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

Its liquid nitrogen, not freon. Freon cannot get a low enough temperature.

The stuff seems to be readily avialable by web. I can only hope that the most
likely users of it on a lock (theives) seriously injure themselves using it.

--
Samiam is Scott A. Moore

Personal web site: http:/www.moorecad.com/scott
My electronics engineering consulting site: http://www.moorecad.com
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The IP Pascal web site, a high performance, highly portable ISO 7185 Pascal
compiler system: http://www.moorecad.com/ippas

Being right is more powerfull than large corporations or governments.
The right argument may not be pervasive, but the facts eventually are.