NIB? What does that mean?

Isn't this why we have the Like New In Box title? I'm with powernoodle on this one, if its not new in the box it shipped in unused at all, then its LNIB.

Now I appreciate dealers that will take a look at items before they ship, but in my opinion thats something you should ask them to do, not have done automatically.

Bear in mind I'm no collector just a user with a lot of knives, but it is important that things are properly represented, so saying LNIB and mentioning that you just took it out of the box for the pictures, or you just played around with it for a bit and decided it wasn't for you, seems fair.

For instance the knives on display in the cases at the local Dick's sporting goods, are fairly beat, and they're only ever been handled by potential buyers, I wouldn't pay full retail for that and I doubt any of you would either. If its new its NIB if its not its LNIB, and thats not to say you can't charge whatever you want for it anyway.
 
NIB means to me that it is not used and not played with - maybe checked as you could do in a store.

Since it's usually individuals that sell knives as "NIB" and not dealers it can't be new anymore (to me and my definition of ''new'') - so much about the car comparison.
If I can buy a knife from an online dealer for... $150 i wouldn't pay that much to an individual who has one "NIB". Probably 135 max.

In most cases I wouldn't know if someone has cut some paper with a knife or not - so I dont care about it that much... It's one reason why i paid less.

s_f
 
MrPres said:
For the same reason that if you buy a car off the lot and drive it across the street, you can no longer sell it as a new car.
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This isn't valid anyways because many new cars on lots have been on test rides so may have 50 or more miles on them already. (Sorry, already mentioned before me)

To me NIB means it's never been used or carried, has no signs of use and has the box with all original packing, paperwork, etc. If the seller has opened and closed it a few times. Maybe even sliced some paper, yet it's handling is undetectable, I consider that still NIB.
 
Bryan J said:
Straw man. . . Nobody is claiming that "NIB" means "unowned".
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I don't have to revert to straw man arguments. I said "owned it and played with it", not just "owned". Its the "played with" part - you know, with the guy's doodle fingers and booger fingers - that is dispositive.

Same thing when you go to Best Buy, bring the item home and see that someone else has already owned the item, opened it and done Lord knows what to it. There is little debate there but that the item is no longer "new".
 
Thomas W said:
You do all realize that a "new" knife is subjected to a variety of "tests", including repeatedly being opened and closed at the production level prior to ever being put in a box?

A knife can't be considered NIB because one opened and closed it for inspection prior to sending off to a individual? Huh...What?

I'm all for discussion here, but really?
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The difference being... quality control has basic tests that are designed to check for defects and the like, while end users are looking for that and more. And these tests vary from individual to individual. While one person might gently open a new folder and cut only printer paper, another might flick it open with authority and start right into the cardboard box it shipped in.
 
powernoodle said:
I don't have to revert to straw man arguments. I said "owned it and played with it", not just "owned". Its the "played with" part - you know, with the guy's doodle fingers and booger fingers - that is dispositive.

Same thing when you go to Best Buy, bring the item home and see that someone else has already owned the item, opened it and done Lord knows what to it. There is little debate there but that the item is no longer "new".
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It most certainly is a straw man argument. You're arguing against a position that nobody holds (that "NIB" somehow means that a knife has never been handled by human hands).

Again, you're missing the point that the issue is over what "NIB" means to knife traders in general. More than half the knives traded on the exchange forum are listed as "NIB". Do you really believe that these knife owners never touched their own knives after they purchased them?
 
I agree with the 'absolutely NO wear whatsoever' statement.

If you clipped it to your pocket for a day,cut open a box,or lightly 'touched up' the edge,a trained eye(or an anal knifeknut,like myself:D:o) is going to notice.

It's always better to rate the knives you're selling pessimistically.When you are rating it,try & look at it like you are the one receiving it,instead of the one selling it.
 
Bryan J said:
It most certainly is a straw man argument. You're arguing against a position that nobody holds (that "NIB" somehow means that a knife has never been handled by human hands).
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I don't want to get into a back and forth on this (if its not too late), but I am not asserting that NIB means the knife has never been touched by human hands.

For the third time, in my view a knife or a Big Mac or a DVD player is no longer "new" after someone has played with it.

Played with it.

If you don't mind someone's booger fingers all over your "new" Endura (or Big Mac or DVD player), thats perfectly ok with me. But I would characterize such as sale as LNIB.

Its a small distinction, but where boogers are involved, the devil is in the details. :D
 
NIB comes down to your definition of new .

New being unused ,[not used for it's intended purpose or other]
Knives being taken out of box and opened /closed and put back in box seems reasonable to say new.
If knife was put in pocket for carry /opened an envelope -used

If you go into car dealership and open and close doors /sit in car /try the radio etc. it's still new .

As mentioned before how many cars have you bought with 0 miles = none .

It really comes down to individuals ethics and responsiblity
 
Unless there is a SEAL on a box, you (or person before you) will never know if it is NIB or LNIB. So what's the point of making a big deal out of it?

You buy a knife from individual who honestly never even opened a box and sells it as NIB. He bought it from another guy as NIB, who bought it from dealer as NIB. Where is a guarantee that it was never opened, never played with? Relying on trust? Well one guy can guarantee that he didn't even open a box, but he cannot possibly guarantee that box was not opened before him, if it is not SEALED.

When it comes to electronics, if phone was used for an hour, but shows absolutely no signs of use, I would call it Like New in Box. It phone was only taken out to make some pictures, without taking off any protective films etc, then I would call it New in Box. If box is Sealed, I would call it New Sealed in Box.

When in comes to knives, I'd rather know the fact that it was opened and verified that lockup is good, blade centered and sharp, rather than simple statement "NIB" that I cannot really trust 100% anyways.

It always is a good thing to wash a knife and disinfect it before use, because there is no way of knowing for sure the history of a knife, if box is not sealed (like most knife boxes).
 
powernoodle said:
I don't want to get into a back and forth on this (if its not too late), but I am not asserting that NIB means the knife has never been touched by human hands.

For the third time, in my view a knife or a Big Mac or a DVD player is no longer "new" after someone has played with it.

Played with it.

If you don't mind someone's booger fingers all over your "new" Endura (or Big Mac or DVD player), thats perfectly ok with me. But I would characterize such as sale as LNIB.

Its a small distinction, but where boogers are involved, the devil is in the details. :D
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Well, it is a back and forth, but just a friendly one...

There is no need to repeat yourself here, as I understood you first time. You are merely stating what the designation "NIB" means to you. You are making your opinion known. But the OP isn't interested in your or my or anybody's individual opinions on the matter--he is interested in what the general consensus is among the trading community. Surely we can agree that those are two different concepts. Are you saying that you believe your opinion on "NIB" agrees or disagrees with the general consensus? It's your opinion about the consensus he is asking for. So again, I ask you: there are many knives on the trade forum listed as "NIB". Do you really believe these people haven't put their "booger fingers" on the knives they've purchased?

More food for thought: Do you not realize that knives come into contact with several sets of booger fingers as they are assembled and packaged at the point of production?

By the way, the phrase "playing with it" is way too subjective to mean anything in this context. Is opening and closing the knife considered "playing with it". Are you referring to playing baseball with it? Or are you perhaps referring to masturbation?
 
Fascion said:
The difference being... quality control has basic tests that are designed to check for defects and the like, while end users are looking for that and more. And these tests vary from individual to individual. While one person might gently open a new folder and cut only printer paper, another might flick it open with authority and start right into the cardboard box it shipped in.
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I guarantee you that the basic QC factory test exceeds a bold flick (or two) as you describe.

I think everyone agrees there is a big difference with the slicing paper vs.cutting up box's. It should be noted that any good factory will slice paper (usually more than once), prior to the knife moving to packaging.
 
effer said:
It always is a good thing to wash a knife and disinfect it before use, because there is no way of knowing for sure the history of a knife, if box is not sealed (like most knife boxes).
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Yeah, who knows but there may be some fingerprints on it... maybe even DNA...
 
Thomas W said:
I guarantee you that the basic QC factory test exceeds a bold flick (or two) as you describe.

I think everyone agrees there is a big difference with the slicing paper vs.cutting up box's. It should be noted that any good factory will slice paper (usually more than once), prior to the knife moving to packaging.
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Thank you, Thomas. Very informative post. :thumbup:

I'm glad to hear that the basic QC factory test exceeds a bold flick or two, and so on.

Every Kershaw or Kai or Zero Tolerance knife I've purchased came in positively flawless, smoothly working condition, which is what I would expect.

What kinds of factory tests does Kershaw perform on each knife prior to shipment for sale?

Thanks,

Folderguy
 
Has anyone here ever bought a knife in a box, not a blister pack, and not looked at the knife before purchasing it? I doubt it. NIB has to mean unused.
 
I believe NIB to mean as it comes.from the factory, ie unopened, in the box. LNIB means the person selling the knife removed it from the packaging then did whatever, such as opening\closing, perhaps cut paper to test the edge ~ anything short of leaving any obvious signs of use or actually carrying the knife.

There is a distinction between NIB and LNIB. Otherwise why have the two? My question for you guys that disagree is what do you consider LNIB then? Not trying to start an argument.

This is actually a very good question as it would seem a good way to avoid a problem on the for sale board if we could come to some sort of common definition here.
 
Once I bought a pen off 'bay, the discription says " Medium NIB", I thought it was medium size NewInBox, and picture shows new; but when I got it, it's a used and broken pen, I asked the seller, he said the pen has a medium size nib :o

off the topic, haha :p
 
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