WC-Co cylinders were subjected to cyclic compressive stresses for varying numbers of cycles and maximum compressive stresses. The fractional changes in the length of Palmqvist cracks and in the residual surface stresses were measured after precompression. It is found that the relationship between Palmqvist crack length and residual surface stresses depends on the conditions of precompression, and thus Palmqvist crack lengths cannot provide quantitative information on residual surface stresses.