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[KyzerB]

What difference do they actually make? In what cases do you want steel picks?

[therahedwig]

DF simulates its combat, how fast things are to do, and other things, like magma proofness through the material properties.

For example, furniture made from wood is moved much faster than furniture made from nickel, but the latter can be used from magma proof pumps while making a pump from the former will burn it.

Similarly, hammers and maces are best made from heavy materials like silver and platinum, while swords and spears are best off made from materials than can be made super sharp, like steel or some of the special materials.

Some people even go for making bins and beds from the lightest wood in the game so that haulers can move them more quickly.

Steel picks are not really better than copper picks, but if miners are attacked a steel pick will be a more useful weapon than a copper one. Usually miners will run away though.

[Schmaven]

One thing to be aware of is that a miner with a steel pick who throws a tantrum will be much more lethal against your own dwarves and any militia you send to put them down.  So don't use every last (insert moodable crafting reagent here) too soon after the caravan leaves. 

I just give them copper picks and station a squad nearby if they're digging outside or in a dangerous cavern.  They haven't had to fight yet.   Well, the dragon required everyone to be drafted, but those are rare.

Although if your miner has a magma accident, a steel pick will certainly be reusable.  I don't know about the other metal picks.

[CaptainArchmage]

What difference do they actually make? In what cases do you want steel picks?

Firstly, value is affected by the material. A steel axe will cut down trees just as well as a copper axe, and a steel pick will mine stone just as well as a copper pick. However, in case of combat the material will make a big difference. Steel picks are pretty good if your miners get ambushed (note, however, use of a steel pick in combat trains the "mining" skill). In the more recent versions, not only will some materials perform better against others, but I believe the wear and tear suffered by the weapon will be altered, as well as the wear and tear inflicted upon armor.

This means copper weapons against iron armor will not last very long, while steel weapons will fare quite a bit better. Blunt weapons are best forged out of other materials, as damage used to be based on the density. The preferable material used to be silver due to it being the most dense material you could forge a weapon out of under normal circumstances. However, since wear and tear went into the game, this may have changed.

Outside of weapons and tools, the material used affects the weight and value. The former affects hauling speed, as well as blunt damage in case the object ever crashes into something. If a solid gold minecart crashes into someone, expect injuries. You can shoot gold statues or gold bars out of a minecart gun, and any creatures in the way will take an enormous amount of damage. The latter makes some things better or worse for trade and dwarves who have these items in their room may be more happy about them. Dwarves have material preferences too, so if a dwarf likes schist, they will get a bonus to happiness on top of the normal bonus given by the standard value.

Items made out of wood will generally burn if they end up in contact with fire or magma, and some materials are magma-safe. If you have an area in the fort that either handles magma or lava, or is expected to come into contact with magma or lava or a regular basis, consider making the furniture within out of magma-safe materials.

[anewaname]

If your fort doesn't have a source of iron, migrants with iron/steel axes and picks should be switched to a lesser material so it can be available for the military.

[Sver]

Blunt weapons are best forged out of other materials, as damage used to be based on the density. The preferable material used to be silver due to it being the most dense material you could forge a weapon out of under normal circumstances. However, since wear and tear went into the game, this may have changed.

Checking in to say that no, not really. Impact (blunt) strengths of metals in DF are way higher than shear (edged) strength, which leads to metal items being pretty much indestructible by blunt force. That is why blunt weapons are so weak against bronze colossuses.