Thread: Is a magnetic blade a problem?

Ok. Started with straight at the end of last year. Predictably, I'm up to eight razors, and rather than just throwing them in my trinket drawer, I thought I'd make a little stand for them. Nothing too terribly special, but before researching I decided to inlay a magnetic strip across the top instead of putting in lateral support to keep them from falling down/over. It's barely strong enough, and I thought a row of tiny neodymium magnets might be a better choice.

In typical cart-before-the-horse fashion, after I completed the project, I searched and came up with one thread about magnetic blades.

The only drawback I can think of would be that when honing/refreshing, the swarf particulate would end up stuck to the blade and would need to be wiped off periodically.

I guess my question is, is this really an issue? Those who remember honing a blade that was magnetic, does this really present a problem?

I have found what you describe when beginning the restoration project with sanding straights using my wood blade holder where the blade is held in place by earth magnets. By the time these blades get to a honing stage the magnetic properties are not an issue.

No, it is absolutely not a problem.

Don't have an answer for you. But that is a very clean design, and display's nicely! I Might steal your idea if you don't mind?

Magnetic is not a problem. I fact, some vintage blades were advertised as magnetic as a marketing device. And perhaps some of those were even magnetic... Har har har

Never an issue with my boxcutter blades,just toss them against the garage metal door were they stick.is a good thing

You'll have to trust me on this:

. . . The strength of the magnetic field of a dipole magnet (roughly speaking, your proposed neodymium "dots" are dipole magnets)
. . . decreases as the _cube_ of the distance from the magnet.

So, if the magnet is up at the tang (an excellent idea!), the strength of the field is going to be much lower at the cutting edge of the blade, than it will be at the surface of the magnet. You shouldn't have much (if any) magnetization at the edge.

I'd worry about something else.

. Charles

Ok, thanks gents for the responses....just didnt want to mess up the gear....@trimmy, build away....