Brass is a really cool metal to work with. It doesn't harden like steel when heated, but gets softer. The only ways to make brass stronger are to work it (hammering, bending, etc), or to change the alloy ratio. The brass that I work with is a high brass, (normally 65% copper & 35% zinc) that has a great tensile strength. By working it a little, you can make it sorta springy.
I started making some brass picks a couple days ago. They should be complete soon. I'll post my results when they are finished
