I believe you are right the eBay seller is based in Tennessee and he has other herder blanks. The others are some kitchen knives but clearly advertised as unmarked. I am crossing my fingers and hoping that this only need to be grounded and/or honed. I did ask the sales after the sale and he told me that the black only needs to be sanded/polished, honed. Anyway ten dollars is not that big of a loss.