Magnets or armatures for electro motors May be softened as follows: Heat the iron to an even dull-red heat all over; and if the surface of the iron has not been faced off in a machine, lightly file it to remove the scale, and then immerse it in common softsoap, allowing it to remain therein until it is quite cold. Then reheat the magnet to an even red heat whose rednese is barely perceptible, and bury it in pulverized lime, wherein it must also remain until quite cold, when the metal will be found as soft as it is possible to make it, and the blade of an ordinary penknife will cut it. At the second beating, the iron will emit a light blue flame, showing the effect of the immersion in the softsoap. The capability of receiving strong magnetic power may be, by this process, very much increased.