Ensure the surface you’re burning is as flat as possible. We recommend against burning varnished surfaces.
Wood scorches at around 350-400F depending on species. If using a torch to heat your iron, a dark purple hue will start to rapidly follow the flame. This indicates the iron is almost hot enough and you can begin testing.
Every iron has a personality. Iron size and specific design elements affect the temperature and press time that will produce a clean burn. We recommend doing a few test burns on scrap wood until you’re familiar with your iron.