[Elecraft] Demagnetizing Tools?

[Don Wilhelm]

Steve,

There is an easy way to de-magnitize tools (including your flush cutters) if
you have one of the Weller or Wen soldering guns (the kind where the tip is
connected to two 'arms' so there is a loop at the business end).

Turn the gun on and put the end of the magnitized object inside the
soldering gun's 'loop',  move it around a bit and then (with the gun still
on), move the object slowly out of the magnetic field before releasing the
trigger on the gun.

Caution - don't get burned during the process, and do keep the gun turned on
throughout the process.  Turning the gun off with a metallic object near
will magnitize the object due to the suddenly collapsing field.

One could procure a de-magnitizing tool, and I have tried several.  The ones
that are not powered by AC have not been successful for me - maybe I just
don't know the 'tricks', but an old color TV de-gausing loop can be used
with success just like the soldering gun.  A video or audio tape eraser can
also be used, but it may take several tries to remove all the magnetic
characteristics since the field is weaker than in the soldering gun.

73,
Don W3FPR

----- Original Message ----- 

> Well, I'm increasingly annoyed by my flush cutting wire clippers which
> appeared to have acquired a bit of magnetization.  The short pieces of
> component leads clipped off, often cling to the tips of the cutters,
> requiring much prodding with the finger to get them to drop off.  Then,
> there is the occasional clipping that finally drops -- but into the guts
> of the radio I'm working on, followed by a long hunt looking for the
> wayward clip, wondering what it will short.......!@#$@?>??@?
>
> Is there an easy way to demagnetize tools?  How?
>