Magnetized Micra

[Lynn LeFey]

So... I have a little cheapo keyring compass I got from Walmart sitting on my coffee table, next to where my inevitable pile of MTs ends up. You know, you go to discuss one on the boards, pull it out, fiddle with it, set it down, never put it away.

Anyway, I set my Micra down yesterday, and the compass swings hard around. Huh. I played with it a bit, and it seems the blades of the scissors have picked up a magnetic charge. It's just strong enough that if I'm very careful, I can pick up a paperclip. Weird.

[rdub934]

I could be wrong, but I believe certain medals have enough magnetism to interfere with a compass. I remember something about it from a movie with Alec Baldwin and Anthony Hopkins called The Edge. They made a compass out of a leaf floating in a puddle with a needle on it. Well, one of them had a belt buckle that threw the reading off, unbeknownst to them at the time, and off they went in the wrong direction. Good flick!

However, enough of a residual charge to pick up paperclips... Thats crazy 

[Nhoj]

You are just channeling the force through the scissors blades. Happens all the time. You may have a future in the jedi industry.

[BigMatt]

If it bothers you use this device for magnetizing/demagnetizing screws and bits.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/productsearch?criteria=Magnetiser-Demagnetiser

Ebay should be cheaper.

And the needle thing (if you ever get stuck ), it needs to be steel and you have to magnetize it by:
- exposing to a strong magnet
- sliding across another piece of steel many times
- rubbing with fluffy material to create static
- improvising an electro magnet from battery and a piece of insolated wire etc.

[Lynn LeFey]

I am assuming that the blades rubbing against each other caused the effect.

As for being a jedi...
(Lynn waves hand)
I am not a Jedi.