I like a big ruler but 6 inches is fine. I prefer a 3/4 to 6 inch wide ruler, so I don't think there's anything wrong with that. The engraving is clear and legible even to my 64 year old eyes. I think that's a big deal for the value. I bought them mainly for the hanging hole. My business has many rules. They have a hole to hang them over my bench and I bought them for that purpose only. So if I leave my ruler at the machine shop or weld shop, they're still hanging there. All scales are useful. Buy a set of calipers for less.