Amusing Claims! (Albeit Spam)

This topic has 9 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 6 January 2026 at 22:28 by Nigel Graham 2.

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29 December 2025 at 17:02 #830407
Nigel Graham 2
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@nigelgraham2
This was part of an unsolicited advertisement for a kitchen knife.

I don’t know what it looks like. The photos were behind those envelope images, so I did not touch them.

Why Matsato?

Innovative Ice-Hardening Process

The secret behind Matsato’s extraordinary durability lies in our exclusive ice-hardening technology. This advanced process makes the steel incredibly resilient, ensuring that the knife remains sharp longer than traditional knives.

Unmatched Sharpness

Engineered for professionals and everyday cooks alike, Matsato blades offer precision slicing that is second to none. The sharpness lasts, minimizing the need for constant sharpening.

A Timeless Piece of Technology

More than just a knife, the Matsato blade is a step into the future. With its sleek, ergonomic design and revolutionary features, it embodies the perfect balance of form and function.

Ice-hardening, eh? Will it work for silver-steel?

Precision slicing, eh?

Now I know. If I make silver-steel tools and ice-harden them the Matsato way, my Myford ML7 will produce components to aerospace quality!
Advert

29 December 2025 at 17:29 #830414
Michael Gilligan
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@michaelgilligan61133
A suitably silly video:

MichaelG.
29 December 2025 at 18:52 #830428
Nigel Graham 2
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@nigelgraham2
They get paid for that?
30 December 2025 at 05:07 #830459
cedric 1
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@cedric
Ice hardening is common in knife making. It produces harder steel that holds a better edge. Sometimes called cryogenic hardening and sometimes uses liquid nitrogen.

It may well be useful in model engineering but I always quench my silver steel in oil for a slightly slower cooling and less brittle edge, maybe the opposite of ice hardening. But silver steel is not knife blade steel either.
5 January 2026 at 20:45 #831378
Nigel Graham 2
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@nigelgraham2
So this Matsato ad is trying to claim unique to itself, a well-tried method the majority of buyers will not know? (I didn’t!)

I can see the point of using a liquid gas but how does “ordinary” water ice make a difference? It’s only 20 – 30 ºC below what is usually taken as “ambient”. “Dry ice” maybe (CO2).

I recall an impressive photograph in a school chemistry text book of using liquid nitrogen not for quenching, but for expansion fitting a shaft to a large gear. The shaft was chilled to contract it for lowering into the gear bore, itself at room temperature or only gently heated.
5 January 2026 at 21:02 #831380
Paul Kemp
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@paulkemp46892
Nigel,

Probably less about the overall temperature difference and more about the latent heat required for the phase change from solid to liquid. Everyone has access to water and most the facility to change it from water to ice, far fewer have access to liquid nitrogen which even commercially is quite nasty stuff and has a significant cost.

Paul.
5 January 2026 at 22:15 #831388
Charles Lamont
Participant
@charleslamont71117
Apparently, if you first quench the job at room temperature it converts perhaps 80% of the austenite to martensite. If you then bung it in the freezer for a good while, it will convert another 5% or so, while proper cryogenic hardening, with dry ice or liquid nitrogen, will get to a maximum of about 90% convertion. The actual figures no doubt depend on the composition of the steel.
6 January 2026 at 09:38 #831414
SillyOldDuffer
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@sillyoldduffer
On 5 January 2026 at 20:45 Nigel Graham 2 Said:

…

I can see the point of using a liquid gas but how does “ordinary” water ice make a difference? It’s only 20 – 30 ºC below what is usually taken as “ambient”. “Dry ice” maybe (CO2).

…

I don’t think Cryogenic Hardening ever uses ordinary water ice. The most common chilling agent seems to be liquid Nitrogen. Like HSS, the process is not simple in the sense that we dunk red-hot Silver-steel into oil or water. Seems parts are manufactured and hardened in the usual way and are then hardened further with deep cooling.

Unlikely the process could be done in a home-workshop because temperatures, and rate of change all have to be carefully controlled. Model Engineers are unlikely to have the equipment or the process parameters.

With respect to one and all, I don’t think there’s much value in unpicking adverts! Salesmen rarely provide adequate technical detail, making it necessary to dig deeper before deciding if there’s real advantage or not. My guess is these are genuine, but I don’t need knifes that good in my kitchen. Ordinary knives kept sharp with an occasional touch-up work well enough for me. A professional chef working against the clock might well value them more highly, and certainly wouldn’t put up with too-cheap knives that won’t hold an edge for long.

Tool bling is a thing in Model Engineering too…

Dave
6 January 2026 at 10:52 #831423
Dave Halford
Participant
@davehalford22513
Would a professional Chef really use a knife with a wooden handle that you can’t put in the dishwasher?
6 January 2026 at 22:28 #831549
Nigel Graham 2
Participant
@nigelgraham2
What made me think the ad suspect was the way it appeared unannounced and unsolicited. It had been diverted to “spam”, and as I recall its address and domain names looked the sort of incredible rhubarb used on phishing attempts. I did indeed report it!
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