Quote Originally Posted by Geezer View Post
And, it also may be annealed. Heat to red and quench in cold water. It is a white brass, non-ferrous material. Because if that, it work hardens quickly and may need some extra annealing steps while working it to shape with a hammer and filing to flats. It does fill a file and scratch easily, so chalk coat your file before use. Old files work best for the softer materials.
YMMV
~Richard
And Richard to the rescue once again. I'll give that a go some time next week, thanks!