Strip form is useful for the in-between sizes. A reasonably good Magnifying Glass is an essential adjunct to the serious collector's outfit, as it enables the critical examination of the fine details of a design, or the quality of a specimen. The intricate detail and beauty of some of the designs thus brought to light are one of the pleasures of the hobby. Magnifiers are obtainable ranging from the modern all plastic models, cheap enough for the slimmest purse, to the electrically lit super magnifiers now available. Measurement is done by means of a gauge, perforation gauge, which may be simple printed scale on card or paper, or engraved on transparent plastic.
Position finder is a useful gadget for the variety hunter.
11 is a plastid transparent type of gauge which bears an imprinted grid of small squares, quadrilled pattern, with which one can chart the position of stamp flaws and varieties. The squares are numbered across the top and lettered dowm one side, and when the grid is placed over the stamp with the guidelines at top and left just touching the outer edges of the stamp design, the location of the flaw can be recorded according to the squares in which it falls.