Be careful, I tried to do a quick repair on a flues years ago and the forend iron fell off on the floor as I got it heated up and without even thinking, I reached down to pick the metal piece up. It was pretty dam hot still. Live and learn.
Yup- old blacksmith and welder's trick before you pick up any piece of metal, unless you have tongs- always spit on it first- if it sizzles, it's hot- Old joke about that- Old Bill, the blacksmith, kept an "open shop" and lots of guys dropped by to watch him work his magic at the forge and anvil-- One day, he had just set down to cool some horseshoes and Zeek, the village idiot happened by-- Zeek picked up one of the still quite warm horseshoes, yelled "Yow" and dropped it on the dirt floor- "What's the matter there, Zeke?"- a little too hot for you maybe?" was the question- "Nope, not at all, just don't take me much time to look at a horseshow is what!" was Zeek's reply, as he put his hand into the water quenching barrel.
