Abstract: Method and apparatus for producing cylindrical products having a range of hardness through a cross section such as a roll. The method includes conventional forging and heat treatment steps with or without the addition of a rapid water quench derived from direct impingement of a quench medium on the product as it rotates in a horizontal position, followed, as a final heat treatment, by subjection either to direct flame impingement in a horizontal, rotating condition or flame heat in a vertical furnace while rotating, again followed, preferably, by a drastic quench, and, also preferably an extremely low temperature deep freeze operation to thereby convert substantially all austenite to martensite. The invention makes possible the production of rolls capable of usage from original diameter to scrap diameter without reconditioning.