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Steel should be fine (not that you have a choice), but only bend the hanger with a wheel or axle fitted to prevent it bending where you don't want it to.
Doing it by eye is just as likely to make things worse (but a pair of pliers will be adequate to get you home), as improve the situation though. If you don't have access to a hanger alignment tool, then you need a second rear wheel.
With one wheel in the frame, screw the other into the hanger and fit a track nut on the back of the hanger: you now have both a gauge and a hanger straightenerer.
You might need to remove the freewheel/cassette or flip the wheel over for clearance.
Scilly.Suffolk
Ok, have a mid-90's steel frame (fillet-brazed Deda tubing) and having spent at least an hour trying to get the gears indexed (Campag {barely used} Chorus crank to {used} Xenon rear mech, 10 speed, brand new Campag chain) it looks like the rear mech isn't quite true - and the culprit looks like the hanger. Which is part of the rear dropout, so not detachable.
So... can I (very, very, gently) try and cold-set it straight? Have a good-sized Record vice, so am prepared to have a go. Welcome any advice!