What isn’t a surprise, is that nearly all the hidden features are an offshoot of the measuring. Take the little curved slot on the end hook. It’s not there for aesthetic reasons but rather enables users to grab onto the tip of a nail or screw to hold it in place, instead of asking a friend to hold it. So if you’re measuring a long flat surface and there’s no one else around to hold it for you, you can simply lightly tap in a nail or screw, and then hook it through the tiny slot so the tape measure actually stays in position. It tends to work better than sliding the tape measure hook into a groove in the floor, and then worrying it’s going to come loose any second.
Right underneath that little nail slot is another feature easy to overlook: a serrated edge. This isn’t there in case a friend isn’t around, it’s there in case you don’t have a marking tool handy like a pencil or pen, and don’t want to have to find the exact spot again while you go looking for one. By simply swiping it back and forth over the surface, as this video from The Maker displays, you’ll create a harmless little mark that’s still totally visible and will save you when you realize you forgot to tuck a pencil over your ear.
