The Tools You Will Use : Page 86
are far less likely to damage a stamp than would be thecase when using fingers. At first the use of tongs mayseem awkward but in almost no time at all you will findyour stamp tongs the most necessary of all tools. Securea pair that does not have too great a tension in the springhandle and use them on all occasions. Your stampdealer will have an assortment from which you maychose a pair that feels right to you. A satisfactory pairshould cost no more than twenty-five to fifty cents.
The Perforation Gauge and Millimeter Rule
This is a little gadget, often printed on paper or card-board and sometimes on metal or plastic, that makes itpossible for you to tell at a glance the gauge of the per-