A hot-shapable uncoated steel-plate workpiece is press hardened by first transporting the plate through a heating zone continuously or discontinuously and there heating the plate to an austenitizing temperature while blocking entry of oxygen into the heating zone. Then the heated plate is cooled in a cooling zone to a martensitizing temperature below the austenitizing temperature without contacting the heated plate with oxygen. Finally, immediately and without cooling of the cooled workpiece to a martensite start temperature, the cooled workpiece is deformed at least partially in a finishing press into a desired shape.