One thing that I notice fairly often is that many people are confused about what N/S means on the website. The abbreviation is a simple explanation, with just a few pieces of additional information I’ll add on to give people a clearer understanding. For the vets out there, this might be treading old ground, but for the newcomers, I hope it’s an easy and quick little guide on what N/S is, and, just as importantly, what the significance of N/S is.
N/S is shorthand for Numbered and Scrolled, a term that means that there is a number assigned to the knife on the blade’s base, and that the bolsters—the metal caps typically found on both ends of a pocket knife—have a design etched within them. While the scrollwork is more about improving the beauty of a knife, the number on the blade serves an important practical purpose.
The number is a serial number that is assigned to that knife specifically. So, for example, if you got a number 5 serial on your blade in a Cotton Candy series Russlock, that would be the only number five in that series in a Russlock. The uniqueness of the number improves its collectability and value due to its short supply.