Steel rulers are a mainstay in many a workshop. From a design standpoint, you'd think there isn't much to them: Add a satin finish so they don't glare under shop lights, and make the numbers easy to read. With their "Pick Up" line of rulers, Japanese manufacturer Shinwa has met these first two criteria…

…and they've also added a brilliant third feature we've all needed, but never thought much about.

If you've ever struggled to pick up a ruler that isn't at the edge of your workbench, you'll appreciate it. The ruler has a slightly kicked-up tail, like on a skateboard. Once it's tilted back, you can easily grab the thing, even if you've just cut your nails.

To me, that's a designer or engineer going the extra mile. (Er, kilometer.)