Hultafors Talmeter Marking Measure Tape 3M 16Mm

Nice. Really well made - Swedish company. Ordered it on Amazon and it came from the UK in a week with free shipping!See the movie: [...]I have all sorts of other (cheaper) tape measures but I like using this one the most. It doesn't have the slipping end tab to facilitate inner & outer measurement, so you don't have to worry about the slot wearing and getting inaccurate. It has a short flip out rear tape to register the back of an internal measurement. It has a very strong lock that is always locked unless you press the (METAL!!) button. When it is locked, you cannot force it to slip.It retracts very well and you can actually get replacement tapes. It has little verticle blades on the ends of the front and rear tapes, and front of the body. The idea is to take the measurement, lay it on the work piece and scratch a perfect replica of the measurement on the workpiece without reading anything. When using it this way, it eliminates reading errors. The only thing is, it is metric. Since I like using it, it may get me to start using the metric system in my woodworking. Using inches is ok within a 1/4 of an inch or so but smaller than that, or calculating (subtracting 4 7/32" from 6' 10 5/16" for example...I know it's nuts!!), metric makes way more sense. Just need to get used to it.UPDATE 9/26/16:Still love it! Making some drawer boxes and using metric measurements is soooo much better. Cutting to the millimeter...subtracting for drawer slide widths....so much easier then using fractions.UPDATE 6/28/20Still love this thing! Using it now to cut trim moldings and am able to cut dead on accuracy. Still reels in good. Still locks w/o the tape moving AT ALL.

Like the other five-star reviews have said, this is a brilliant little tape measure (thank you Peter Millard for the recommendation). It changes the way you work for the better. The measure is easy to read, but the repeatability of marking without even needing to read the measure is ingenious. It feels quality and the size is nice and small to easily slip into a trouser/jeans pocket with your phone, keys and wallet etc when taking it to the store.

All typical tape measures have a loose hook that offsets in order to remove the thickness of the hook itself from the measurement. What' particularly funny is that the reviews contain complaints that this tape measure doesn't have any hook movement. It doesn't work that way.The way it works is that there are 2 hooks - one at the end of the tape and another on the device itself. You put your piece between those 2 hooks and you have an exact measurement and the sharp points on the bottom of both hooks allow you to scribe a perfect length on any workpiece. For inside measurements, there's a hook on the body of the device that extends exactly 10 cm. Just like a story board, you get another exact inside reading.You do need to recognize when your cut should remove the scribe (outside measurements) and when it should just come up to the scribed mark (inside measurements). But the principal means that you can measure and scribe lengths without ever looking at the actual numbers. How often do you go from measuring to cutting while trying to remember 13 & 3/32"? This tape measure eliminates all of that nonsense. Precisely read length, then scribe that length on your work. It is a huge time and sanity saver.Best of all, this thing will probably outlast other tape measures precisely because that hook on the end is fixed & doesn't move around or wear out. It costs a bit more, but the design is well worth it. Before you get frustrated, watch some YouTube videos to understand the actual magic properties of this tape measure. It will change how you work for the better.

I like the ability to take a reference measurement, not relying on reading the scale. There are two reference points. One on the tip of the tape and a second one on the body of the tape measure housing. You use these two points to make a reference Measurement. There is also a tail to make inside measurements. It is more precise the butting the housing up against the inside corner.On the backside of the tape there is a second scale for Measuring pipes and cylinders. You can also draw a circle by using the small hole in the tape to insert a pencil and use the housing as the center point.These are hard too find but worth the price.

Very good tape measure for hard to measure inside dimensions. Wish they had an imperial version, too.

Little bit delicate marking tips.

This is definitely five stars. My only gripe with this tape measure is that it only comes in fu fu metric. How in the 21st century, the age of enlightenment, can a company realistically not sell a tape measure in “freedom units”. How am I supposed to measure my guns and fighter jets? Its honestly very disappointing. It's sad that using this I no longer have to convert 1/16 or 1/32 to a fraction. Sometimes I get so frustrated I feel like building a whole aircraft carrier all by myself. Alas I'm going to have to settle for accurate carpentry, buy at your own risk.

Original design, made for woodworking in metric, expensive but I would buy it again.