The role of artificial contact materials in experimental use-wear studies: A controlled proxy to understand use-wear polish formation

•Cutting movement on natural as well as on artificial contact material led to the development of use-wear traces.•Hard contact material has more impact on the change in surfaces roughness compared to soft contact material.•When the tool surface gets abraded, the surface does not necessarily get smoother; surface roughness can also increase.•Both, tool use intensity/duration and tool raw material properties highly affect wear formation.•The use of artificial contact material offers various advantages (ethical aspects etc.).