LKilby

Thanks again. Wonderful resource.

Quenching in water just to cool it so I can immediately handle and observe. The project is (cough cough) golf ball markers for my son who requested them for his bday. I got to thinking and decided this would fit the bill perfect especially if shiny and not black. He said he's tired of using leaves as markers so I think I'll forge a leaf for him to use. Thank you all for your responses. I will work with citric acid. September 4th, he could have said something a bit earlier. I will post results when done. Need to do more than read. Thanks!

No, I do not know what the material is, just guessing at what it might be. Slightly magnetic.

Hello All! Backstory: Poking around the Shenandoah river, I see shiny metal at the bottom. That doesn't happen. Pull it up, its some piece of 3/4" rebar. They were building a new bridge up river at the time, river rose a couple months before and pretty much washed everything downstream. Score. Being who I am, it came home with me to New England. I finally have a purpose for it and have begun to play and see how it forges. Just fine. My question is how can I get it to return to 'in the white' condition? It comes out black when forged and quenched, I've buffed on the wheel (maybe not aggressive enough compound), I can sand of course but that removes a lot of character and right now its in a vinegar bath just to see. Anyone have ideas or experience?