Heat Metal to work iron without a forge?

[Coffee_Dragon]

No, I wouldn't allow it. The object glows thanks to the magic, not because it is actually heated to "red hot glow"-level temperatures.

In principle I agree with this. Fluff-crunch zigzag logic of the "this spell seems to achieve its mechanical effect through this flavour process, so it should provide all the utility you can argue should follow from that process" type opens a million wormcans and magic doesn't need to be more powerful.