The document provides instructions for conducting hardness tests on metal specimens using a hardness tester. It lists mild steel, carbon steel, brass and aluminum as example materials to test. The theory section explains that hardness is the resistance of a material to plastic deformation from an indenter. There are three main types of hardness tests: scratch, rebound, and indentation. The procedure involves securely mounting a specimen, applying a preliminary load and then a major load using a loading lever, allowing the pointer to come to rest, removing the load and recording the hardness reading. Observation tables are included to record readings for each specimen tested.