The official measuring device is three digital calipers which are pneumatically controlled to measure each shaving with a consistent pressure. The aim is to get below ten microns but below this it depends on the quality of the Hinoki wood you are given, the world record is two microns which is about the thickness of a spider web thread.
We had tracing paper as toilet paper at school when I was a kid. Tracing paper in toilet roll form. Plumbing blockages must have been a daily occurrence.
Crazy to me to actually use calipers to measure the thickness. At this point, I assumed you would just weigh the entire shaving, and extrapolate thickness from the total weight / area.
They use multiple measuring devices simultaneously to confirm evenness. Weight would enable you to calculate the average thickness but wouldn’t highlight any deviation from the mean.
As I mentioned to the other comment above, they do not qualify if there are breaks or tears. So I would imagine it is functionally impossible to beat the "thinnest possible" shaving, with a shaving that had significant variation in thickness.
And the point that I was trying to make is that evenness matters. A sample with a consistent 6 mcm thickness is clearly superior to one that varies between 2 and 10 mcm.
From the site in the comment currently 2nd highest- "the official measuring device; three digital calipers which were pneumatically controlled to measure each shaving with a consistent pressure. You had to carefully set it below the calipers, and when everything was set the operator would push a button and all three calipers simultaneously plunged down. The calipers were offset along the length of the shaving, but also across the width, giving measurements which revealed the overall consistency"
They might be confused because while the article does use the word calipers, the images and other references are micrometers. Even good quality calipers are only calibrated to ~25 microns, have no means of consistent pressure, and usually have knifelife jaws that would cut through the shaving
PunnyTiger
looks like that wood had a sunburn
amp99
KnifeKnut
Art-is-anal toilet paper
TheJudgeHasItBackwards
With the Canadian tariffs in place, that shaving will cost $35
endem1c
lol of course it's Japan (taking mundane things to the level of perfection)
middlehead
That's what you use to soak logs in wood
ferkelparade
StewedTomaters
The one Disney scene that bothered me as a kid. I think it was Donald's psychotic break
mercbrit
If ever I need a trasparent wafer thin plank of wood, I now know where to go to get one.
dunfoot
Eeet wiiieeell cutt
5ing
I’m always fascinated to see new things that people decide to devote their time to
FoxPesdassi
Coming soon: Wooden lingerie.
OMGamIImguringCorrectly
Hnnnnnnnnnnnngggghhhh
hnngh
Uhh....
Larktonguesinadicecup
No they're right. It's sexy
yesdearmetoo
https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPWE1NzM3M2U1YjR1N3BjeHFweW5pMGswYnR2NGJjMGhkNTBsbm0xN252YWUzZnBpbiZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/26gsobowozGM9umBi/200w.webp
TinyLiehon
He'd have such a blast at that competition. Too bad it's in Europe.
Gaverus
It is in face a trash continent
AllTheGoodOnesWereGone
What if the person who goes before you has a dull blade?
Fishkeeper
In a competition like this, probably nobody does. Be a bit like showing up to a basketball match blindfolded and with earplugs in.
MaleProstateMilker88
Man, I can smell all that wood.
skipweasel
If anyone's curious https://www.bigsandwoodworking.com/kezurou-kai-39/
implosion3
So niche.. I love it. Reminds me of this.. same art different medium
PonyMadness
That's not an anagram at all...
sticks44
Excellent write up!! Thanks :)
petonious
Now make graphene
Beezebubbles
Splinter free toilet paper was invented only 90 years ago.
JackDeHearts
ximzadix
Sodee
Fishkeeper
What kind of wood are they using to do this? Surely you can't just shave off a spiderweb's worth of any given plank and have it stay in one piece.
StewedTomaters
Idk why you got downvoted; it's a type of cypress called "hinoki"
Fishkeeper
Neat, thank you. I wonder how long it took them to figure out the best type of wood to do this with.
Wesar
Something inn found that very satisfying 😲 https://media4.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPWE1NzM3M2U1dnh4bjA4enYwM3pqb2JhbXRrM2phcGJxZ3IzOTVieDNhYjJwamlpeiZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/V5Fo25d17qELC3vQ3c/200w.webp
Icheckalltheusernames
Well, that's just plane amazing!!!
marthafarquar
The official measuring device is three digital calipers which are pneumatically controlled to measure each shaving with a consistent pressure. The aim is to get below ten microns but below this it depends on the quality of the Hinoki wood you are given, the world record is two microns which is about the thickness of a spider web thread.
Yakeshinu
I love hinoki. I can smell this post.
RobBobertyYT
Thanks I was wondering how they could measure something at this level.
DaveSamsonite
2 microns is like splitting a normal sheet of copy paper into more than 40 layers!
bl0ke
Why not just weigh it?
GrosseChung
Do you think measuring the area would be more exact, or easy for that matter?
bl0ke
Weight/area, just like.. uh.. paper.
sorple
so hella wispy a spider covets
THUB
2 microns is about 1/4 the thickness of a red blood cell. That's completely insane
DaveSamsonite
I find it very hard to believe based on the diameter of most paper fibers. Softwood paper fibers are 15 to 28 µm in diameter.
Higure
It's about 1/4 the WIDTH of a red blood cell (in the wide direction). Still bloody impressive.
Danack
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There%27s_Plenty_of_Room_at_the_Bottom
echoawoo
LPT: don't actually try swallowing your doctor, I have it on good authority they do not like that.
terajack2048
How walmart makes “wood” furniture
rajyeruh
But... why?
DanOrtega
Paper. The motherfucker did paper
Ryebread91
Anyone know what the hammer taps are doing?
textilelover
I assumed it was tightening up the opening of the plane, making it thinner.
kevinbaken
Reminds me of the toilet paper at my work.
Thatoneday
Remind me of my toilet work
pixelsnader
Thinnest Plane ☞ T.P.
PimpinKen
Yours is that soft? Lucky bastard.
DarkRedCape
We had tracing paper as toilet paper at school when I was a kid. Tracing paper in toilet roll form. Plumbing blockages must have been a daily occurrence.
smashole
You got that John Wayne toilet paper at your work also? Tough as fuck doesn't shit off of anyone. https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPWE1NzM3M2U1enQzc3J6Y2UxNzM0d2QzbzFxbjNsM2ljeG1vMWlkbWloaGsxcjNmNSZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/7djNoTOCNebEOBLfnb/200w.webp
Isiel89
Same. And my butt apparently likes it because I poop at work more than at home.
IceWeaselX
chewybrian
DonjuanV
Comment of the day
chewmaca2
That's probably softer
Dissipo
Nah, toilet paper at work is much more abrasive.
JackDeHearts
chewmaca2
Found in your favorite local Portland bars and restaurants.
Mistruths
For those who need to get peanut butter out of shag carpet
Zioxyl
Lol
ElbowDeepInUserSub
Crazy to me to actually use calipers to measure the thickness. At this point, I assumed you would just weigh the entire shaving, and extrapolate thickness from the total weight / area.
IndigoThursday
That's a good idea
WolfClickQueen
There's another competition next door to see who can measure the smallest things
Fishkeeper
That seems like it could be inaccurate if parts of the shaving are missing.
CommunCreator
They use multiple measuring devices simultaneously to confirm evenness. Weight would enable you to calculate the average thickness but wouldn’t highlight any deviation from the mean.
ElbowDeepInUserSub
As I mentioned to the other comment above, they do not qualify if there are breaks or tears. So I would imagine it is functionally impossible to beat the "thinnest possible" shaving, with a shaving that had significant variation in thickness.
CommunCreator
And the point that I was trying to make is that evenness matters. A sample with a consistent 6 mcm thickness is clearly superior to one that varies between 2 and 10 mcm.
NickRivieraMD
or if the density of the wood is not known exactly
pipatron
Where do you see calipers?
LadyHaywire
From the site in the comment currently 2nd highest- "the official measuring device; three digital calipers which were pneumatically controlled to measure each shaving with a consistent pressure. You had to carefully set it below the calipers, and when everything was set the operator would push a button and all three calipers simultaneously plunged down. The calipers were offset along the length of the shaving, but also across the width, giving measurements which revealed the overall consistency"
thisisotterpop
They might be confused because while the article does use the word calipers, the images and other references are micrometers. Even good quality calipers are only calibrated to ~25 microns, have no means of consistent pressure, and usually have knifelife jaws that would cut through the shaving
LadyHaywire
I hold my hands up in defeat, only time I've used/seen callipers being used is TB testing cattle & getting an exact measurement on their neck!