I should probably avoid this thread, but I do have some experience with cryo treating steel. It wasn't with gun parts though. It was with my handmade knives. Here is was I noticed.
In the end I quit doing it. An increase in hardness doesn't necessarily equate to better edge holding. Again, this isn't gun parts but it did convince me that a proper and accurate heat treatment was more important than a fancy one. Even a good type of treatment/process can be done improperly. Here are a few of the knives that I made after I stopped having them cryo treated.
- It cost more.
- It made them noticeably harder to sharpen
- I didn't notice any practicle difference in edge holding
- It actually increased my warpage rate
- I had a few that came back with some really hard spots.
In the end I quit doing it. An increase in hardness doesn't necessarily equate to better edge holding. Again, this isn't gun parts but it did convince me that a proper and accurate heat treatment was more important than a fancy one. Even a good type of treatment/process can be done improperly. Here are a few of the knives that I made after I stopped having them cryo treated.
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