Toilet rolls - ripping?

[Catso]

Why - even with the perforations - are toilet rolls so much better at ripping lengthways than crossways?

[Mattk]

grain direction ?

[Catso]

Possibly, but why have a biassed grain at all and if so why not make it the other way so they rip off sheet-wise.

[heathfield]

They're made in a big wide roll running with the grain, as Mattk suggests. (It's the way the paper's made). The long roll is then cut up into the lengths you buy them at. If there's a tear in the paper during the big rolling up process, it will only effect a couple of the finished rolls.
if the paper tore sideways, a whole batch would have to be discarded. Suits the manufacturers, if not the users!

[Wong]

You get what you pay for - precision machinery is paramount. Only the cheap toilet rolls are apt to tear lengthways. Try a few different brands if it bugs you. Unless you want to pay more you may find that you have to forgo other luxuries provided (e.g. softness, thickness) for the ultimate in perforation perfection. Every loo roll has something to write home about but to get the best you have to pay for it

[Clanad]

The "grain" in all paper products is known as 'woof' and 'warp'. Almost anything made of paper will tear more easily in one direction than another...

[Whickerman]

because you're usually applying a downward force to tissue paper...

[mibn2cweus]

I once heard of a beleaguered woman relating a tale about her husband, a master of frugality, separating two ply tissue onto two empty rolls thereby obtaining two rolls for the price of one. <"?

[Matheous]

You know, mibn2cweus I DO believe that!