Experiments were conducted to determine the relationship between the increase of the crack-tip strain and the angle of bend of precracked 3-point-bend specimens in order to ascertain the criterion for crack extension. A low-alloy, medium-strength steel was employed in the tests, and use was made of etching by Fry's reagent nd microhardness measurements. Support is found for the view that the basic criterion for crack extension is the maximum shear stress criterion.