Yeah, you're describing the process for steel. As Bob notes, brass is different and doesn't care if it is cooled quickly or slowly. A lot of modelers use the flame method because it is quick and done at the bench while you're working on something.
Hmmm; you appear to be correct; I just tried it with a piece of brass wire.
So I have been mistaken all these years when, after annealing and shaping 15mm pike heads, I then re-heated and quenched in water, thinking I was restoring the rigidity to the wire "pike shaft". Instead, the "pike shaft" must never have been softened in the first place, but just the tip. Explanation intended to show that this was based on (misinterpreted) experience. Sorry about that, and thanks to Robert for the expanded explanation re. cartridges cases.
MH
