Convert furlong (US survey) to handbreadth Online | Free Length Converter
Furlong (US Survey)
The furlong (US survey) is a traditional unit of distance used in U.S. land surveying, defined as 1/8 of a U.S. survey mile, or exactly 660 U.S. survey feet. Since one U.S. survey foot equals approximately 0.3048006096 meters, the US survey furlong is about 201.1684 meters long.
While the difference between the US survey furlong and the international (standard) furlong is extremely small (just a few micrometers), it was significant in precise land measurements, particularly in legal and cadastral surveying contexts.
Key Conversions:
1 US survey furlong = 660 US survey feet
1 US survey furlong ≈ 220 yards
1 US survey furlong ≈ 201.1684 meters
8 US survey furlongs = 1 US survey mile
As of 2023, the U.S. has officially deprecated the use of the survey foot (and by extension the survey furlong) in favor of the international foot, but it may still appear in historical and legal documents.
Handbreadth
A handbreadth is a traditional unit of length based on the width of a human hand, typically measured from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the little finger when the hand is fully extended. It was commonly used in ancient and medieval times for everyday measurements.
The handbreadth is generally about 3 to 4 inches (approximately 7.5 to 10 centimeters), though the exact length could vary by culture and era.
It served as a practical, easy-to-use measure in tailoring, construction, and daily life before standardized units were established.
The handbreadth is one of several body-based units, like the span and palm, reflecting how humans used their own bodies for measuring.
Summary:
About 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm)
Based on the width of an extended hand
Used historically in various cultures
Practical for informal, everyday measurement
No conversions available for length.