Submitted by: Brendan Ravenhill
I started using a 6” combination square when I worked as a boatbuilder in the Bronx at a nonprofit called Rocking the Boat. I’d been using a 12” combination square but found that the 6” square suddenly doubled in utility. Small enough to tuck in an apron or back pocket, the square could now be kept at hand to quickly pencil out cuts and transfer marks.
When I burned out on buying cheap squares from hardware stores, which would always fail when the ruler lock screw wore out, I turned to eBay to search for vintage Starretts. What I found was a rich variety of styles, conditions and prices. I’ve now bought four, and my favorites are the old models with the waffle weave body surface. Some of them are close to 100 years old, but they are still as true and satisfying to use as ever.