Really?
I could and did simply eyeball my points and could hit almost exactly .017 - this was a while back --on flathead Fords --
matchbooks are about .015--.018--
Xacto #11's--.020
Hard to relate these ideas to those who have never set points - or adjusted mechanical brakes --
But I got used to HEI ignition/ pointless ignition /ignition modules ,etc..
What really amazes me is my little Japanese cars which will run 200,000 miles without burning oil.
And still go like crazy.
When I was a kid - the engines needed the valves touched up by 50,000 miles and it was a rare engine which was still sharp at 100,000.
Anyway - the lowly spark plug is still the same ol piece of sh-t it always was and it is hard to forget the symptoms.