So day 2 at the forge I worked on 3 projects. 1) continued drawing out handles on the tongs...2) made a flint striker...it worked...gonna do some more shaping though 3)tried straightening a piece of random coil. Maybe 1/4" thick and maybe 2.5" diameter stock...however it started to break in a spot. I KNOW i did not burn it. Had someone show me burnt metal. Can anyone offer any idea?

Im guessing maybe i just didnt have it hot enough...the sections where I took it almost to sparkling worked fine...

"Random coil" -- that makes it a bit tough to accurately assess the situation.  If it was a used spring there's always the possibility it had micro fractures already formed in the piece that made themselves evident when you applied heat and force.   Also, again assuming it was a spring, there are some common alloys frequently used in springs, but there are also a lot of springs which are not made from the most common alloys.  Since that could affect the proper forging temperature it's a bit difficult to know whether you had it too hot or too cold or some other issue.  I've had a coil spring which basically fell apart under its own weight just moving from the forge to the anvil at about a lemon yellow heat.  It broke cleanly and showed none of the usual signs of burning at the break.   However when I backed the temperature down to a high orange I had no more issues with it breaking.  That's the problem with mystery steel.  You have to try different temperatures and/or techniques until you figure out what works for that specific piece of steel.   You also don't know what internal stresses or flaws remain from activity in its previous life.

As i will be getting this specific spring frequently...suppose ill figure it out. Cant beat 50 cents for 5ft of rod

Next stupid question...lets call em stress cracks...can those be reworked and essentially fixed somehow?

Theoretically yes; practically no.

I had the same problem as Buzzkill, only with an old hay rake. It fell apart under it's own weight in the forge. Backed the heat down and had no problem, gotta love "mystery steel".

Well day 3 of practice...got more done...stopped trying to pound the bejesus out of the metal...my arm isnt so rubbery tonight..used coal instead of charcoal...a little goes a LONG way...reworked yesterday's striker...and made a 2nd...can see a stress crack going all the way up the striker. Also made my first hook...ill post pic of the hook tomorrow...got it sitting on top of the hot coals trying to soften it a bit...the boss man is going to attempt tapping a screw out of it.