When testing for hardness, remember that you are testing “the resistance to scratching.” During the test, some materials might fail in other ways. They could break, deform, or crumble instead of scratching. Hard materials often break when subjected to stress. This is a lack of toughness. Other materials might deform or crumble when subjected to stress. These materials lack strength. Always keep in mind that you are testing for the resistance to being scratched. Don’t be fooled by other types of failure in the specimen being tested.