Abstract: A sensing rod and two parallel guide rods project from the housing of a thread tension gage dimensioned to be carried in one hand and operated by pressure of one finger on a push-button which causes the threat-engaging end portions of the guide rods to advance into a common plane with the corresponding portion of the sensing rod. Further push-button movement causes the guide rods to wrap the tested thread over a portion of the sensing rod circumference, and the force of the tensioned thread deflects the sensing rod which is mounted on a torsion spring. The deflection of the sensing rod can be read from a scale calibrated in units of the thread tension.