The article figures were produced solely from these data sets employing data processing methods described therein. For experimental conditions and naming conventions please refer to the paper. 1. Deformation data files contained within "deformation_data.zip": The .zip archive contains five files related to five samples of thermally treated cobalt:def_co600.csvdef_co800.csvdef_co1100.csvdef_co1100-10c.csvdef_co1100-20c.csv The data were recorded during compression of the above-listed samples at room temperature. 2. Acoustic emission (AE) data files contained within "AE_data.zip": The .zip archive contains four files related to four samples of thermally treated cobalt:AE_co600.wavAE_co800.wavAE_co1100.wavAE_co1100-20c.wav The AE data were recorded in continuous mode ("data streaming" at 2 MHz) during compression of the above-listed samples at room temperature. 3. Electron back-scatter diffraction (EBSD) data files contained within "EBSD_data.zip": The .zip archive contains fifty-three .osc files related to samples of as-drawn and thermally treated cobalt within four folders:0c - as-drawn and annealed samples (i.e. without thermal cycling)10c - annealed samples after thermal cycling of 10 cycles20c - annealed samples after thermal cycling of 20 cyclesex-situ_def - ex-situ EBSD during deformation of selected samples The .osc data files represent EBSD data after clean-up procedures described in detail in the manuscript.