@Hypnotize Feminists @creator of #fediblock :verified::makemeneko: @67975218 stainless wire strain hardens a little when being wrapped around a mandrel, or bent into shape. just heating it up is going to relieve most of that stress. sure, a candle could work. it is possible to get wire red hot over a candle

only some kinds of steel air harden- like A2 tool steel.  i dont believe common stainless like 316 will air harden much so it's proably not necessary to cover them 

 @woodland creature :pleroma_fox_tan: @creator of #fediblock :verified::makemeneko: @67975218 ah okay, I know next to nothing about stainless steels. I do have some a2 in stock but never messed with it before. Just trying to think of a work around since she's not able to have a torch. 

 @Hypnotize Feminists @creator of #fediblock :verified::makemeneko: @67975218 candle is a good suggestion 

i have used A2 before. it really does air harden which is kind of weird to me. i'm assuming you would have to cover that stuff to anneal it 

 @woodland creature :pleroma_fox_tan: @creator of #fediblock :verified::makemeneko: @67975218 I ran across some ⅜" round bar from a junkyard which I assumed was mild steel and brought home about 5 sticks thinking it would make excellent stock for hooks, but it air hardens so much that I can't drill it even after forging and annealing. I think the proper way to anneal air hardening steels in a controlled manner over the course of many hours. 

 @Hypnotize Feminists that sounds like an air hardening tool steel to me. it didn't anneal even with vermiculite (or sand?) 

 @woodland creature :pleroma_fox_tan: no, I annealed in vermiculite hoping it would be easier to drill, but it had no effect. I got it from a scrap yard that has an assortment of dimensional stock from project overages, so presumably it's all mild steel or at most a36. This was in a pile of about 100 sticks. 

 @Hypnotize Feminists vermiculite has a fair amount of air vs sand? you may need to do it in a more controlled ramp with a furnace  

i was able to temper A2 to a blue color and it worked when i was making a tool. can't recall exactly what the project was off hand 

 @woodland creature :pleroma_fox_tan: yes I believe so. The particles are almost the size of kitty litter but they have the weight of styrofoam, so very low density. That being said, if I put in a piece of iron it's still too hot to touch nearly 6 hours later, so the insulation value is excellent.

https://media.clubcyberia.co/pleroma/e80759ce7ca114fa53719574bb7e98d27a6df8e0cdaa2c832cfc103083e0b587.jpg 

 @Hypnotize Feminists good to know