Analyzing how hard something is can be far more complicated than the layman might think. For complex measurements, someone may have to actually use a special device to measure the relative hardness. This involves using a portable hardness tester to review the material and ultimately place it somewhere on the Rockwell scale. This is obviously beyond the needs of many ordinary people, but there are many who need good portable hardness testers for their job.

There are several reasons to make sure that you buy quality. The biggest reason is ensuring that the measurements remain accurate. A number of the cheaper models save money by using steel balls instead of tungsten carbide balls. The difference is that the steel isn’t always hard enough to properly measure the test material. This doesn’t mean just one bad result though. Using it on something too hard will possibly bend or flatten the balls, making any future measurements completely inaccurate and unusable. Would you use a bent ruler if you were a carpenter?

The point is that you shouldn’t be frugal with such an important tool. Proper measurements are very important and they’ll make sure that there aren’t any unplanned issues with the next big project.