Wise words from a neat little notebook. The Measure 2 Cut 1 Notebook is one in a series of cool, spiral-bound notebooks designed and built by our crafty friends to the north in Canada. They all come with a pencil included (nice, eh?), feature rugged construction, and are filled with 100 pages of heavy 70 lb. graph paper for sketching out floor plans, landscaping, grocery lists...

There are two related carpenter's adages:
the first, Measure Twice Cut Once rings true to any builder who, out of experience, can relate that careful measurement is good. Measuring twice will surprise you now and then, yielding a different measurement the second time around. Of course, if you do get two different measurements there is a very attentive third (you gotta nip this in the bud as you don't want to measure all day!) with a hopefully confirming result and a brief, gleeful moment that you got it right now, and you're not gonna waste lumber!

the second, Measure Once Cut Twice, kinda sounds like the antithetical joke for the measuring twice rule. But it isn't a joke at all! Measure Once Cut Twice is a painful reminder of times when things didn't go so well (or if they were they quickly went South). When you thought you had it all right and you had confidence and - wham! - you ended up with a piece of expensive stock cut precisely to an exact measurement: an inch to short! Of course, it was your last long board. Your pride wounded, you then remembered that wise old saying, Measure Twice Cut Once!

So if you're buying one of these well made little books to mark your measures; buy two! Also consider pairing it with the Contractor's Handbook, a larger 6x9 graph ruled book that can accommodate bigger drawings and longer lists. But, this little guy is what will end up getting the mileage, as it fits in the pocket and is handy when you need it.