In article ,
Kamus of Kadizhar wrote:

I've got a purely hypothetical question:

ISTR that at one time, freezing locks with Freon was a popular way to
break them. The theory being that you freeze the lock mechanism or
shackle until it becomes brittle, then use a hardened hammer to smash it.

Now I'm being told that's an urban myth.

I come here seeking expertise on frozen metal - is it practical / possible
to freeze steel to where it becomes brittle using a can of Freon? The
technique was to use Freon under pressure, then "spray" it on the lock.
The Freon cools as it expands, freezing the metal.

--Kamus

In the movies, yes. In reality, not even a little likely. Freon won't
even get kinda-sorta close to the temps where you could expect steel to
shatter from a hammer-blow. I think (I'd have to look it up to be
certain) that the "bottom end" temperature you'd be able to get out of a
can of Freon *UNDER IDEAL CONDITIONS* is somewhere in the -80 - -110
range. Temps which, although not widespread (We're talking about temps
that are going to be seen outside a cryo lab only at/near the poles here
on Earth) do exist outside the lab, and where steel has held up quite
nicely, thank you.

Now, if you were to try the trick using liquid nitrogen or hydrogen
(Your high-school science teacher DID perform the classic "Dip a hot-dog
in liquid nitrogen for a few seconds, then drop it and watch it shatter
like it's made out of fine bone china" demonstration, right?) you might
be able to accomplish the trick. But a can of Freon just isn't going to
do it.

--
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