped with other "major" issues.