hardness tester

Evan Miner

Evan Miner

Maker
Joined
Nov 24, 2011
Messages
152
This morning I tried to do a search for the answers I'm after and kept getting an error so I figured I'd just all you fine gents what you would recommend for a hardness tester? What would be a fair price for a used one? What to look for in purchasing a used one? And any other concerns you can think of.
Thanks again for the help
 
They're a bit hard to find used, but good deals do pop up on Craigslist or Ebay once in a while. Main things to look for on used are that the diamond indenter and the internal weights are there. Prices vary, but I'd think 400 and under is possible. You may hear of folks who got them cheaper, but there are also likely satisfied folks who paid more.
 
That's pretty much what I was thinking cause I had found one on flea Bay that was 300 plus shipping but had no weights and my search to find replacement came up with nothing. So with the penetrator I see there are a bunch of different replacement ones. Are the machine specific? Or can you use just any one for the most part?
 
You want:

Rockwell C scale
a good condition diamond penetrator
Full set of weights ( usually three ) and the weight hanger
a test block or two in the Rc 58-62 range ( not an absolute, but nice to have)
Accessories for the tester ( usually a set of anvils and extra penetrators)
 
Last edited:
Evan Miner said:
That's pretty much what I was thinking cause I had found one on flea Bay that was 300 plus shipping but had no weights and my search to find replacement came up with nothing. So with the penetrator I see there are a bunch of different replacement ones. Are the machine specific? Or can you use just any one for the most part?
Click to expand...

I would not buy a tester without weights, unless I had a set or was prepared to make a weight. 150 KG is what's needed for a tester that reads in the C scale. Do not buy a Superficial tester, these read N scale and not what a knife maker wants.
 
If you have a lathe, and an accurate scale that measures up to 2000 grams, you can make your own weights for less than $25. Make them just slightly over weight, then drill a hole in one end to bring it to weight or slightly under. If needed, add lead bird shot into epoxy one at a time until you hit your target weight. Buying weights from a Mfg will run close to $300
 
If you have a lathe, and an accurate scale that measures up to 2000 grams, you can make your own weights for less than $25. Make them just slightly over weight, then drill a hole in one end to bring it to weight or slightly under. If needed, add lead bird shot into epoxy one at a time until you hit your target weight. Buying weights from a Mfg will run close to $300
 
Just to make sure that everyone knows, the weights do not weigh 150KG. They "create" 150KG of force at the penetrator. The weights actually weigh maybe 10KG or so. You need the weights for your exact scale or it will not read right.
 
Thanks every one for the insite, I'll continue to keep my eye out for one in the right price range and hopefully find something good. I don't have a lathe or a scale so making the weights would be out of the question there, and 300 for replacements just doesn't even sound fun.
 
I called it a a day myself after so much searching for excellent testers and $$$$ and questions about calibration and condition etc. Just spend $100 for a japanese hardness RC FILE tester set and will get you in the right ballpark cheap and sufficient. GoogleFoo or Amazon. A simple solution for the middling knife guy.
 
I have a set of hardness files and I'm just looking to be a bit more precise with it 55 to 60 on the files is a big swing in my opinion in how the blade will perform. So far the heat treats I do. I haven't had any real issues in performance. I just feel I need to more accurately what I'm producing and how consistent I am hitting those marks
 
I too have a ~$650 "PHR" portable tester - I got mine from eBay. The readings I get match the provided test pieces, and match anything I get back from Peters. However, I did have do do a makeshift calibration on mine - it was giving me readings that were consistently 2 RC points higher than actual. The documentation discloses this issue as a possibility.
 
They can be found at lower prices if you keep looking. Ebay, craigs list, govt. auctions, etc.

Mine was bought from an industrial liquidator in Michigan, when many plants and factories had closed. I bought it for $150 with $80 shipping. It came with a set of weights, a nice custom box of accessories, half a dozen test blocks, and several spare diamond penetrators. A month later I spotted the same seller had a second accessory box of similar goodies for sale at $20. I bought that too.
 
Sweet I'll keep my eye open and hope for a sweet deal like that. Thanks every one for the sound advise.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top