One other consideration, "hot rolled" is a process, not a material designation. You can buy hot rolled 4140, or you can buy hot rolled 1008. They are wildly different steels in the long run. If you made a propane forge, you could heat treat that steel, but if its a mild steel such as 1020 or A36, you won't get much hardness without carburizing, as stated above.
You could also consider an appropriate piece of brass or bronze for the wear areas or possibly some cast iron of some time if you need something that will last longer than a polymer. Otherwise some teflon (PTFE) might treat you well for a wear situation.