There are a number of rituals followed in the quality field that drive gage makers crazy. The first one involves gages that are rejecting parts. The ritual: reject the gages. Another one involves gages that appear to wear out too quickly. The ritual: reject the gages.
In both cases, a process of eliminating possible causes might determine that the parts really are rejects in the former case-or that the taps are the wrong size or grade, or the machine set-up has gone wonky. The situation and its causes are relatively easy to sort out. Causes of gage wear are not determined so easily as the gage maker must depend on secondhand or third-hand information.