Question for ZT 030x owners

[kreole]

I ordered a ZT 300 that arrived today. It was sold as new, but a few things make me think it was used. I'm hoping you guys could tell me if yours came with any of these things or something like them. Actually it was a good enough price that I would have bought it as it is if it was described precisely, but it would annoy me if it's the case that the seller tried to hide its history. Anyway, pictures:

There are a couple scratches extending above the part of the blade that meets the lock and two nicks on the flipper:

The part of the blade that meets the lock bar shows it's been opened a few times (I could see if it was tested at the factory):

A chip in the dlc? I'm not really sure what this is because there are some black spots in the middle of it. It looks like someone took a black marker to it, though:

It extends a bit onto the top of the blade:

Thanks for the help . The seller offered to refund my money plus the cost to ship it back, so there's no issue there; I just would like to figure out (1) if I should do business with them again and (2) if it's even worth sending back (this is my first blade with dlc, so I don't know if it's common or not).

 

[edctac]

That doesn't look new to me. I don't own a 30x but just the chip in the coating makes me think it might be a blem. What markings are on the blade?

 

[kreole]

That doesn't look new to me. I don't own a 30x but just the chip in the coating makes me think it might be a blem. What markings are on the blade?

No blem xxxx's. Left side is "Ser. 3685", "Speed Safe S30V Ken Onion Design", "0300 / KAI Patented / MADE IN USA" and the right side is just the ZT logo.


I forgot to mention it was loose in the box with the warranty pamplet. My 0560 came in a bag with a desiccant packet unless I'm misremembering. How does a 0300 normally come?

 

[oregonknifenerd]

Lock bar markings could very likely be factory but the DLC with the other stuff seems unlikely. But, given how durable the stuff is it may have slipped past QC and then the seller tried to repair it somehow with a paint marker or something similar. I think it would be pretty hard to mar up the DLC without any other signs of use... but some people try to do crazy stuff with their knife and some people seem to think the 0300 can be used as a prybar which could very likely lead to chipping of that sort.

 

[Orion's Belt]

Doesn't look NIB to me. That knife was used/fondled. I'd send it back.

 

[2 shot]

Weather it is new or not all the flaws should have been described. I wouldn't do business with a person who misrepresents a knife.