2 u00d7 10 3 to about 1 u00d7 10 3 torr and preferably about 2 u00d7 10 4 to about 1 u00d7 10 4 torr the surface contaminants typically contained on the surfaces of a surgical needle during a manufacturing process which can be removed by this cleaning step include conventional contaminants which result from the needles manufacturing process including lubricating oils greases and the like after the needles 10 have been cleaned the chamber 21 is pressurized preferably with a non reactive or inert gas 40 through pipe 45 the inert gases which can be utilized are those which are conventionally used including gases such as include argon nitrogen and helium it is particularly preferred to use argon although not preferred and if one skilled in the art were willing to accept the attendant disadvantages if any air could be used to pressurize the furnace typically the chamber will be pressured to a pressure of about 532 torr to about 988 torr more typically about 608 torr to about 912 torr and preferably about 684 torr to about 836 torr in a preferred embodiment of the process of the present invention the chamber is initially charged prior to the heat treatment step to a pressure of at least one atmosphere 760 torr the pressure in cavity 21 is maintained by pressure regulator 50 to maintain a desired pressure level during the heat treatment step in an alternate embodiment the pressure.