Methodology
How I verify what I find
Anyone can say "tested and working." I only trust a claim once it's specific enough that someone else could check it — so that's the standard I hold my own claims to, in the reference library and in every listing.
The checks
| Return to zero | Cycled repeatedly and checked on camera — it has to come back to zero every time, not just once. |
|---|---|
| Reference comparison | Measured against calibrated gauge blocks, not against another instrument of unverified accuracy. |
| Serial pairing | Verification photos and video include the instrument's serial number, so the evidence belongs to the exact unit, not a stock photo. |
| Mechanical condition | Travel, feel, and wear are documented honestly — what's original, what's been replaced, what's simply worn. |
The bench
Checks happen in a temperature-controlled room with real references — a Mitutoyo grade 0 micrometer verification set and a full gauge block set. Temperature matters more than people expect: a steel standard and a steel instrument only agree once both have settled to the same temperature.
Why I bother. The used market is full of instruments that look right and measure wrong, and of outright counterfeits of the brands people trust most. A documented, serial-paired check is the difference between buying a photograph and buying a measurement — and it's the same discipline behind everything in the reference library: don't assert what hasn't been checked.