One way you'll be able to find out is if the plate has to be bent. Depending on the radius of the bend, if you bend it with the "grain" the plate may tear/ crack because your escentially trying to fold it over. But if you put the bend across the "grain" it won't tear or crack, it just bends as it should. This is dependant of a lot of things thickness of plate, raduis of bend, temp. of plate, but it is one way to find out. Chris