source for magnets

chuck buck

chuck buck

Joined
Nov 4, 2007
Messages
453
ive heard of people using "rare earth" magnets as a way to retain knives in their sheaths. does anyone have any information about this? or perhaps a source to buy them? anything helps! thanks! -CB
 
Ebay seller Emovendo is good for rare earth (neodymium) magnets. I recently purchased there. Wikipedia (if you trust it), has a good article if you search neodymium. :thumbup:

Don't know if Emovendo will have the size you want (probably will), but there is a bunch there to choose from.
 
Not to be a smart aleck but google is your friend:). Search "rare earth magnets" and you will find just what you need. I found a few sites that sell nothing but magnets and at reasonable prices.

I just placed an order with www.kjmagnetics.com, they just happened to be the one that I clicked and they take paypal so that's who I ordered from.


Nick
 
well i was just lookin for general information from people who may use them. usually forums are the spot for sharing knowledge. its a little more straight to the point than searching google. thanks though.

i should be more specific:

how big? any certain types? different ones have more or less magnetism i assume? anyone actually used them?

-CB
 
In past years I've purchased many magnets from coin size through flat rectangles to large donut sized bucking magnets from www.partsexpress.com

Haven't ordered recently so you may want to call them if you don't see what you need.
 
nick681 said:
I just placed an order with www.kjmagnetics.com, they just happened to be the one that I clicked and they take paypal so that's who I ordered from.
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I just got an order from them last week. Top notch and excellent price. If you're looking for retentions for straps, use at least 1/4" diameter x 1/8", one on the strap, one in the sheath. Not knowing the app, I can't give any more info. And yes, get neodymium. Basically the thicker the more magnetism.
 
if you only need a few you can take an old hard drive apart and get 2 super strong magnets free. be careful with them because they will draw blood if you get any skin pinched between them.
 
thanks guys. i was thinking maybe putting the magnet in the blade area of the sheath behind a peice of leather to actually hold the blade. would this work? or are they mainly used for retention straps that go across the gaurd area? -CB
 
i was experimenting with a magnet taped to the back of a sheath. it held the knife ok but it could also grab metal shavings and scratch the blade if that is an issue.
 
chuck buck said:
thanks guys. i was thinking maybe putting the magnet in the blade area of the sheath behind a peice of leather to actually hold the blade. would this work? or are they mainly used for retention straps that go across the gaurd area? -CB
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I've seen a couple necker styles done this way. Like Richard said, crud may be an issue, but then again, that's with any sheath. I'd suggest a magnet 1/3 diamter of the total blade width and 1/8" thick. 1/8" would be approximately 4 oz. leather thickness, so if you use 8-9 oz for the sheath, it would hide very well in a pocket cut.
 
great! ill give it a try soon here and well see what happens. id like the make a leather sheath for my lagriffe and a longer one for a brkt tusk.
 
I've found a really cheap supply of VERY powerful small magnets. I embed them inside the backs of boot knife sheaths so the rig can be carried upside down without having the knife fall out, even if you jump up and down! 2-3 of these will hold a full sized fixed blade securely. 2 will really clamp a boot knife. Here is where to get them for free....
Go to your local computer repair center and find a shop that will give away busted old hard drives. Using torx drivers remove the cover of the drive, then remove the screws holding the read/write arm. There are two magnets, one on each side of the base of the arm. You will need to use a bench vise and a pair of vice grips to get the magnets off their bases. Each is quarter moon shaped and do NOT get your finger between them! I've raised several blood blisters having them snap together on me. You can NOT pull two of these apart... You have to slide them apart! I make a square shaped opening on the leather, lay the magnets end to end, and fill the space around them with something like 'ShooGoo' or liquid rubber. Then I glue a thin liner leather over the top so as not to scratch the blade, and then attach the front and back of the sheath together. I like to use velcro as attachments (like the old Gerber Guardian) rather than belt loops or clips as it is thinner and more easily moved to different locations for carry.
 
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