This is the archetype. A piece of iron, hot from the fire, worked freely with hammer blows. The path from material to form remains visible and tangible. We have this archetype of a hook made in a forge near Hamburg.

This hand-forged hook is actually made of raw, completely untreated iron. In contrast to high-alloy steels, its surface is not "fixed", it changes over the seasons, depending on humidity, temperature and simply the "passage of time". The best protection against corrosion is to grease it from time to time by holding it in your hand, which is a pleasure given the fascination of the material. Flash rust will occur if you expose the material to the weather outside (or in the bathroom); this can be easily removed with steel wool. In general, you can change the appearance of the raw iron by treating it with steel wool, sandpaper or a wire brush. Longer-lasting protection can be achieved with linseed oil, for example.