[dalight]

Plain Carbon Steel loses essentially all of its strength at temperatures over 1400 degrees F. (This depends on the amount of carbon) . It transforms to a solid called Austenite which has consistency of stiff butter. However the strength of the material is decreasing all of the way up to this temperature. By 1000 degrees, it may only be 40% or less of the strength at room temperature. We are going for vapor at 3000 degrees.

[stockpirate]

So melting is what it was doing. Thanks.