The Japanese "sumi-tsubo", used to draw straight lines, has been used by carpenters, masons, and other construction workers for many centuries and is till used today. It is made of wood with one end containing a spool to hold a long length of strong string and the other end hollowed out into a shallow bowl to hold cotton saturated with "sumi", or black ink. The string or cord is pulled through the ink, drawn taut, and then lifted near the center and quickly released to snap b ...click for details
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