I have a silly project that I need a few kinds of bent-wire pieces
(S-hooks, loops and the like) for. I had some 1/2"-OD ti tubing to use
for part of it and the metals place has assorted titanium, so I thought
it would be cool to use ti wire for the rest of it.

I bought about eight feet of some 5/32" solid round wire (the thinnest
they had). Nobody present could say exactly what alloy it was.

I got it home and clamped it in a vise with 3/4" left sticking up, and
grabbing the free end with a pair of pliers. JEEEESUS CRAP this stuff
doesn't want to bend.

Can I heat it with an oxy-acetylene torch to do this easier? I know I
can't weld it, and I don't need to join it anyway--I just need to bend
the wire into round shapes with curves 1-inch diameter.

I've not ever played with titanium before.... does it turn a different
color when it gets near melting point? If the surface of the wire
oxidizes and turns funny colors is okay, I just don't want it to go
totally-soft permanently.