What kind of stripped-out junk screw are you even working with? That trick is a total last resort and usually just makes a greasy mess. You're way better off using the right bit or a proper extractor set from the start. Trying to force it with a rubber band just wastes time and wrecks the driver head.

Totally get the bone folder upgrade. Read a blog post from a bookbinder who said the density is what makes the difference, it doesn't give like plastic. My cheap one from the craft store snapped on some thick cardstock, so maybe heavy duty is the way to go.

Totally agree, it's like a band-aid fix for a bigger problem. You see this everywhere, like when a phone battery starts swelling instead of just telling you it's worn out, or a fridge gets way too loud before it dies. We build things with these last-minute alarms instead of making them fail in a quiet, safe way. It puts the burden on us to notice the scream, instead of designing things that just... don't scream.

Dispute it online and then send a certified letter with a copy of your ID and a utility bill. The paper trail forces them to act. I had to do that twice, and it finally got a real person to look at it. Keep every single piece of paper they send you.

But what about when paying more now still bites you later, like @webb.victor's repair?