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Ligne to the Inch? 11, 12, or 16?

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10,524
Location
DnD Ranch, Cherokee County, GA
I've seen a definition that has it at 1/11th of an inch but also seen hat websites that use 1/12th of an inch. Somebody replied here that it was 1/16th. I've always like 1/12th cause that was easy with 2 ligne = 1/6", 3 ligne = 1/4", 4 ligne = 1/3", 6 ligne = 1/2", 9 ligne = 3/4" & 12 ligne = 1". Is this another enigma like the X's in a Stetson hat?
 

zetwal

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,343
Location
Texas
Perhaps I'm dull but I thought that there wasn't really a direct and invariable connection between ligne and inches. I thought that ligne was the old French term used to refer to the the number of horizontal winding rows on the ribbon. Thus the translation from linge to ribbon width in inches is variable within the range you mention. I'll go read the other thread too -
 
Messages
10,524
Location
DnD Ranch, Cherokee County, GA
zetwal said:
...I thought that ligne was the old French term used to refer to the the number of horizontal winding rows on the ribbon. Thus the translation from linge to ribbon width in inches is variable within the range you mention...-
I thought that was "ply", like 2 ply on my Stetson 25 that I wore yesterday & 3 ply like somebody bought yesterday...[huh]
 

Lone_Ranger

Practically Family
Messages
500
Location
Central, PA
That's interesting. I have always heard "Ligne" used in sizing metal buttons.


Waterbury Button Company.

http://www.waterburybutton.com/cart/pc/home.asp


(From their website)

Ligne Sizes Defined

20 Ligne = 1/2" dia. = 12.700 MM

25 Ligne = 5/8" dia. = 15.875 MM

30 Ligne = 3/4" dia. = 19.050 MM

35 Ligne = 7/8" dia. = 22.225 MM

40 Ligne = 1" dia. = 25.400 MM

45 Ligne = 1-1/8" dia. = 28.58 MM
 

HATCO

Vendor
Messages
191
Location
TEXAS
My ruler from sometime before. I think the 60's-70's...Not sure exactly....

I redrew the 1/8" dividers as they are worn and very faint...

rulerwf7.jpg




I think it's not exactly right though as seen below

ruler2ae2.jpg


Measuring the distance between each multiple of 6 lignes for the whole ruler gives an average of .540"
 

Brad Bowers

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,187
I use the 1/11 measure, because the rolls of 2" ribbon I buy are marked 22 1/4 ligne, which rounds out to 11 lignes to the inch. I have no idea what's the historical definition of ligne.

Brad
 

zetwal

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,343
Location
Texas
And I just looked at both sides of a ribbon and see that there aren't any visible horizontal rows at all. I don't know why I thought there were -
 

Joshbru3

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,409
Location
Chicago, IL
Here's an ad from a 1915 Edition of the American Hatter



15 Lignes = 1 1/4 inches wide

18 Lignes = 1 1/2 inches wide

23 Lignes = 2 inches wide
 

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