The transmission electron microscopy in-situ straining technique is employed to measure the breaking angles of strengthening precipitates in aluminium alloy 6056-T6 as they are sheared by dislocations. The experimental determination of the character of bowed dislocation segments when dislocations are pinned on precipitates allows us to calculate the corresponding line tensions. From this, the maximum forces F-m that precipitates can sustain before being sheared by dislocations are deduced. It is suggested that F-m may be regarded as a quantitative parameter which includes the effects of the various strengthening mechanisms operative in precipitation-hardened alloys. An attempt is made to relate the maximum force calculated from in-situ straining data to the macroscopic yield strength of the material.