-80 degree's farenhight

[lotus1972]

I was listening to a show this morning and it got me thinking about those who fly and take their knives with them packed away in the luggage compartment. How safe is this for the blades? Unlike the passenger area luggage has no creature comforts which means at 41,000 ft it's about -80 dergree's in luggage. I was wondering if this might effect the blade strength or heat treat of the knife?

 

[Way-O]

Free Cryo!

 

[Daniel Moore]

I don't buy that it gets that cold down there. Liquid in containers could expand and break, not to mention the fact that the hold must recieve some heating just from the radiating heat of the rest of the plane.

 

[WadeF]

I agree with Needle. I'm sure there isn't air rushing from the outside of the plane in. While the outside air temp maybe -80F, the plane is insulated, and they probably have to pressurize the luggage are to a degree don't they?

 

[lotus1972]

I am not sure on the insulation as it seems like an extra cost for the luggage compartment. The show I was listening to involved the guy relating a story about how the ink cartidge in his luggage bag froze expanded cracked it's case and then leaked all over everything in his bag once the temp rose. I know everyone here is aware of the effects extreme heat has on metal but I have never heard of the effects if any that extreme cold followed rapid tempeture rise would cause in metal stress.

 

[kkairplane]

The baggage compartment on commercial airliners is within the "pressure vessel". Live animals are transported all the time in the "belly" of airplanes.
Granted, there are no overhead vents but it doesn't get much colder than the passenger cabin.

Your knives will be fine.

 

[beefangusbeef]

Correct, I just looked into shipping my dog back home while I deploy. It is heated and pressurized.

 

[Keith Montgomery]

Airplane cargo holds are pressurized and heated.