Exibar, there is one great advantage to heating parts by boiling water for this purpose: As long as the work doesn't touch the sides or bottom of the pot, you will never run the risk of overheating.
@James K: Of course! None of us would EVER do anything like:
a. Cast bullets on the kitchen stove;
b. Punch holes in a cooking spoon to skim the melt with...
c. Try to anneal parts on an electric burner;
d. Clean a particularly dirty and big bore rifle on the dining room table, with the muzzle over shag carpet while using Sweet's.....
Of COURSE I'd never do anything like that.....