Cube textured nickel

A process comprising providing a billet of metal having the fine-grain condition characterized by an average grain size up to 0.08 millimeter and having a composition consisting essentially of 0.0002% to about 0.003% sulfur, up to about 6% cobalt, up to 0.10% carbon, at least one ingredient from the group consisting of 0.1% to 0.5% iron, 0.1% to 0.5% manganese, 0.01% to 0.1% in total of the rare earth metals lanthanum and neodymium, 0.001% to 0.1% calcium and combinations thereof, with balance essentially nickel, provided that when the billet metal contains at least 0.0008% sulfur the billet metal also contain at least one of the rare earth metals and calcium ingredients, cold working the billet metal unidirectionally to reduce the thickness at least 95% and form the metal to strip having a thickness of up to about 0.25 millimeter, heating the cold worked strip in a nonoxidizing atmosphere in the temperature range of about 800.degree. C to about 1260.degree. C, provided that the heating be in the range of 900.degree. C to 1100.degree. C when the rare earth ingredient is present and the iron, manganese and calcium ingredients are absent, for a time sufficient to anneal and recrystallize the metal to the primary recrystallized cube texture condition and then cooling the recrystallized metal sufficiently to maintain the primary recrystallized cube texture condition and prevent secondary recrystallization.