Which is a class characteristic of a tool mark?

• A. Size
• B. Manufacturing marks
• C. Individual wear
• D. Drag marks

Answer: (B)

In tool-mark analysis, features are sorted into class characteristics, which come from the tool’s type or how it’s manufactured, and individual characteristics, which arise from unique wear or damage on a specific tool. Manufacturing marks are created during production and tend to be shared by all tools of the same design and brand, reflecting the production process rather than a single instrument’s history. That makes manufacturing marks a classic example of a class characteristic: they help identify the general type or maker of the tool, not the exact individual tool involved. In contrast, wear patterns or damage from use would be unique to one tool, drag marks relate to how the tool was moved during use, and size can vary with circumstances and doesn’t alone establish a tool’s class trait.