The counter was beyond repair. The only option was replacement. The new counter was in the seconds bin...it had binding strap indents along one edge, and gouge on the bottom side. It was probably going to be binned at some point anyways. I work mainly in alt processes such as carbon transfer. The black is pigmented gelatin. I was washing the counter top but over the years, too much water (mainly from spills) got in between where the two counters met, gradually eating through. The tap was worn out, and leaky. It's 50 years old. I salvaged it from a demolition site (along with the sink...which I reused). Same with the old countertops, and cupboards. The replacement tap was once in our bathroom. The rough state of the counter motivated me to replace it.