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AI vs. Human eBay Old Knife Descriptions
Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2026 1:18 pm
by btrwtr
When I first started to see the AI descriptions of older knives on eBay I thought and still do think they were dumbed-down and terrible. As things have progressed it seems that the AI dumbing down as taken hold and knife descriptions by humans are getting worse as time passes.
Yesterday I saw an eBay knife that had blade that was poorly used and sharpened and noted as such in the description. Somehow this same knife was proclaimed as never having been carried.
Many sellers describe synthetic delrin, wood and plastic as being bone, the color black to be red, poorly used knives to be excellent, near mint or better condition and the list could go on. I seldom use the word rare to describe a knife but now the most common production knives are now somehow described as being rare, very rare, extremely or ultra rare.
I look at these human generated descriptions and think they a placed like bait on a hook just waiting for a prospective buyer to swallow it.
There are and always have been sellers who admittedly don't know much about the knife they are selling and that is fair enough. Granted, there are still eBay sellers that give great photos and well detailed descriptions of the knives they are selling but the numbers are tilting against them.
Am I the only one that perceives this deteriorating of human generated descriptions? Are the dumbed-down AI descriptions now the more palatable to digest?
Re: AI vs. Human eBay Old Knife Descriptions
Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2026 1:27 pm
by OLDE CUTLER
btrwtr wrote: ↑Thu Mar 26, 2026 1:18 pm
When I first started to see the AI descriptions of older knives on eBay I thought and still do think they were dumbed-down and terrible. As things have progressed it seems that the AI dumbing down as taken hold and knife descriptions by humans are getting worse as time passes.
Yesterday I saw an eBay knife that had blade that was poorly used and sharpened and noted as such in the description. Somehow this same knife was proclaimed as never having been carried.
Many sellers describe synthetic delrin, wood and plastic as being bone, the color black to be red, poorly used knives to be excellent, near mint or better condition and the list could go on. I seldom use the word rare to describe a knife but now the most common production knives are now somehow described as being rare, very rare, extremely or ultra rare.
I look at these human generated descriptions and think they a placed like bait on a hook just waiting for a prospective buyer to swallow it.
There are and always have been sellers who admittedly don't know much about the knife they are selling and that is fair enough. Granted, there are still eBay sellers that give great photos and well detailed descriptions of the knives they are selling but the numbers are tilting against them.
Am I the only one that perceives this deteriorating of human generated descriptions? Are the dumbed-down AI descriptions now the more palatable to digest?
Some people think they can accomplish great things by lying.
Re: AI vs. Human eBay Old Knife Descriptions
Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2026 1:34 pm
by btrwtr
OLDE CUTLER wrote: ↑Thu Mar 26, 2026 1:27 pm
btrwtr wrote: ↑Thu Mar 26, 2026 1:18 pm
When I first started to see the AI descriptions of older knives on eBay I thought and still do think they were dumbed-down and terrible. As things have progressed it seems that the AI dumbing down as taken hold and knife descriptions by humans are getting worse as time passes.
Yesterday I saw an eBay knife that had blade that was poorly used and sharpened and noted as such in the description. Somehow this same knife was proclaimed as never having been carried.
Many sellers describe synthetic delrin, wood and plastic as being bone, the color black to be red, poorly used knives to be excellent, near mint or better condition and the list could go on. I seldom use the word rare to describe a knife but now the most common production knives are now somehow described as being rare, very rare, extremely or ultra rare.
I look at these human generated descriptions and think they a placed like bait on a hook just waiting for a prospective buyer to swallow it.
There are and always have been sellers who admittedly don't know much about the knife they are selling and that is fair enough. Granted, there are still eBay sellers that give great photos and well detailed descriptions of the knives they are selling but the numbers are tilting against them.
Am I the only one that perceives this deteriorating of human generated descriptions? Are the dumbed-down AI descriptions now the more palatable to digest?
Some people think they can accomplish great things by lying.
Well said!
Re: AI vs. Human eBay Old Knife Descriptions
Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2026 1:43 pm
by TripleF
I see it every day and made a post about the AI crap months ago....it's a good way to get free knives!!
How? Because the knife doesn't match description!
Re: AI vs. Human eBay Old Knife Descriptions
Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2026 2:12 pm
by QTCut5
I absolutely detest the stupid AI generated descriptions
I stop reading at the first mention of "ambidextrous opening", no one ever says that about a knife so I can't help but wonder how it became a standard phrase that's included in nearly every single description
It's ridiculous.
I think the sellers who use AI to describe their knives are either ignorant of how to properly describe a knife or just plain lazy.....probably both
Re: AI vs. Human eBay Old Knife Descriptions
Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2026 3:46 pm
by Mumbleypeg
I agree totally. Both the AI descriptions, and many human-generated descriptions are pathetic. As any lefty will tell you from personal experience there are few truly “ambidextrous opening” knives.
Aside from the proliferation of atrocious descriptions, another trend seems to be sellers listing knives that are so badly abused, broken, or used up that they wouldn’t even qualify for the AAPK POS exchange. Who buys those things? Parts knives??
Ken
Re: AI vs. Human eBay Old Knife Descriptions
Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2026 5:37 pm
by edgy46
When I see the word ambidextrous in a description that ends it for me. The word refers to being able to use both hands equally well, including writing. The debasement of our language is only getting worse. End of rant.
Re: AI vs. Human eBay Old Knife Descriptions
Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2026 6:26 pm
by Ridgegrass
Only real "anbi" I ever saw was a New York Knife hawk-bill with a very big and deep nail nick on both sides of the blade. Sold here in October, '25 J.O'.
Re: AI vs. Human eBay Old Knife Descriptions
Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2026 10:20 pm
by ThatWeirdKnifeGuy
If the question is which is worse, artificial intelligence or the natural lack of it, my answer is yes
Re: AI vs. Human eBay Old Knife Descriptions
Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2026 11:09 pm
by Mumbleypeg
One of the few truly ambidextrous-opening knives. Our youngest son (who is left-handed) carries one of the Microtech autos. The slider-opener lever/lock is on the side, equally accessible and operable with either hand. The pocket clip can be placed on either side (or removed entirely).
Ken
Re: AI vs. Human eBay Old Knife Descriptions
Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2026 6:16 pm
by Rookie
It's not hard to just use your brain and fingers and describe the knife in a few sentences. You'll get more bidders if you make a genuine description, and don't rely on AI. I don't see the benefit at all of allowing the AI to auto-fill in the knife information for you. Every knife I have ever listed for sale, I put in the brand, length, condition, point out anything that isn't perfect, and give a good sample of photos. It's really not hard at all.
Re: AI vs. Human eBay Old Knife Descriptions
Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2026 7:09 pm
by Modern Slip Joints
It only takes a sentence or two to recognize an AI description. For me it's a red flag to have my buyer's beware on high alert.
It's a different topic but ambidextrous-opening knives are not that uncommon. Many knives that are opened with spidy holes or flipper's and have reversable pocket clips are ambidextrous. Many one arm bandit razor blade knives have no nail nick. Buck made 112s with no nail nick. There are other single blade slip joints and back locks that are only opened by pinching their blades making them ambidextrous. I own two blade trappers, moose and muskrats that have one blade's nail nick is on the pile side. You could argue use a moose or trapper's master blade favors a right handed owner but it's hard to argue that a muskrat that has one nail nick on the pile side is not ambidextrous.
By the way, in the early 2000s Case made left handed Trappers. They used blades that were made to have their nail nicks on the pile side of five blade Trappers and relocated their shield to what's usually the back side.
Re: AI vs. Human eBay Old Knife Descriptions
Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2026 4:12 am
by Rockingkj
The term “rare” is certainly overused. Most of the time the only thing “rare” about a knife is someone that would want it.
Re: AI vs. Human eBay Old Knife Descriptions
Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2026 8:45 pm
by robpa
Ive seen a couple knives at AAPK stores I could have had interest in but the AI descriptions caused me to just opt out. There are more with HD(human derived) descriptions elsewhere.
Re: AI vs. Human eBay Old Knife Descriptions
Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2026 9:05 pm
by Sharpnshinyknives
It’s a real problem and only getting worse as time goes on. Ebay has not figured out that AI descriptions will only work on a very few items that are sold on their platform.
I contacted a seller 3 weeks ago that had an obvious Henckels knife in his pictures and the title said Hen and Rooster. It was also an AI knife description for a Hen and Rooster. He said that he knew it was incorrect but it was what AI had come up with. He acted like he didn’t have a clue about how to change it or make it right. So is this what some sellers have come to? Relying only on AI for listing knives will lead to a lot of money left on the table. I look for knives that don’t match the AI knife descriptions to find some values. Relying on AI is going to cost people a lot of money.
You have protections with eBay if the knife doesn’t match the description because if the knife doesn’t match the description, then you have a good case for a return, whether or not the buy accepts returns. So beware if you rely on AI, it will cost you in the end.
Re: AI vs. Human eBay Old Knife Descriptions
Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2026 9:17 pm
by tvic
AI descriptions are a good example of using words but not saying anything.
Re: AI vs. Human eBay Old Knife Descriptions
Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2026 10:40 pm
by Scooter er 2
ThatWeirdKnifeGuy wrote: ↑Thu Mar 26, 2026 10:20 pm
If the question is which is worse, artificial intelligence or the natural lack of it, my answer is yes
tvic wrote: ↑Sat Mar 28, 2026 9:17 pm
AI descriptions are a good example of using words but not saying anything.
Well said Gentlemen
Re: AI vs. Human eBay Old Knife Descriptions
Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2026 12:28 am
by Mumbleypeg
Looks like it’s not just eBay. While browsing on SMKW I noticed knives having the standard nail nick pull on the mark side of the master blade, and hinged on the right side, are described as “ambidextrous” opening. That’s about as right-handed as you can get!
Ken