What about this powerful magnet in the T-mag?

[peacefuljeffrey]

I keep thinking about how easily magnets mess things up these days -- computers, mostly, but also credit card mag strips. Gotta be really careful to keep your powerful magnets away from stuff that can suffer damage from them.

That brings me to the question, is the magnet in the T-mag likely to cause problems being in a pocket that can come near electronic devices, or wallets containing credit cards, etc.? Just how powerful is the magnet, and how far outside the knife does the potency of its field extend?

I have those tiny Geomag toy magnets, and I brought one near a computer monitor. Had to degauss the thing several times over an hour to get it back to normal! And I notice a flux in the screen (a CRT) when one tiny Geomag is still about three inches from the side of it!

-PJ

[Vincent]

I keep thinking about how easily magnets mess things up these days -- computers, mostly, but also credit card mag strips. Gotta be really careful to keep your powerful magnets away from stuff that can suffer damage from them.

That brings me to the question, is the magnet in the T-mag likely to cause problems being in a pocket that can come near electronic devices, or wallets containing credit cards, etc.? Just how powerful is the magnet, and how far outside the knife does the potency of its field extend?

I have those tiny Geomag toy magnets, and I brought one near a computer monitor. Had to degauss the thing several times over an hour to get it back to normal! And I notice a flux in the screen (a CRT) when one tiny Geomag is still about three inches from the side of it!

-PJ

All of My Spyderco's have com magnetized.

[Blackhair]

All of My Spyderco's have com magnetized.

Uhhh... What? If you mean that all your Spyderco's have steel that reacts to magnets, then, um, yeah... that would constitute a steel blade. That's what it does.
If you mean that you only have T-Mag Spyderco's, then that's... great; but still doesn't answer his question...

That magnet in the T-Mag is a neodymium "rare earth" magnet. This is the same kind as is used in Geomags, according to the Geomag website; although I would imagine that the magnet in the T-Mag is even more powerful. So, anything that your Geomag will mess up, the T-Mag will mess up, but probably to an even greater extent.

That only electronics that you can pretty much 100% safely put next to magnets is Flash Memory. So if you have a USB Thumb Drive, that would be safe to put in your pocket next to a magnet. But anything else, even something that's relatively safe next to magnets (like an iPod Nano), should be considered a no-no for magnet safety. Better safe than sorry.

Things you ned to especially watch out for are hard drives. So, if you have an iPod Video, for instance, KEEP THAT THING AWAY FROM MAGNETS!!!

Oh, I see you also asked how powerful the magnet is, and how far its field extends. Well, Neodymium magnets are around 35 times more powerful than a ceramic magnet of the same size, and the more powerful grades of Neodymium magnets can successfully hold up 1300 times their own weight!

However, their field only extends maybe an inch around them, and that would be dampened further by the knife handle. So, you'd probably be pretty hard pressed to accidentally wipe something out if you just walked past it. As long as you just kept things like electronics and credit cards in a different pocket from the T-Mag, you should be fine.

[Mr Blonde]

I've only played with the prototype, and that T-mag was really powerful. The closed knife picked up an SS ladybug 3 off the table like it was nothing. I asked about the dangers to other pocket-carried electronics and bank cards etc... The crew wasn't sure at the time. It's one of the reasons I'm not too enthusiastic about the Tmag. I've got this excellent Sony Ericsson M600 smartphone that I can't do without. I'd hate to see it messed up by the magnetic field of the Tmag.

Wouter

[Vincent]

Uhhh... What? If you mean that all your Spyderco's have steel that reacts to magnets, then, um, yeah... that would constitute a steel blade. That's what it does.
If you mean that you only have T-Mag Spyderco's, then that's... great; but still doesn't answer his question...

That magnet in the T-Mag is a neodymium "rare earth" magnet. This is the same kind as is used in Geomags, according to the Geomag website; although I would imagine that the magnet in the T-Mag is even more powerful. So, anything that your Geomag will mess up, the T-Mag will mess up, but probably to an even greater extent.

That only electronics that you can pretty much 100% safely put next to magnets is Flash Memory. So if you have a USB Thumb Drive, that would be safe to put in your pocket next to a magnet. But anything else, even something that's relatively safe next to magnets (like an iPod Nano), should be considered a no-no for magnet safety. Better safe than sorry.

Things you ned to especially watch out for are hard drives. So, if you have an iPod Video, for instance, KEEP THAT THING AWAY FROM MAGNETS!!!

Oh, I see you also asked how powerful the magnet is, and how far its field extends. Well, Neodymium magnets are around 35 times more powerful than a ceramic magnet of the same size, and the more powerful grades of Neodymium magnets can successfully hold up 1300 times their own weight!

However, their field only extends maybe an inch around them, and that would be dampened further by the knife handle. So, you'd probably be pretty hard pressed to accidentally wipe something out if you just walked past it. As long as you just kept things like electronics and credit cards in a different pocket from the T-Mag, you should be fine.

what are you talking about, He said he was worried about using the knife with sensitive parts. I said all my spyderco's are have come magnetized. If you know what the word magnetized means then you would understand what I am saying. I guess you don't, so I will tell you. Magnetized means that the object acts like a magnet, or it could be a magnet itself. A magnetized object would attract steel or iron.

No i don't own ant T-mag knives, I just found out what one was. My point is that My Spydercos are already magnetized, they came like that. so it did answer his question.

[buferoe]

Hi There,

All I can say is watch out with these magnets,my Son and I are using them in Slotcars.And they are less than one centimeter in diameter.
You can drive these slotcars upside down with quite some speed and they will stick into the slot.
I remember Eric telling us at the Amsterdam meet that the knive sticks easily to a Refrigerator door.
I think they will do some serious damage to you're credit cards when they are near them.


kind regards,

Werner

[jaislandboy]

I have a Tmag......I have no clue what strength the magnet is.....
but I have 1 inch disc magnets from Leevalley tools and these are Much stronger than the one in the Tmag.....
All questions u may have about magnets can be found here:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...77&cat=1,42363

and you can email the staff at leevalley .... they are Very knowledgable about magnets....

[peacefuljeffrey]

I understand about normal knives being "magnetized," because I have seen metal filings sticking to a blade edge after sharpening it. But that's mild compared to a magnet deliberately inserted into a knife, one that is strong enough to hold it closed or opened or whatever it is the T-mag's magnet does.

I would avoid having a knife that can hold itself to a refrigerator door! :ugh:

I have a pair of these hematite magnets that you can get at gun show novelty tables and stuff. They're shaped like long eggs, and when you toss them into the air with a bit of separation between them (about 1 cm.) they rattle together and sound almost like the discharge of an electric stun-gun.

If you drop them onto the dirt or the carpet, forget it! You'll spend half an hour picking all the crap off of them that has gotten stuck. So I shudder to think what a T-mag that comes out of a linty pocket, or gets set down near anything tiny and ferrous, will look like before long! :ugh:

I think that the idea, while interesting, is fated to not become popular -- a solution in search of a problem. I'd much rather see the design time and factory floor space dedicated to Ball Bearing Locks and milled-tang Compression Locks.

-PJ

[DRod]

Lol. Don't carry them in a machine shop. Think of all the filings and burrs from lathes/mills and such. GAH!

[Capt. Carl]

All of My Spyderco's have com magnetized.

off topic but vincent, why pedobear?

[David Lowry]

Hmm.... I didn't realize that the T-Mag's REM was so strong.

In that case it seems like it would be a bad thing. The last thing I would want is to have little metal shavings or what not getting stuck in the thing. I guess before I would buy one I would have to carry a magnet around in my pocket for a week to see if I come in contact with stuff that would not be happy by my magnet.

Daryn, that's exactly what I was thinking about a machine shop.

[DRod]

I wouldn't be able to carry one at work for the sake of my machines. I don't run lathes or anything but my diecasting machines have too many sensors and proximity switches that are magnetized and they are stupid sensitive. My keys ring held a foot away throws them out of wack. I wonder how bad a RE magnet would affect them. Hmm. Ill find out. lol. Worst it will do is stop the program.

[Blades]

I handled the T-Mag today. I don't think the magnet will cause that much of a problem. It holds the blade okay, but I tried to stick it to a metal display case, and it wouldn't grab. It's there, but I don't think it will pull your car keys from across the room.


Blades

[The Deacon]

I think the "danger" to electronics is fairly minor, unless you carry your magnetic-striped cards, iPod, etc. loose in the same pocket with the T-Mag. Think it would not be too much trouble to avoid doing that if you like the T-Mag enough to carry it.

[butch]

i like the look of it but it would have to be a dress knife for me as the grinder has a way of filling up my ZDP delica and cricket with a ton of steel dust (least i can justwash it out and go)
betting a T Mag would nee compleat take down and still be a bugger to clean

[KaliGman]

After reading all of the comments, I thought---hmmm, I have to pick one of these up for my wife. This is the perfect knife for her. I tell her to keep it in her purse next to her wallet, containing her ATM and credit cards, and suddenly, once the magnetic strips on the card are demagnetized, her ability to spend money goes down and my knife buying budget goes up. BWHAHAHAHAH. Now if Spyderco would just come out with a knife that would automatically shred a checkbook....

[dedguy]

No matter how strong a magnet it's magnetic field (the distance it's effects extend from the magnet itself) is directly related to the mass of the magnet. Small rare earth magnets are actually less dangerous to electronics and the like than much larger weak ceramic magnets since their magnetic field is so small. There's magnets in all Apple computers these days and a paperclip will stick to the front of a macbook but the magnetic feild is so small it won't damage any parts of the computer.

[fellyjr]

After reading all of the comments, I thought---hmmm, I have to pick one of these up for my wife. This is the perfect knife for her. I tell her to keep it in her purse next to her wallet, containing her ATM and credit cards, and suddenly, once the magnetic strips on the card are demagnetized, her ability to spend money goes down and my knife buying budget goes up. BWHAHAHAHAH. Now if Spyderco would just come out with a knife that would automatically shred a checkbook....

That's hilarious!! Why didn't I think of that? It's so crazy, it just might work!

[Slick]

This is another interesting thread allowing me to prove my ignorance.

dedguy, I do not understand the difference between small and big magnets with regard to "dangerous" magnetic effects. Whether the magnet is big or small only the magnetic field is of concern.

The worst possible magnet is cone shaped and magnetized tip to base. The NIB ones are fragile and the magnetic field off the tip is so concentrated you have to pay an extra shipping charge if you order one. I have several magnets that scare me to death to handle. If two get together with a finger between... I bought the scary ones without clearly understanding the real deal.

I would think Spyderco has taken into account all aspects of its releases. If there were a danger Sal and company would put it into the literature.

I can take a straight chain of NIB sphere magnets and the force of their magnetic field is STRONG off both ends. If I connect the string into loop the magnetic field wraps itself into a torus (donut) and the magnetic effects of the ring are minimized.

I've got big scary mags. A T-Mag wouldn't scare me. Of course I wouldn't carry a T-Mag next my credit cards just in case.

I have an order in for a bunch of little NIB magnets and 0.50 steel balls. When they get here I'll play with
them a while then start a toy contest.

Of course J Smith is the automatic winner if he wants them.

[Chucula]

Slick-
I would guess large magnets have more magnetism compared to smaller magnets, although you bring up a good point about the shape of a magnetic field. A small magnet can be more powerful at a point than a larger magnet.

Also, I would expect a spherical magnet to be just as potent as a conical magnet, but at both ends instead of one. They certainly feel different from disc and rectangular magnets, but I have not handled a cone magnet. The most exotic ones I've seen are stars/triangles and the tubular ones

EDIT: Just for fun, I pulled out my magnets. Biggest ones I have are a .75" sphere, 1.5" diameter disc (.5" thick) and a .5x1x2" rectangular block. All three are scary--the disc can pin my hand against the fridge and I don't handle the rectangular one (Should not have ordered it). Slick--what do you have? I'm curious