Hardness comparison tables

Hardness should be considered as the material property and its ability to resist plastic deformation, usually by penetration. However, the expression 'hardness' in this context may also refer to its scratching, bending, abrasion or cutting resistance.

All tables and charts should be considered as giving approximate equivalents, particularly when converting to a method or scale which is not physically possible for the test material and thus cannot be verified. An example would be converting HV/10 or HR-15N value on a thin coating to the HRC equivalent. The data in the following table is approximate.