After buying those wooden pegs yesterday, I started wondering about the strange cryptic sizing system that’s printed within the “blue ring” and what the numbers are actually all about.
I did some research and found a post over on the The HCC that stated that the first number is the length of the peg in 1/8 inch increments, and the second number is the width as a gauge measurement, the larger the number, the smaller the width.
I decided to test this explanation and compare what measurements should be using this theory with actual measurements taken from a sampling of pegs, and so I broke out the vernier caliper to take some measurements. So scientific huh?
Blau Ring 4 1/2 – 14
4.5 x 1/8 inch (4.5 x 3.175 mm = 14.287 mm) in length
by 14 gauge (1.628 mm) in width
Actual measurements: 15 mm in length by 2 mm in width
Blau Ring 5 1/2 – 12
5.5 x 1/8 inch (5.5 x 3.175 mm = 17.462 mm) in length
by 12 gauge (2.053 mm) in width
Actual measurements: 18 mm in length by 2 mm in width
Blau Ring 6/11
6 x 1/8 inch (6 x 3.175 mm = 19.05 mm) in length
by 11 gauge (2.305 mm) in width
Actual measurements: 20.52 mm in length by 2.5 mm in width
Blau Ring 7/9
7 x 1/8 inch (9 x 3.175 mm = 22.225 mm) in length
by 9 gauge (2.906 mm) in width
Actual measurements: 24 mm in length by 2.75 mm in width
In actual measurements, all the lengths are longer than what they should be by a 1/8 inch increment system and widths are a little off as well. For example there’s no difference between the 14 1/2 and the 15 1/2. Both are 2 mm.
The two sets of numbers are close though and the pegs are wood after all with quite a bit of variation within a box.
Honestly, for lack of any information from the manufacturer, this 1/8 inch by gauge theory of the measuring system is a good enough guide for what’s on top of and in the box. The 1/8 inch length system could perhaps be related to heel height being measured in 1/8 inch increments, and the wooden pegs might be drawn through a series of gauge plates in order to reduce there size during manufacturing.
For now though, what the exact meaning of these two sets of numbers are and why the two measurements on some sizes are separated by a “-” and on others by a “/” will have to remain a mystery contained within the “Blau Ring.”
