Absolute Black doctored or mutt

OK ...I'm been bested by Home Depot ...you know the absolute black granite issues. I don't have any receipts (but I have a couple boxes of tile left that could be traced to them.) Are these doctored, mutt stone, or both? They lighten with citric acid & other stuff. And, one area actually appears to be etched. If it is not mutt stone, what % of phosphoric acid is required to remove the fake color? And what do I do to enhance/seal it after? Also, why not a class action suit against Home Depot??? Thanks, BobB

 

Dear Bob:

 

“ Are these doctored, mutt stone, or both? ”

 

They are either or. If they're doctored, once you remove the black “shoeshine” you will have a uniform gray stone that will present no problems. If it is a “mutt” stone it will keep etching forever and ever.

 

“ If it is not mutt stone, what % of phosphoric acid is required to remove the fake color? ”

 

I don't know for sure. It is not a constant: it depends on the doctoring agent. Test on a couple of tiles.

 

“ And what do I do to enhance/seal it after? ”

 

Nothing. You could try with a good-quality stone color enhancer non sensitive to acidic substances like MB-6, but don't hold our breath. If there were a solid and permanent solution they would have found that out at the factory already, don't you think?

 

“ Also, why not a class action suit against Home Depot??? ”

 

It's a great idea! It would get all the publicity that a criminal issue like this one deserves, will teach them a lesson, and set a precedent for everybody else to consider.

Just a tiny detail: Are you gonna give us the money?

I mean, we volunteer our time helping out consumers. Nobody pays a fee for our help. The only little money we make is when we sell our educational literature (which was donated by MB Stone Restoration & Supply) and the few “one-on-one” consultations that we got to do; but those revenues only help defraying the cost of running this thing, let alone leave any money for any expensive legal class action! We even used to have an online store, to see if we could collect some extra cas h by selling much needed (by the consumers) products. The criticisms that came from all directions – amazingly many from the consumers themselves – which hinted at the idea that we were doing all what we're doing to sell a few hundred bottles a year, made us desist from that.

 

So, if you're serious at pursuing this on your own and, after attempting all amicable solutions, including the filing with the BBB, you will not get what you're after, you may file consumer fraud charges against the Home Depot with your local DA, and we will assist you in any possible way at no charge. Other than that, all we can do now is to help people like you out the way we do it. Once we will reach the 10,000 e-signatures mark, we will make our move.

 

May I ask you now to please read and e-sign our Statement of Purpose at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/purpose.htm?

Ciao and good luck,

Mauri z io Bertoli

 

www.marblecleaning.org – The Only Consumers' Portal to the Stone Industry Establishment!