ShinwaH-3412A 6" 150 mm Rigid English Metric Zero Glare Satin Chrome Stainless Steel E/M Machinist Engineer Ruler/Rule with Graduations in 1/64, 1/32, mm and .5 mm

A rigid 6” / 150mm rule is a pretty simple tool. And there is some real junk out there masquerading as one. But Shinwa consistently makes very accurately made rules. It seems to be cut/ground precisely straight, and the individual graduations are VERY clear and easy to discern & read.Built precisely and built for purpose. What you’d expect.

Over about 45 years I've owned many different types of metal tapes, rules, and scales. I use them several times each day and I always carry at least one with me. Recently, this one has become my favorite. I always want to have a rule handy, so I have many, scattered around in places where I can grab one quickly. I like to have a rule that I can cut down to fit whatever I'm carrying it in--like a pocket, wallet, notebook, or coin-purse, etc. I also like to have one with both metric and imperial markings on the flip sides. However, if a rule has each measurement standard starting at different ends, you can't cut either end without losing the beginning of the rule. This one has both starting at the same end, so I can cut off the other end and not lose the beginning of either one. Plus, by flipping it over you can quickly switch between metric and imperial without swapping end for end. So even if you don't plan to shorten it, it's still easier to use. The satin-chrome finish is superb and easy to read. The lettering is so dark that at first I thought they were merely painted on and it was a cheaply made product. I was wrong. I found they actually have a very accurate and shallow etch with ink inside the etch. These are VERY high quality. There are cheaper varieties with the same graduations by other manufacturers, but not as accurate, nor as easy to read as this one. I wish I had found these years earlier. In fact, I've got more of them on order right now, which I plan to cut down.

This Shinwa is the next best thing to a Mitutoyo ruler, which is high praise. It is excellent. I like the very large whole-number markings of the Shinwa, which is a style that Mitutoyo previously used but has since abandoned in favor of finer markings. Both ways work but I prefer the larger style of the Shinwa.At bad lighting angles the Shinwa is significantly less legible than the Mitutoyo, the latter of which appears to have much blacker markings and a more matte surface finish, creating higher contrast. However if you angle the Shinwa to catch the light in your eye, the text really pops.It's also somewhat less rigid than the Mitutoyo, but not enough to make a difference in actual use. As you can see in the photo, this ruler is accurately sized at 6 in to within a thou, and likely to within half a thou. That's pretty spectacular and once again puts this up with the best stuff on the market.

I do a lot of technical sketches while away from my desk so compact rulers help me be mobile and fits on to my moleskin note books, unlike a full size ruler that sticks out awkwardly at least 6 inches from the mole skins page in many cases. Just short and thin enough to fit into a pencil case so I can drop in in with the pencils and go. In the photo is a 0.5mm mpencil for a scale reference. Notice how fine and clear the rulers marks are compared to the pencil lead. Once side is metric in MM and 0.5mm markings. The other side it in inches with 32nd and 64th markings. You can still easily read the 1/8 and 1/16 markings. Nice add was the inclusion of the ruler slip case. That help carry it around in a pocket or other ways that will protect other things from the metal ruler. It has pointy corners so the slip case helps deal with that. The corners have to be pointy so the ruler can be square up on its ends to measure from its ends with out having to do some math later to account for an end gap between the end and when the ruler marks begin. It may be only 6in (~150mm) but it is as thick as a full size metal ruler, so no worries about bending it easily or accidentally. Its a good value.

i had to return this item as the measurements from one end to the other were way off.