Talk: Anneal Copper (Soften Work-Hardened Metal)

Purpose

Discussion for improving the annealing article (color cues, timing, and how much metallurgical "why" to include at this tech level).

Open questions

• Is "dull red in shade" a reliable enough cue across lighting conditions, or should the article add a second cue (e.g. radiated heat at a handspan)?
• Should the work-hardening explanation include the bend-a-strip demonstration as a formal verification step?

Proposed improvements

• Add notes on annealing native copper (found metal) once a prospecting article for it exists.
• Cross-link from future bronze/sheet-working articles, which use the same cycle.

Decisions

• One combined article covers work-hardening + annealing; forging and billet are defined inline in the copper awl article.
• Tech level 3 (requires smelted copper to practice on), which moves the copper awl to level 4.