thick and of a size which will permit cutting a specimen by one
of the standard methods (see Practice D 3182). Sheets may be
prepared directly by processing or from finished articles by
cutting and buffing. If obtained from a manufactured article,
the specimen shall be free of surface roughness, fabric layers,
etc. in accordance with the procedure described in Practice
D 3183. All specimens shall be cut so that the lengthwise
portion of the specimens is parallel to the grain unless
otherwise specified. In the case of sheets prepared in accordance
with Practice D 3182, the specimen shall be 2.0 6 0.2
mm (0.08 6 0.008 in.) thick died out in the direction of the
grain. Use Die C, Fig. 2 (unless otherwise noted) to cut the
specimens from the sheet with a single impact stroke (hand or
machine) to ensure smooth cut surfaces.