Hardness Testers

Which hardness scale does your material need?

Start with the material. Soft rubber, synthetic rubber and elastomers call for a Shore durometer. Metal parts call for a Leeb impact tester that converts to Rockwell and other scales.

If you searched for a rockwell hardness tester, note that the Leeb testers here report HRC and HRB as converted values from an impact reading. Check the listing's stated range before you rely on a conversion.

• Shore A: soft rubber, synthetic rubber, elastomers, leather and wax (the Shore A dial listing names these materials)
• Shore C and Shore D: offered on the LXD-C and LXD-D digital models, with 0 to 100HC and 0 to 100HD ranges
• Leeb HLD: 170 to 960 HLD on the LS-200, with HRC from 17.9 to 69.5 HRC and HB from 19 to 683 HB

Analogue dial or digital display?

Analogue durometers like the GK156 give a dial scale of 0 to 100 and an accuracy of ±1HA. They need no battery and suit quick shop-floor checks on tyres and rubber.

Digital models show a numeric readout on an LCD, with 0.5HA resolution on the Shore A, C and D versions. The digital Shore durometer lists a 1 second response time. Battery details vary by listing: some include a 1.5V button battery, some don't, and the analogue dial doesn't need one.

Shore durometer or Leeb tester: how do they work?

A Shore durometer presses a needle into the surface. The pressure needle range is 2.5mm, and the reading comes from how far the needle travels. Press flat and square for a repeatable result.

A Leeb tester fires an impact body at the surface and measures its rebound. The LS-200 uses a D-type impact device, and the unit lists an indication error of ±6% at HLD=800 with repeatability of 0.8%.

The SKD-552 adds 100 group memory for storing readings, which helps with batch inspection records.

Check range, resolution and accuracy before you buy

Read the recommended measuring range, not just the full scale. The LXD models list a recommended range of 10 to 90 HA, so readings near 0 or 100 are less reliable.

Compare resolution and accuracy too. The digital Shore A listing shows ±2HA on its specification label, while the GK156 dial lists ±1HA. Match these figures to your tolerance.