After reading many of your comments on the practice of doctoring black galaxy I am sure that is the problem I have. I would like to know more about the consumer fraud aspect. Where can I find information about actual cases and their outcomes? I want to be able to show that the practice is illeagal. What information would you suggest I arm myself with to confront the supplier with so they know I am on to them? Thank you for your help
Dear Steve:
I have no knowledge of any case about malicious doctoring brought into a court room. Even here at marblecleaning.org have received several complaints about this criminal practice, but despite the fact that we offer free expert testimony (we only ask for the reimboursement of the traveling expenses and possible lab tests costs, etc.), nobody ever had the brass to go all the way.
They either probably settled in the sense that the stone yard gave in and replaced the slab (with all the money they make out of those who end up sucking it up, the few times they have to replace the slabs is considered as part of their cost of doing business), or they just suck it up, or replace it on their own going somewhere else.
They probably felt that the cost of an attorney would be too high to justify the lawsuit. But the fact is that cases like that are so black and white that there's no need of any attorney!
As for the consumer fraud aspect, it's pretty intuitive: you buy and pay for a black stone and later on it turns out not to be black but gray because they slapped some sort of "shoe-shine" on it and now is soming off! What more do you need to prove foul play with an expert?!
I wrote a book on stone maintenance and restoration with a whole chapter on malicious stone doctoring. It's an ITCS production published by the ISC. It's a 430 + page book and costs $275.00. But than again, even that book, which is unique in its kind, can't be considered as an official industry standard.
What you should do is go to the fabricator and demand for a full replacement with a non doctored stone, no ifs or buts, or else.
As simple as that.
And if they won't comply, you know what to do.
But please don't ask us anything else anymore if you're not willing to go all the way.
We need court rulings on this crime if we want to hope to eliminate it.