Thread: magnetic chisel

Trev
Here in the States there are 2 types of magnetizing/demagnetizing tools. One is a Magnet that looks like it has stairs on the inside. You pass the tool through or over depending on whether you want to magnetize or demagnetize.
The other is electic and looks like the armature of a motor. To demagnetize you turn on a switch and hold the tool inside and then turn it off. To magnetize you turn it on with the tool inside and then pull the tool out about a foot away and then turn it off. Works great. I don't know if you have anything like that overseas but maybe this will help you find something. John

Anyone who repairs TV or computer monitors may be able to assist you. They use a degaussing tool which is designed to remove the magnetic field, so this may work on your skew.

Showing my extreme newbie status here, but why is it bad for chisels to be magnetized? I don't have one that is or anything, just curious why it is an issue

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Glenn
www.woodworkbooks.com

Probably been turning Ironbark and got a rapid buildup of filings....er shavings

I've been told that Tools that a magnetic want to grab the tool rest and make it harder to do some cuts. I magnetized a tool one day and couldn't tell a bit of difference.
When you sharpen it the grindings tend to stick to it and I'm surethey are transferred to the wood.

thanks for the wit but more importantly thanks to those for the useful help

regards
trev

Trev

It's pretty simple to demagnatize the tool just hit the blade a few times on the bed of the lathe or with a hammer, the magnatization should basically fall out of the tool.

I always give the tool a whack on the lathe bed after I have finished sharpening.

Hi Trev,
some metal machine shops have de-magnatising equip so do Non Destructive Testing (NDT) labs and it might be worth calling an electic motor company.

Glen

Hi Trev,

A very basic explanation of magnetism is that steel is made up of millions of little magnetic "domains". Normally, these point in random directions, so that overall they cancel each other out. In magnetised steel, some of them have become lined up in one direction, giving a net field in that direction.
All you have to do is make the domains random again, which can be accomplished with a couple of good hard knocks.
The long and short of it is: listen to Neil - he has (as usual) got the right idea. Degaussing tools and the like are usually made for items that are too fragile to stand up to this sort of treatment.

Hope this helps,

Tristan

thanks again everyone,just out of curiousity i normally use p&n tools and i've never had this problem before,its only happened with the robert sorby skew any thoughts on this.

regards
trev

How to demagnitise....

It is quite simple if you have a magnet - who hasn't.

Hold the tool in one hand and bring magnet close. Does it repell - push? Or does it attract - pull?

Get it aligned to repell.
Now stroke the tool with the magnet until it just stops repelling - you have now neutralised the tool. Not quite changed polarity.

Regards and happy easter.
Sandy across the ditch

I Don't........

hi trev. believe it or not, some info on your magnetism .due to sorby tools being made in england which is close to the north pole and is sent over here which is closer to the south pole it charges it with + magnetism.if you had bought a record lathe you would not have had this problem regards bill

Yeah! and water goes down the plug'ole in the opposite direction too!
John H.
(Whatever you do,don't buy a Record lathe! Put up with the magnetised chisel,very handy for finding small metal objects which are dropped from time to time and hide in the shavings.)