When doing a test for hardness, you are analyzing a specimen’s resistance to scratch or abrasion. Rather than being scratched or scraped, some specimens may fail by being broken, distorted, or shattered during the test. When placed under tension or stress, specimens that are said to be hard often break due to a shortage or absence of toughness. On the other hand, other specimens may be distorted or shattered when tension or stress is placed because of deficiency in its strength. Remember, you are testing a specimen’s resistance to scratch or abrasion so don’t be misled by these or other kinds of flop when assessing a specimen. 

1. Start by finding a clean, even, unblemished surface part of the specimen that needs assessing.
2. Put a firm grip on the specimen to be assessed. You may put it against a counter or table top for support as long as the surface of the test specimen is visible and accessible.
3. Take another object or specimen whose hardness is already known. Using its pointed edge, firmly press it through the test specimen and attempt to scrape or scratch the surface.
4. Inspect the surface of the test specimen. Using your finger, clear out any mineral residue or fragments then feel and check for any clear and evident abrasion. If the test specimen was scratched, then its hardness is softer or similar to the material you used to scratch or scrape it. But if no scratch was produced on the surface of the test specimen, then is harder than the material you used to scratch it.
5. It is best to administer the test again to validate your outcome or result particularly if you are uncertain or have questions about the results of the test. Make sure you use another clear, smooth surface.

In assessing the hardness of a mineral sample, the Hardness Picks are very easy to use. Each pick has a sharp metal point of different hardness used for precise testing. It has a plastic tip (H=2), a copper tip (H=3), and cautiously chosen alloys with hardness ranging from 4 to 9. These picks allow you to gain more control and the sharp tips may be used to test small mineral particles in rocks. However, there are quite a few simple tools that can be very useful and handy for a quick hardness test. Here are some examples:

1. A fingernail has a hardness of 2.5. If you are able to scrape or make an abrasion on the exterior of a mineral sample using your fingernail, instantly you will be able to identify that its hardness is less than 2.5. A little harder than gypsum having a hardness of 2 but softer than calcite having the hardness of 3.
2. Another tool used that is a little harder than you fingernail is a copper coin or a penny. It has the hardness of 3.0. When you are able to scratch a specimen with a penny it means that it has at least or an equal value of hardness that of a calcite having a hardness of 3.
3. Typically, a normal knife with a steel blade has a hardness of around 5.5.

You can confidently surmise that your sample mineral is harder than calcite (H=3) but softer than orthoclase (H=6) if a penny doesn’t scrape or make an abrasion to your mineral sample but the steel blade of the knife will.