A centimeter tape is an indispensable thing in the household. We use it in cases where we need to find out the length, width or thickness of something. This article will focus on this necessary and useful item in the house. You can learn a lot of interesting facts about him right now.
History of Appearance
The centimeter tape appeared for the first time in 1847 in France. It was invented by the tailor Alexis Lavin, the master of cutting and sewing the Empress Maria Eugenie herself. For this woman, he designed and sewed the most original and beautiful outfits at that time. By the way, he is the founder of Esmod, the first fashion school.
What is a measuring tape?
Soft ruler (as this attribute of a tailor is also called) is made of rubberized fabric or soft plastic. The length of the tape is 1.5 meters (150 cm), the width is 1.5-2 centimeters. The markings on it are applied in main divisions with an interval of 1 cm and intermediate divisions in 1 mm. The reading of the scale indicators on each side starts from the opposite end. narrow edgescentimeter strip are decorated with metal rivets that prevent the product from wear.
The centimeter tape is sold in packages of three types. The simplest design of a soft ruler is a paper wrapper. The tape is folded in a circle, and then pulled with a paper belt.
The second packaging option is a round plastic box with a lid. This design is convenient for further operation and storage of the tape. In such packaging, the product does not bend or wrinkle.
On store shelves there is a centimeter tape in the form of a tape measure. Such a thing is convenient in the household, but it will not be easy to use it for its intended purpose, for tailor's needs. Why? The scale on such a ruler does not start from the very edge, so each time you need to add a centimeter to all measurements. In addition, the base-box of such a tape measure pulls the end of the tape down, so all measurements can go astray.
Medical applications
Medimeter medical tape is used to measure the volume and length of individual parts of the body. On modern products of this type there is a scale in centimeters and inches. Which doctors in the service have this accessory? A soft ruler is used by such specialists:
- surgeon to measure the size of body parts;
- obstetrician-gynecologist for measuring the circumference of the abdomen for pregnant women;
- nutritionist to measure hips, waist and other parts of the body;
- pediatrician to measure children's height, head circumference andchest of newborns.
How to choose a soft ruler?
If you go to the store to buy an accessory like a centimeter tape, take a piece of paper with you. Why is this needed? On it you will check the correct scale of the tape. Very often, when comparing these things, released by different manufacturers, you can see absolutely different indicators in divisions. And on a leaf, you know for sure that one cell is 0.5 centimeters. Rest the measuring tape against the paper and see if the scale matches the readings.
The next thing you should pay attention to when buying is the color of the product. Opt for a brightly colored ribbon that will make it easier for you to find it in the creative clutter that usually happens in a tailoring room.
When choosing a soft ruler, remember that it should be soft and elastic. A rigid product will not fit tightly on paper and fabric, bend, and this is fraught with the fact that all measurements will end up being wrong.
If the measuring tape is torn, stretched or frayed, do not attempt to repair it. All the same, the indicators of its scale will already be inaccurate. This accessory is inexpensive, so it's better to buy a new one right away.
