Carry a magnet?

[parnass]

Do you EDC a magnet?

I started carrying a magnet which could be useful in a few different ways.

(1) Detecting ferrous metals (chiefly to satisfy my curiosity)

(2) Retrieving a metallic item where fingers won't fit.  You can tie a shoelace to the magnet and drop it down a shallow storm sewer, for example.

(3) Suspend a flashlight from a steel or iron surface (e.g., under the hood of a truck)

(4) Pick up tiny hardware, screws, nuts, etc.

I purchased this 6 lb rare earth keychain magnet on eBay.  It is made in USA by Revolution Machines http://www.revolutionmachines.com/ .  I learned later that you can buy it for less than what I paid if you order directly from their web site.

The company sells similar keychain magnets of varying strengths, encased in brass, copper, or aluminum.    I opted for 6061 aluminum for light weight carry.

Here is the magnet I carry, shown with an old house key for size comparison purposes.

[Higgins617]

That's pretty cool, I don't carry one but I'm pretty sure my dad used to a few years ago for the reason you stated. Chasing small screws would sort of blow without one.

[nate j]

I don't carry a magnet.  I carry too many other things (credit cards, cell phone) I worry could be damaged by a powerful magnet.

[parnass]

I don't carry a magnet.  I carry too many other things (credit cards, cell phone) I worry could be damaged by a powerful magnet.

Forgot to mention that I carry the magnet in a pocket without items which could sustain damage from a magnetic field.

[comis]

6 lb rare earth keychain magnet

My eyes popped a little when I see the lb, but it make better sense when I see the picture. 


I too carry a small rare earth magnet, basically it is a disk with a hole in the middle(~1cm diameter, 3-4mm thick).  I carry it with a small altoids kit, which contains very thin copper wire that I could use to fish anything metal out from narrow space.

[jzmtl]

I have two tiny ones sticking to my keychain MT, used it to check if something is iron or not once, but other than that they haven't seen any use.

[lister]

I use a small disc magnet (with a hole I drilled in the middle) to prevent the blade of the fred can opener from opening.



And I did already used it a few times to pick small ferromagnetic stuff up. And I drilled the hole so I could tie it to a thread if I needed to.

As for damaging your electronics with a static magnetic field... well let me put it like this: I tried. I really did.And I utterly failed. You see, modern electronic components just aren't all that easy to destroy with a static magnetic field. In the world of yesteryear where a magnetic storage media that you would carry on your person magnets were a problem. If you moved a magnet close to the magnetic tape or the magnetic disc you could scramble the magnetic particles used to store data. If you moved a magnet close to the magnetic tape or the magnetic disc you could scramble the magnetic particles used to store data. Nowadays only real danger from magnetic fields to the electronics you have on you is from induced voltages. And to induce a voltage the magnetic field must change in time. The thing about the magnetic field of a permanent magnetic field is that it is static (it does not change in time). So only way to induce voltages high enough to damage the electronics with a permanent magnet is to move it really fast. And if permanent magnets ever move around you that fast in real life, fried electronic gadgets will be the least of your problems...

Of Course I could be completely wrong. 

[nate j]

I use a small disc magnet (with a hole I drilled in the middle) to prevent the blade of the fred can opener from opening.



And I did already used it a few times to pick small ferromagnetic stuff up. And I drilled the hole so I could tie it to a thread if I needed to.

As for damaging your electronics with a static magnetic field... well let me put it like this: I tried. I really did.And I utterly failed. You see, modern electronic components just aren't all that easy to destroy with a static magnetic field. In the world of yesteryear where a magnetic storage media that you would carry on your person magnets were a problem. If you moved a magnet close to the magnetic tape or the magnetic disc you could scramble the magnetic particles used to store data. If you moved a magnet close to the magnetic tape or the magnetic disc you could scramble the magnetic particles used to store data. Nowadays only real danger from magnetic fields to the electronics you have on you is from induced voltages. And to induce a voltage the magnetic field must change in time. The thing about the magnetic field of a permanent magnetic field is that it is static (it does not change in time). So only way to induce voltages high enough to damage the electronics with a permanent magnet is to move it really fast. And if permanent magnets ever move around you that fast in real life, fried electronic gadgets will be the least of your problems...

Of Course I could be completely wrong. 

You might carry a magnet for many years and never have a problem.  But for the limited utility I would get out of carrying a magnet anyway, it isn't worth the risk.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2010/03/26/magnetic-mysteries-answers-magnets-impact-credit-cards/

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5234 - note "The MagSafe power port on your computer contains a magnet that can erase data on a credit card, iPod, or other device. To preserve your data, do not place these or other magnetically sensitive material or devices within 1 inch (25 mm) of this port."

[lister]

Yes, the credit cards still have the magnetic strip thingy to store the data, so they can be damaged by a magnet. But they wont be, if you don't rub the magnet directly over the strip and there is no reason you would. A lighter can damage the credit card, but it won't, just don't get it on fire. So there is no reason not to edc one

As for apple magnetic connector destroying electrical gadgets... you know how they say that cell phones can interfere with the electronics in the plane an cause it to crash? I am quite sure that that is also BS. But they still prevent us from using phones on the planes. Just to avoid any liabilities and the warning from apple is the same thing.

[dks]

topical

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-29445385

Airlines have been ordered to replace or modify the cockpit display units fitted to hundreds of Boeing jets.

The US air safety regulator said that tests had indicated that mobile phone and computer signals could cause the screens to go blank.

The affected planes are typically fitted with several screens, each of which costs thousands of pounds.

[lister]

Ok I give in. Maybe a magnets can be problematic for electronics/credit cards. But I'm keeping mine. If for no other reason then just because it keeps the can opener blade from opening and thus protects me from being cut when I sit down with the fred in my back pocket. 

[parnass]

To keep things in perspective ...

 - If you carry a multitool and cell phone loose in your pocket, your phone could be scratched.

- If you carry a spare battery with exposed contacts in the same pants pocket with loose coins, you could short circuit the battery and burn yourself.

 - If you carry a fixed blade knife in your pocket without a sheath, you could cut your leg.

 - If you carry a pliers in your back pocket, you could bruise your butt when you sit.


Find an item useful?  Use common sense and carry that item in a way which doesn't cause a problem.   If, however, you have no use for something -- don't carry it.

[lister]

To keep things in perspective ...

 - If you carry a multitool and cell phone loose in your pocket, your phone could be scratched.

- If you carry a spare battery with exposed contacts in the same pants pocket with loose coins, you could short circuit the battery and burn yourself.

 - If you carry a fixed blade knife in your pocket without a sheath, you could cut your leg.

 - If you carry a pliers in your back pocket, you could bruise your butt when you sit.


Find an item useful?  Use common sense and carry that item in a way which doesn't cause a problem.   If, however, you have no use for something -- don't carry it.

+1

[Aloha]

I carry a magnet and find it fun to have on me.  Mine rides on my MT in a sheath and far away from my wallet or phone.  It also works well on my bit kit and stays out the way.  Now realistically I dont need a magnet but they are fun to have.


http://www.evilmadscientist.com/2009/17-cool-magnet-tricks/

[pfrsantos]

Apart from my personality? No...

 

[Aloha]

Apart from my personality? No...

 

I dont know what you do for a living but you always crack me up.  Comedy writing would have been a terrific career.   

[kkokkolis]

I loved magnets as a kid  and played a lot with them. I have two magnetic weights for my dobsonian telescope that are so powerful my  finger was injured when it was crashed between them. Now I keep them inside a bag surrounded with foam material.
For EDC I rely on my Swisschamp XLT. I have a small rare earth magnet inside the bit holder and I magnetised the fish scaler. I fished small screws from behind motherboards and inside other tight places several times with that fish scaler. It works with pins,  needles, paper clips and similar items.

[pfrsantos]

Apart from my personality? No...

 

I dont know what you do for a living but you always crack me up.  Comedy writing would have been a terrific career.   

Maybe not. When I'm out having lunch or dinner with friends, someone always says that. Then the bill arrives and they never pay my share...

[Aloha]

Apart from my personality? No...

 

I dont know what you do for a living but you always crack me up.  Comedy writing would have been a terrific career.   

Maybe not. When I'm out having lunch or dinner with friends, someone always says that. Then the bill arrives and they never pay my share...

That happens to me as well.   

[odg]

I don't carry a magnet, but for those who want to, don't toss old hard drives - they have powerful magnets in there. Just take the drive apart, retrieve the heads, and I suppose you could chop and grind them to whatever shape you want.

[pfrsantos]

I don't carry a magnet, but for those who want to, don't toss old hard drives - they have powerful magnets in there. Just take the drive apart, retrieve the heads, and I suppose you could chop and grind them to whatever shape you want.

Good share! Thanks!

 

[JAfromMn]

I carry a magnet with my work edc.

It keeps my tools in my coat pocket together and a million other things. A magnet is a very handy tool.



you can see my magnet holding my ratchet and extension together

[parnass]

I used my EDC magnet yesterday to determine if the pocket clip on a flashlight for sale in a store was metal or plastic.  The clip looked like plastic, but it was indeed metal.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I have a stack of rare earth magnets in the Jeep. No idea what for, but they are there for whatever comes up.

Strong little buggers too....

Def

[Sea Monster]

I used to carry a stack of neodymium discs.

Mostly for the fiddle factor. I think they all got lost, or stuck to things (they also had a tendency to crack)

[Ryo Saeba]

In my quest to make everything I carry as multi purpose as can be I glued a couple of strong magnets to the end of my pen.



It rides in my wave's sheath so it hasn't caused any problems. And since it's got a carbiner on the other end I tie a line to it and pickup dropped stuff.

[MadPlumbarian]

Interesting subject, I must say they can come in very handy! I have a few rare earth magnets floating around, it's kinda funny that I read this today since I found one while in the basement moving some stuff around, it used to be one of those extension pen like tips, it  broke and I only had the magnet and 6" of the extention, I happen to look up and see it attached to the ductwork, lol.. But I think I'm going to stick one in the edc bag and maybe make a keychain, or something unique..
JR

[Ryo Saeba]

After making that last post I actually had to use that pen to get my wave back. I dropped it over the fence while cutting some briars and it was just out of reach but luckily I had some paracord on me.

[cody6268]

I do carry an old celluloid handled flathead pocket screwdriver (just the right size for No. 2 Phillips though) from time to time that has a magnet on the top for getting to hard-to-get at screws my SAK or Leatherman can't handle and for using the magnet end as a pick up tool (I have retrieved small metal parts with it that were all but lost).  I've retired it as the pocket clip is loose and I've nearly lost it twice.  I can buy a rather similar new one, but I have no use for the extra 199 the imprint company will make me buy.