Measuring Stamp Thickness

What do people use to measure stamp thickness?

A micrometer or a Vernier caliper, but with extreme care.

SAFE 9680 Digital Micrometer.

It is indispensible for any collection of Índia Portuguêsa Corôa keytype and Ceres issues with several varieties of paper.

Per Joy and docfd, it is best to use a paper thickness micrometer rather than a standard one to avoid false readings and damage. That said, a quick check of non-philatelic paper micrometers show ones with large anvils unsuited to measure stamps.

Remember also that you are measuring paper only and not ink and paper. You'll also have to compensate for gum on mint stamps.

Micrometer
This what I use $20 from ebay

The little knurled knob at the end, has to be used with an ultra light feel,
like massaging the wings of a butterfly.



This was recommended to me

In this 2015 thread on Banknote double paper, a spring loaded paper micrometer/dial thickness gauge calibrated to .0001 inch is recommended for the measurement of stamp thickness.
https://goscf.com/t/39059&whichpage...Double,paper

This is my tool of choice.

https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/331625680258

I also don't get concerned about measuring ink thickness on top of paper thickness. I find the stamps that I measure have a very predictable range of thicknesses using my technique.

@rod222



I am struggling to visualize how Rod massages the alæ of papiliones, considering the fact that the alæ are full of lepis (thus imparting its taxonomic Order the name Lepidoptera) which invariably will result unpleasant desquamation.

Here is the paper thickness guide in Mundifil (ex-Afinsa) for Por. Colonies stamps including Índia Portuguêsa.

Here's picture of both-I use them often-on steel not paper-but I like the picture-

This one is $30.00
https://www.baileigh.com/index.php/...AiFBEALw_wcB

VINCA Digital Calipers - Under $20
https://www.ebay.com/i/253332709831?chn=ps

I use both of these - but stick with a steel/aluminum versions like the one above. The all plastic versions are not as accurate--you may encounter inaccurate readings.

General Tool - Digital Calipers - Under $20
https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&k...4yl9s8w68a_e

Of course, you can spend a lot more and buy a Mitutoyo, but you don't need it for hobby use.

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you as I've been away for a few days.

Thanks for all your comments. I think I'll go for he type of micrometer as suggested by Rod et al.

Measuring the thickness of something like paper also has a large dependency upon the user and the process. If you give the same tool and the same paper to 10 people, it is not unusual to see a range of measurements.

Between the other issues noted (i.e. ink thickness) and the user variances; I do not recommend that hobbyists try to measure paper thickness. It is VERY easy to for confirmation bias to influence the process. With the process being so dependent upon the tactical feel, it is important to maintain a consistent, unbiased process.
Don

Thanks for that caveat, Don. I would, however, like to give it a try. Based on your comments, my best strategy would be a comparative approach. Let's say that a particular stamp has thicknesses of 0.0075 and 0.01 and I test a batch. If one comes in at, say, 0.83 and the others range from 0.0097 to 0.0115. Also, there may be visual clues (my interest is Australia). These factors combined should give a fair degree of confidence in the discovery of a "thin paper" variety.

Well that's my theory ;) And the cost of trying this out is not horrendous.