There are two things I can think of as the issue. One would be that your Absolute Black granite had sealer applied to it. AB granite should not be sealed. The stone is too dense, and the sealant will not absorb, but will sit on top. And it is that sealant layer that is scratched and hazed, not the stone itself. If that is the case, the sealant can be removed by acetone.

The second or alternate issue could be - and I hate to say this - that unfortunately there is a lot of counterfeit AB granite being sold. I.e., it is not AB, but some no-name grayish granite that has been dyed deep black. Those granites will not have the impervious properties that are so prized in Absolute Black, and that you saw in your previous kitchen's AB counters.

@M Miller, Oh, no! I hope that is not the case! It was labeled as Absolute Black believe the stone yard I bought it from is reputable. Is there any recourse?

Is it safe for me to try the to wipe it with acetone on my own? I was told that a sealant was not applied, but it would be good to double check.

Thank you for your input!

“It was labeled as Absolute Black believe the stone yard I bought it from is reputable.”

Many times the reputable stoneyard has no idea; the counterfeit slabs are sent from a distributor as Absolute Black. Or the distributor is also honest, but received slabs from a quarry that mislabeled and dyed them at the quarry. I am not saying that is for sure what happened with yours, but AB granite is known for having a lot of counterfeit slabs over recent years. I’ll link an article that goes over how to determine if your stone has been dyed to change it from the more run-of-the-mill gray-charcoal of a counterfeit to the deep black that AB is supposed to have.

“Is it safe for me to try the to wipe it with acetone on my own?”

Yes. You must have a window or windows open. You must check that nothing flammable is nearby. First just do an unobtrusive corner with some nail polish remover (which is acetone, and you are likely to have it on hand) to see if the appearance changes. You will kill two birds with one stone, because the linked article discusses using acetone to test for dye.

https://stoneandtilepros.com/articles/black-granite-fading#:~:text=The%20answer%20is%2C%20black%20granite,also%20used%20to%20darken%20granite.

"dip their finger into the pit"

The pit? Pit of what? No idea what you are referring to, can you be more clear.

Sorry. Fabricators with CNC machines that are water fed develop a slurry from cutting which can go into a pit. A dab of that stone slurry will remove most metal marks.

@Joseph Corlett, LLC Thank you for this tip, I will see if they will try this. Have you ever seen these marks on true Absolute Black Granite? After some research, I do not think that is what was installed. It seems like it is too soft and is already etching.

@M Miller Thank you so much for the article and information. I spent a lot of the day doing research. We were given a little rectangular remnant for a charcuterie board and I did the lemon juice test which left etching marks. The acetone test did not show any color on the rag. I see there is a second chemical to test, so I will get some of that and test it.

Since Absolute Black granite does not etch, I am fairly certain that this stone is not Absolute Black granite. Whatever it is, it seems to be a lot softer. I inspected the stone carefully today and already see etching by the sink. In addition, there is a scratch mark in the granite from a light ceramic plant pot.

This is so heartbreaking. Since we have the marble island, and will have to baby it a bit, we chose the Absolute Black granite because it is virtually impossible to damage.

I can't imagine that the fabricator is going to stand behind this granite, but I am going to raise the issue with them.

Thanks again for your help in identifying the problem.

It’s etching?

Have you tried anything to remove the metal marks? I find it hard to believe nothing will take them off. Dishes get metal marks and you can get them off. Have you tried making a paste of baking soda, water and dish soap and use a scouring pad?

@vinmarks Yes, the countertop already has etch marks and it has only been installed for 6 weeks.

I was able to make some metal marks on a remnant piece and tried some liquid barkeepers friend on it, but it lightened the area. I am reluctant to try anything else.

It is not just Absolute Black granite that is being imitated on softer stone! And the same stone can be marketed under different names. It doesn’t appear to be the stone sellers fault, though. It is buyer beware out there.

When you've sold a granite that does not etch and install a stone that does, you've committed fraud. No fuzziness here.

I would have it all removed. If it is a reputable company, it will remedied quickly and done right.

I had a problem with our granite not matching in the master bathroom. One looked like it was pulled from a different slab. The granite installer came to the house and agreed that they didnt match and had it ripped out and replaced with granite from the same slab.

If it is etching and lightened using bar keepers friend then that is not absolute black.

How did the metal marks get on there? If the fabricator did it or the installers shouldnt they take responsibility for it?

Curious what the outcome was here??

I used The Pink Stuff to get metal marks off my slab. Just be careful and first test in an inconspicuous area!