Convert Link to Hand
Convert links to hands instantly. 1 link = 1.98 hand — use the live calculator, the exact formula, a conversion table and worked examples. Also check the Hand to Link converter for the reverse conversion.
Units explained
Link
A link is an Imperial unit of length equal to 7.92 inches (201.168 mm) — exactly 1/100 of a surveyor's chain. It is the smallest unit in the chain-based survey measurement system.
The link was defined by Edmund Gunter in 1620 as part of his 22-yard surveying chain. He divided the chain into 100 links specifically to enable easy decimal arithmetic when computing parcel areas.
Links appear in historical US and UK land survey documents (especially pre-1900). Modern surveyors generally use feet or meters but legacy deed records and government land surveys still cite acreage in chains and links.
Defined by Edmund Gunter in 1620; standardised as 7.92 inches via the chain definition; became exact via the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement.
Hand
A hand is an Imperial unit of length equal to 4 inches (101.6 mm). It is used primarily to measure the height of horses at the withers.
The hand derives from the average breadth of a human hand and was standardised at exactly 4 inches by the Statute of Henry VIII in 1541.
Hands are used worldwide for horse height specification (the typical riding horse is 14–17 hh). Also used in some equestrian-adjacent contexts. The unit is now almost exclusively a horse-measurement convention.
Standardised at 4 inches by Henry VIII in 1541; value became exact in 1959 when the inch was fixed at 25.4 mm.
Link to Hand conversion formula
The relationship between links and hands:
To convert links to hands, multiply the value in links by 1.98. To reverse, multiply hands by 0.5050505051.
How to use this converter
Type a value into the calculator. The result in hands updates as you type. Tap a quick value, copy the result with one click, or use the swap arrow to jump straight to the Hand to Link converter for the reverse direction.
Step-by-step: convert links to hands
- Write down the value in links (lk).
- Multiply that value by the factor 1.98.
- The product is the equivalent value in hands (hh).
- To reverse, multiply the hand value by 0.5050505051.
Worked examples
Example 1 — Convert 1 lk to hh:
1 × 1.98 = 1.98 hh
Example 2 — Convert 100 lk to hh:
100 × 1.98 = 198 hh
Real-world example — Adult height conversion
A 1.8-link-tall person measures a value in hands that converts the height to the unit favoured by American forms, schools, or driver's licences. This is daily routine for anyone living between metric and imperial systems.
1.8 lk × 1.98 = 3.564 hh
Real-world example — Fabric purchase length
Two links of fabric equals a value in hands essential for tailors and textile buyers sourcing material from international suppliers that quote in different units.
2 lk × 1.98 = 3.96 hh
Real-world example — Maritime depth conversion
A 10-link sounding depth converts cleanly into hands. Recreational divers and sailors translate between the two units whenever they read legacy charts against modern depth-sounder displays.
10 lk × 1.98 = 19.8 hh
Link to Hand conversion table
Standard reference values for converting links to hands:
| Link [lk] | Hand [hh] |
|---|---|
| 0.01 | 0.0198 |
| 0.1 | 0.198 |
| 1 | 1.98 |
| 2 | 3.96 |
| 3 | 5.94 |
| 4 | 7.92 |
| 5 | 9.9 |
| 10 | 19.8 |
| 20 | 39.6 |
| 30 | 59.4 |
| 40 | 79.2 |
| 50 | 99 |
| 100 | 198 |
| 500 | 990 |
| 1000 | 1980 |
Frequently asked questions
How many hands is 1 link?
How do I convert links to hands?
How do I convert hands back to links?
How many hands is 100 links?
Popular length unit conversions
Convert Link to other length units
Show all Link conversions
Metric / SI (4 units)
Imperial / US Customary (26 units)
Sources & references
Conversion factor (1 lk = 1.98 hh) verified against the following authoritative sources:
- BIPM — The International System of Units (SI Brochure 9th ed.)
Official BIPM publication defining the seven SI base units (including the meter) and the rules for their use. The global authority on units of measurement.
- NIST — Guide to the SI
US National Institute of Standards and Technology reference covering the SI base and derived units with definitions and usage rules for US technical practice.
- NIST Special Publication 811 — Guide for the Use of the International System of Units
Detailed NIST guide covering exact conversion factors between SI and US customary units along with formatting and rounding conventions.
- NIST — Refinement of values for the yard and pound (Federal Register 1959)
The treaty (signed by US
- International Hydrographic Organization — Resolution on the Nautical Mile
International authority that standardised the nautical mile at exactly 1852 m in 1929 — the value adopted worldwide for sea and air navigation.