Abstract: A method and apparatus for manipulating hot metallic material includes placing a coil of the material at a first position, the coil having an open coil eye, and initiating uncoiling of the coil while it is in the first position. During uncoiling, the coil is transferred to a second position by moving it in a direction transverse to its axis, and heat loss from the coil side edges and eye is restricted by providing a heat shield closely adjacent to the side edges. The uncoiling continues at the second position, and when the coil is near the end of the uncoiling operation at the second position, a coil opener pin is inserted axially into the open coil eye without contacting the coil, thus avoiding conductive heat loss to the pin. Finally, at the completion of the uncoiling operation, the last few coil wraps are pulled into contact with the pin as the coil is pulled downstream out of the second position, whereby the pin prevents collapsing or crushing of the final portion of the coil.