why are razors width's measured in fractional imperial sytem vs metric?
found a chart for the math challenged (like me)
Conversion Table: fractional inches, decimal inches, mm
Printable View
why are razors width's measured in fractional imperial sytem vs metric?
found a chart for the math challenged (like me)
Conversion Table: fractional inches, decimal inches, mm
cause here in America thats the system,, our brothers to the north use the metric , but they know the difference us here dont like to convert
Imperial is just being silly in all honesty
This alone doesn't explain it: you guys are the only ones still using it, and why would it make a German manufacturer selling in Europe use fractional inches?Quote:
Originally Posted by tcrideshd
I think traditionalism and conservatism are to blame here. Metric system was introduced by the French during their revolution. Razors in their present form were manufactured at least 50 years before that, so the tradition has been formed already. Besides, Brits were pretty much predominant in the world razor market during 100-150 years after that, and they were still using Imperial system at the time. Nowadays there is absolutely no reason for that except for the aforementioned tradition.
No idea why that is. I do know that my generation was in school when Canada officially converted to the metric system and are likely the last generation of Canadians to be comfortable with both systems. Newer generation Canadians like my Nephew get that deer caught in the headlights look when you talk about MPG, our gallon that is, instead of liters per 100 kilometers for fuel economy ratings. All things considered Metric is easier to use and likely more accurate when building things.
Bob
So how is it silly? Or why doesn’t it make sense. We are a different country so it’s not silly or make any sense. Why not say it’s silly to not speak Japanese or live in a foreign land in the Middle East? Himmm we are not asking anyone else to convert. It’s your business Like ours is our way so far we haven’t needed to follow the others we’re doing just fine I n our own.
Ive always figured that if i was in Germany and wanted to buy a razor from a german company i would need to use metric. I could he wrong here. Keep in mind too that a german company selling the the USA would change measurements to fractions to keep us happy.
Metric is easier. It would be a tough change at first but i wish they would change. 10 is easier than 12.
If I would have to guess I would say - because it's easier. 5/8, 6/8 etc seem much easier for sizing them than fiddling with mm. I say that as a person who grew up with the metric system.
For razors, it was tradition and stayed that way it really is just that simple...
No, actually even if you visit Aust, Revisor, Wacker, TI websites in their native German/French, you'd still find the width in fractional inches. The length when mentioned (rarely) would be metric. Tradition...Quote:
Originally Posted by Gasman
Personally, as part of the construction trade, I prefer the imperial system. I am just starting to understand the temperature in Celsius but most other things I refer to Imperial
It is much easier to do the math in metric for the lack of fractions but being old school, I have no problems with it. I think the younger generation finds it easier but I can't visualize what 7315mm is but I know 24 feet when i see it :)
Our trade will never change as long as sheet goods are still 4' x 8'
JMHO
Mike
When fellas are boasting about their little fellas is it in inches or mm?! Same goes for razors...
Sorry couldn't help myself.
So long as we share the continent with the USA and they don't change to metric we will always use a mix of metric and imperial in construction. It is just more economical to manufacture materials in imperial measure than do metric for domestic consumption and imperial for export to the USA. OTH materials sourced from overseas are likely metric dimensioned. It's good to be ambidextrous.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mcbladescar
Yea, my Nephew bought our old home and the thermostat the is in Fahrenheit only which drives him nuts. Me, I don't mind either way.
Bob
Been trying to convert my brain over to the metric system for the past 60 years and the results........brain failure!
Hey, in mm the number is much bigger :roflmaoQuote:
Originally Posted by markbignosekelly
i think this is the answer!Quote:
Originally Posted by dimab
i'm going to start to include metric measure in my posts
It is ironic that the country that fought a war to liberate itself from British imperialism may be the last bastion of imperial measure.
I know a U.S. contractor that got screwed on that.......twice! He had bid a job paneling a commercial building that had been stripped down to the studs. When he inspected prior to bidding he thought the studs were on 12" centers. They got started and none of the paneling was breaking on center. It turned out that the building had been built by a Swede, three studs to the meter! The second time he had spent considerable time and energy to set up importing high end wood paneling from Europe. Things had gone way too far before he realized that he could only get the paneling in metric sizes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mcbladescar
There is also the difference between Imperial measures and US Customary measures. Classic example is the difference between the US Gallon/3.8 Liters and the Imperial Gallon/4.6 Liters. That difference carries on thorough cups and quarts etc. . It can play hell with recipes and calculating how much paint you need.
Bob
I had a heck of a time finding a chart of the vapor pressures of CO2 in psi related to Degrees F the other day.
Finally found it on a home brewing site.
Search sites typically do unit conversions in the address bar of your internet browser, so you do not need an antiquated conversion chart unless your PC is not handy. For example, say I want to convert 13/16" to mm, I would just type the following into the browser's address bar from DuckDuckGo.com:Quote:
Originally Posted by biglou13
13/16" to mm (or '13/16 in to mm')
Then press the Enter key or click Go, whichever you prefer to get the following:
Attachment 300751
Both systems have their utility. As long as I am dealing with basic units: pounds, kilograms, liters, gallons, pints, miles, kilometers, inches, centimeters, I am just fine. But when you start throwing in some of the less common units like stones, furlongs, hands, grains, etc. I have to find a conversion chart.
A pint's a pound the world around and a liter of water weights a kilogram.
One area where the metric system shines is in navigation. The meter (or is it metre) was defined originally as 1 ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the north pole along a meridian. Thus, the circumference of the earth is 40,000 kilometer. Thus, use of meters and kilometers is very handy. It is the basis of the UTM (Universal Trans Mercator) mapping coordinate system as well as the US National Grid system. That is why the military measures distance in kilometers, or "clicks" for short.
Of course, the circumference of the earth can change slightly due to earthquakes, volcanoes and other geological phenomena, so the meter is now defined relative to the speed of light in a vacuum.
In the shaving world, we tend to use both systems for various reasons. For example, a 7/8" wide straight razor blade tends to have a spine that is approximately 7mm thick. Also, those of us who hone our own razors define the abrasives using either a mesh rating (threads per inch), or in microns (1 millionth of a meter). Occasionally, you might even see something measured in mils (thousandths of an inch). Since the market for shaving goods is global, it is best to be fluent in both systems. Depending upon the manufacturer, your shaving soap might be sold either be in a 4 ounce tub, or a 150 gram tin. Hone sizes are described in either inches or millimeters. If you do not know both systems, get a conversion chart.
Try working on a old Norton Commando motorcycle.
Some models have American Standard, British Standard and also Whitworth fasteners.
If you want to see how something as simple as conversions from one measuring system to another could have lead to a large tragedy read about the Gimli Glider. Specifically the accident investigation report's section on refueling.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimli_Glider
Bob
Quote:
Originally Posted by Speedster
Thank You for making it very clear why they stayed with Inches :)
Now if you think Razors make no sense with Inches and Metrics,, let's talk Cartridges and Shotgun Shells Bahahahaha
:popcorn:
That's why they never made it past 30000 miles without a total rebuild... Or was that kms?..Quote:
Originally Posted by Maryland998
The mill wrights used to joke that their metric wrench kit was an adjustable wrench.
Bob
I mic’d An edge at .67 inches width. Or 17 mm Express that in factional inches....Quote:
Originally Posted by Speedster
Now do we Refer to it as 19/37 Boker , or 43/64 Henckel?
If charts aren’t you’re thing link may be more useful... https://www.inchcalculator.com/inch-...on-calculator/
What is the difference 5.56 and .223.?:hmmm::rofl2::gwh:Quote:
Originally Posted by gssixgun
I'm from the Imperial world feet & inches pounds & ounces that's what I was taught until I was 12 years old I find it impossible to drop it, although I do also use metric.
Welllll quite a bit actually but you have to be more exactQuote:
Originally Posted by biglou13
5.56 mm actually = .2188976"
in the reverse .223 = 5.6642
Further
What is the difference between a 5.56 Nato round and a .223 Rem round
That gets even more interesting
https://bearingarms.com/bob-o/2011/0...ould-hurt-you/
You see ammo often looks to sales much like Straight Razors did, and a .429 Magnum just doesn't sound as cool as a .44 Magnum
Much like an 8/8 sounds better than a 25.4 does or at least that was the perception
Like I said :popcorn:
ps: Lets also take into account that even the Fraction sizing isn't exact, it varies between companies, even today let alone over the years
SR history is fun :p go ahead search out the threads on here that deal with why 6/8 on one razor isn't 6/8 on another or do you measure from Spine to Edge or Honing mark to Edge you should read some of the theories posted on here :D
I understand all the reasoning about the metric system just fine but one thing I don't understand. The rest of the world especially Europe is always so quick to talk about how Americans do things wrong. As someone who uses minute measurements every day I can tell you that imperial is more accurate. It's a fractional division. If a 16th isn't close enough then use a 32nd. If 32nd isn't small enough then you can go to 64ths etc and it's endlessly subdividable. Once you get smaller than a millimeter then you have to go to decimals which is much more work to conceptualize on a working basis. Forget about the origin of the measurements. That's what metricophiles usually criticize the imperial system about is that one man's foot is not the same length as another. It's a lot closer than a cubit. In my business we deal with thousands of an inch. There is an equivalent metric system but trust me when I say that the imperial measurement is easier to work with.
The bigger issue is the question of why the world has to criticize Americans for everything they do. Listen, if you want to use the metric system then more power to you. Why do you have to criticize us for using a system that works well enough to not need changing? I'm not trying to pick a fight with anybody. I just don't get it.
In a global economy where parts are made and distributed all over the world to be assembled in various place, it would be easier for all if one form of measurement was used. It would make design, manufacture and maintenance so much easier. I doubt we will ever get there.
Bob
Hey I would be happy if they could just use ONE system on a productQuote:
Originally Posted by BobH
Nothing is worse than having to bring both Metric and SAE to work on one thing
Especially those Metric Cresent Wrenches and Screwdrivers they are really hard to find :p
2 dog bone wrenches. One metric and one sae. Don't leave home with out em!
Standardization certainly makes life easier for technicians but on God's green earth under the sun in nature most things are less like water molecules and more like snow flakes. I saw a documentary of a tool works in Pakistan where the guy forged and hand hammered nuts and bolts. Standardization is constantly going to be fighting against chaos so don't think for one second that our little inconvenience and having to deal with two different systems is somehow unique.I work on mechanisms all the time that are over a hundred years old and every single internal part is hand machined (if there is such a thing as hand machined),filed and for replacement you would have to machine each piece by hand.
I saw a thing about guns in the American revolution where they showed soldiers sitting by a campfire all making their own musketballs because no two muskets were alike.Quote:
Originally Posted by gssixgun
Long story short a coworker and I butt heads.
We recently have a new log that states we need to write the actual temperature.
I have a F' to K' chart that I use to write the temp in Kelvin.
I don't carry my personal phone at work so the chart is much easier for a cheat sheet than looking up the conversion.
Yes you will always have that when trying to repair items. You have a heck of a time repairing/replacing parts on a firearm made pre mass production. Even with mass produced items you eventually run out of parts supply and have to get inventive. Just think of how the Cubans were able to keep those old classic American cars running without a parts supply. Necessity being the mother of invention I suppose.Quote:
Originally Posted by PaulFLUS
Bob
