(Repost of a previous unanswered question)
It seems to me that metals such as bronze or Iron were always relatively expensive and require significant industry and/or trade to use them in large quantities. At the same time the majority of common people may not have the resources to buy large amounts of metal tools.
If I walked into an ancient Egyptian farmhouse, would the family there be using stone or metal tools? In a Hittite army, would any of the soldiers be carrying stone spears or arrows?
Despite the examples, this question is pretty broad and I would be interested in answers from any region/time period. When do stone tools finally begin to die out as commonplace items? Could anybody after Antiquity still be using them?
This entirely depends on the culture and region how quick they switch from stone to metals. There is most of the times a transition period. It's a very gradual process. In the beginning of the Bronze Age there would be a lot of stone tools around. At the end less so. In the beginning of the Iron Age there will be even less stone tools but still a lot of bronze tools. At the end of the Iron Age there would be some stone tools around and less bronze once than in the beginning but a lot of iron tools. You get the point.
It is also dependant on which tool if it is replaced by a metal one and if it even can be replaced by a metal one.
A few examples.
The Inca Empire at it's height was in the Bronze Age. But they still used stone axes and maces.
In the beginning of the Hallstatt Period, bronze tools were still abundant. Some stone tools were still in use. Like grinding stones, flints (for making fire).
In 19th and even 20th and 21th century Europe grinding stones are still a thing in windmills. Same goes for wet stones for sharpening blades.