Annealing

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Worked metal becomes hardened, and may crack and split, and therefore needs to be annealed. Annealing (and pickling) is the process by which the metal is heated closely to its original crystalline order so that it once again becomes malleable.

Once annealing is finished a layer of oxide remains on the metal and this must be removed through pickling, using a heated sulphuric acid and water solution. The pickling process ensures the best finish on the metal.