Straight edge to facilitate holding and measuring and to provide protection when cutting

A guiding device, comprising:

• an elongated, first portion having a finger-resting surface and a bottom surface opposite to said finger-resting surface;
• an elongated, second portion extending along said first portion, said second portion having an upstanding section and an inclined scale-supporting section, said upstanding section projecting upwardly from said finger-resting surface and having an uppermost free end, said upstanding section being positioned between said scale-supporting section and said first portions, said first and second portions having a generally T-shaped cross-section;
• and
• an elongated first scale having a lower surface rigidly and unreleasably attached to said scale-supporting section, an upper surface having first indicia to indicate predetermined lengths along said first scale, an innermost edge positioned closest to said free end of said upstanding section, and an outmost edge remote from said innermost edge and forming a free end of said first scale such that an implement can be moved against said free end of said first scale, and said supporting surface being substantially flat and positioned directly beneath and along the entire length of said finger-resting surface directly adjacent said upstanding section, and beneath said scale supporting section to permit smooth application of said guiding device on the working surface and an innermost edge of said first scale positioned closest to a free end of said upstanding section, and an outermost edge remote from said innermost edge, wherein the substantially flat supporting surface cooperates with the scale supporting section to define a generally V-shaped cross-section and wherein said guiding device has a solid cross-sectional configuration, and
• said bottom surface of said first portion being configured to be placed against a substantially flat working surface, and said upper surface of said first scale being inclined with respect to the working surface such that said innermost edge of said first scale is further from the working surface than said outermost edge of said first scale, and
• said finger-resting surface permitting fingers of a user gripping said guiding device to be positioned on said finger-resting surface while being protected from said implement by said upstanding section during movement of the implement along said guiding device, adjacent said first scale.

A guiding device, comprising:

• an elongated finger-resting surface;
• an elongated upstanding section projecting upwardly from said finger-resting surface;
• an elongated scale-supporting section coupled to and extending along said upstanding section with said upstanding section being positioned between said scale-supporting section and said finger-resting surface, said scale-supporting section being inclined with respect to a guiding device supporting surface;
• and
• an elongated first scale having a lower surface and an upper surface, said lower surface being rigidly and unreleasably attached to said scale-supporting section and said upper surface having first indicia to indicate predetermined lengths along said first scale, and said supporting surface being substantially flat and positioned directly beneath and along the entire length of said finger-resting surface directly adjacent said upstanding section, and beneath said scale supporting section to permit smooth application of said guiding device on the working surface and an innermost edge of said first scale positioned closest to a free end of said upstanding section, and an outermost edge remote from said innermost edge, and forming a free end of said first scale such that an implement can be moved against said free end of said first scale, wherein the substantially flat supporting surface cooperates with the scale supporting section to define a generally V-shaped cross-section, and wherein said guiding device has a solid cross-sectional configuration, and
• said finger-resting surface permitting fingers of a user gripping said guiding device to be positioned on said finger-resting surface while being protected from said implement by said upstanding section during movement of the implement along said guiding device adjacent said first scale.