Hardness comparison tables

 

 

What is hardness?


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.

 

 

Measurement of hardness


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.

 
Brinell 10mm ball Firth or Vickers 120kg C Scale 120 degree cone B scale 1/16™ ball
3000kg load 120kg load 150kg load 100kg load
800 - 72 -
780 1220 71 -
760 1170 70 -
745 1114 68 -
725 1060 67 -
712 1021 66 -
682 940 65 -
668 905 64 -
652 867 63 -
626 803 62 -
614 775 61 -
601 746 60 -
 
Brinell 10mm ball Firth or Vickers 120kg C scale 120 degree cone B scale 1/16™ ball
3000kg load 120kg load 150kg load 100kg load
552 649 56 -
545 639 55 -
529 606 54 -
514 587 53 120
502 565 52 119
495 551 51 119
477 534 49 118
461 502 48 117
451 489 47 117
444 474 46 116
427 460 45 115
415 435 44 115
 
Brinell 10mm ball Firth or Vickers 120kg C scale 120 degree cone B scale 1/16™ ball
3000kg load 120kg load 150kg load 100kg load
401 423 43 114
388 401 42 114
374 390 41 113
370 385 40 112
362 380 39 111
351 361 38 111
346 352 37 110
341 344 37 110
331 335 36 109
323 320 35 109
311 312 34 108
301 305 33 107
 
Brinell 10mm ball Firth or Vickers 120kg C scale 120 degree cone B scale 1/16™ ball
3000kg load 120kg load 150kg load 100kg load
293 291 32 106
285 285 31 105
276 278 30 105
269 272 29 104
261 261 28 103
258 258 27 102
255 255 27 102
249 250 26 101
245 246 25 100
240 240 24 99
237 235 23 99
229 226 22 98
 
Brinell 10mm ball Firth or Vickers 120kg C scale 120 degree cone B scale 1/16™ ball
3000kg load 120kg load 150kg load 100kg load
224 221 21 97
217 217 20 96
211 213 19 95
206 209 18 94
203 201 17 94
200 199 16 93
196 197 15 92
191 190 14 92
187 186 13 91
185 184 12 91
183 183 11 90
180 177 10 89
 
Brinell 10mm ball Firth or Vickers 120kg C scale 120 degree cone B scale 1/16™ ball
3000kg load 120kg load 150kg load 100kg load
175 174 9 88
170 171 7 87
167 168 6 87
165 165 5 86
163 162 4 85
160 159 3 84
156 154 2 83
154 152 1 82
152 150 - 82
150 149 - 81
147 147 - 80
145 146 - 79
 
Brinell 10mm ball Firth or Vickers 120kg C scale 120 degree cone B scale 1/16™ ball
3000kg load 120kg load 150kg load 100kg load
143 144 - 79
141 142 - 78
140 141 - 77
135 135 - 75
130 130 - 72