Thread: Goldegde versus Wonderedge

I have heard the cryo hardening only on the internet,and just in the last few years.I have ownned some Wonderedges since the 60,s and never heard of cryo until recently.I have never seen any literature or anything from the company saying it was so(just hearsay) please let us know your sources(not trying to be contentious,just interested in seeing something definitive).Otherwise it is just rumor.I really am interested in seeing something regarding the sources.John Crowley (the guy that was in touch with the former owner)has started a thread concerning this http://straightrazorpalace.com/showthread.php?t=18180 (perhapswe can confirm,or dispel the rumor)Best regards Gary

I don't know that much about steel hardening, so I'm wondering, with some skepticism I might add, what "cryogenic hardening" is all about.
I know they quench red hot steel into an oil or water bath, so it becomes incredibly hard and brittle. If I understand correctly, the steel then needs to be "de-hardened" (called tempered) to some extent, to lend it some sturdiness again. So I don't really see what "cryogenic treatment" could do for a blade, except for selling it a bit better...
Maybe Russel Baldridge or one of the other knife makers can shed some light in the darkness here.

I don't know about straight razors, but a cryogenically treated rifle barrel will become more accurate after the treatment by being immersed in liquid nitrogen.

As stated before I'm not an expert, but from what I'm told by the rifle builders, the liquid nitrogen treatment somehow lines up the metal molecules to make them more uniform. I'm assuming the straight razors would be the same.

Just an FYI for anyone with a blade and a liquid nitrogen tank...

Cryo-tempering does not involve simply plunging into the nitrogen. The temperature needs to be brought down slowly. I always assumed that cryo-tempering for razors was a bunch of hooey and just a gimmick for one particular website to sell overpriced razor blades. With that bias, and with my liquid nitrogen tanks, I cryo-tempered some safety razor blades. In order to avoid bias and the evaluation phase, I gave both cryo-tempered and normal blades to my wife for her to code them so that I would not know which were which. The result was that I was 6 for 6 in identifying the blades. This was because 3 of them lasted about a week each and 3 of them lasted at least 2 weeks.

Someday, I'm going to try this test with straight razors.

Sounds like it might have some potential for replacing viagra the way its makng those blades last twice as long(Id be satisfied with a 10% increase)

Cryo treating metal aligns the crystalin structure of the metal- it DOES work to extend the life span and increase the durability of a metal item, tho it does not replace case hardening or tempering.
Check out these:
A brief explanation
A chart of extended life from cryo treating
And a real world example of the effects on a disc brake rotor

In fact, the best guitar strings I have used were Cryo treated. The lasted longer, kept tune better, and resisted rusting much better not to mention had a slightly brighter sound.

How does it align the crystal structure? You have jumped from them saying it changes the crystal structure to this concept of aligning the structure.

It converts more austentite to martensite making it harder.