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As a test to tell you if you are making a good knife, the Rockwell test is such a small piece of a very large puzzle that I feel many make too much of it. On the other hand, as a test to help evaluate your heat treatment, the Rockwell tester is an invaluable piece of equipment that you will wonder why you didn?t get one sooner after you start using it. If you are looking get the maximum consistency from a heat treatment that you know is giving you what you want, the Rockwell tester is worth every penny, but it has to be dialed in and used correctly.
What the tester will do is eliminate the human bias and unwanted variables giving you verifiable hard data on your process, but to do this you have to be able to trust that the machine is reading correctly. Do not cut any corners on your test blocks and keep the machine calibrated, otherwise the bad data can be worse that no data at all. Keep the tester in a clean, dry place that has very little temperature fluctuations. Check it regularly with your test blocks and take a series of readings and average them for the most accuracy. I often am shown a single dimple, or one on a coarse finish or bevel, by folks showing they know their blade hardness. I try to smile and keep my mouth shut but they really have nothing as far as usable information.
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