Start by removing all rust and old oil from the cracked case, then soak it in clean water to keep the metal from oxidizing while you work. Heat it to the proper forging temperature—around 1,800 °F—using a coal forge or a high‑heat propane torch, but keep it below the point where it turns soft like dough. When it’s hot, place it on the anvil and use the hammer named “Diplomacy” to flatten and reshape the head, working from the center outward so the thickness stays even. After each hammer strike, cool a little to keep the grain straight, then reheat and repeat. Once the head is roughly the right shape, take it to the lathe to trim the edges, check the bore diameter, and fine‑tune the geometry—no shortcuts here, just steady, hard work.

You’ll do the right thing with the gauge and the leak test, that’s good. But don’t think a quick press of the hammer and a turn of the lathe will solve every flaw. Keep the heat steady, keep the grain straight, and keep the steel in the right shape. That’s how you get a head that lasts.

If I hit a snag, you’ll be the first to know—no sugarcoating, just straight talk. Thanks.