I must be getting old. I usedta never was sentimental about things.

Anyway, yesterday I went through all my micrometers and the ones that
measured the most accurately and consistently using gage blocks and the
few Starret standards I have were the Starretts. Those all came from my
Grampa Klements and they are all very old. Some may be 80-100 years
old. I was quite surprised. But not only were they consistent over a
range, but they were all adjusted. None were tight or sticky or anything.

In those from my grandfather there were two marked JT Slocomb. They
actually checked pretty close on the line and over their range, but they
were both quite stiff. I wonder if it would be ok to soaked them in
acetone to get any gunk out of them.

Next were my modern El Cheapo Chinese micrometers. I've only actually
bought one. The others just came to me here and there. They were all
pretty decent. Most were within a couple tenths over their range. I did
have to adjust a couple, but they measured consistently at minimum and
maximum range. All of them. One set of Speedways that came out of a
pile of salvage from an old house were all as good as I could expect for
cheap imports.

Last, and the other set I had hoped would be good were a set of four
Companion D.J. 0-4 inch. My dad told me they were cheap when he gave
them to me, but atleast I didn't have to engrave them. They all were
already marked with R. La Londe. (his name and mine) The 0-1" was dead
on when I checked it with a gage block, but the standard that came with
it was about a half thou off. Two of the others measured consistently
but where off. One by .00016 and the other by .004. The biggest one I
couldn't get a consistent measurement out of to save my life, and it was
very stiff. When I rolled the barrel out I could see it was full of
some old sticky gunk. Again... I wonder if I can soak it in some
acetone. I'd like to adjust the other two, but I don't see how. They
do not adjust the same way as any of my other micrometers, and the case
doesn't have any kind of tool or even a slot for one.

Interestingly every single 0-1" I have was good. No matter the brand or
where it came from.