<html> <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite> IMO alcohol seems to burn (blacken) the shank easier than butane. As long as the shank is held in the blue flame it won t burn. Don t you find this to be true? Jim</blockquote> Yes, alcohol leaves soot, while butane does not. But butane certainly will burn the shank just as quickly as any flame. While everyone is experimenting with burning in shanks, maybe some of you could try something I figured out while spacing and getting the twist out of very old, brittle (brown) upright shanks. Butt plates, so only burning would space them. I was using heated bending pliers, and the shanks were grabbing every opportunity to shatter. Then I put a few drops of vodka on a disposable foam brush, and swabbed the shank with it, all sides. Only a few drops because any more just ran down the shank and ruined the butt leather. As soon as the pliers touched the shank, I heard a light hiss, and it would get soft as butter. It bent so easily that I bent some too far and had to bend them back again. Then I got them bent too far back, swabbed them again, and bent more gently, till they were just where I wanted. Let them just sit there overnight, getting dry and cool. They were spaced the same next morning. (i.e. they didn't seem to have any stored twist waiting to rebound.) I've never tried vodka on grand shanks, but as long as you're testing old scrap hammers and shanks, why not give it a go? And the vodka doesn't affect the foam brush, which can be used over and over. Best, sssssssssnnn (hiss of vodka turned to steam. showed no signs of combustion. I imagine that the alcohol evaporates almost instantly.) </html>