A single specimen fractographic technique based on critical stretch zone width measurements is suggested for the estimation of fracture toughness (J_Ic) for highly ductile materials. The salient feature of this technique is that it overcomes the problem of fatigue precracking and is able to predict the fracture toughness of a material using a blunt notch specimen. Fracture toughness tests on commercially pure Armco iron, nickel, and aluminum as well as Al-Mn based austenitic stainless steel and En28 steel were carried out to validate the method.