Is Nickel Silver Magnetic?

T

TroyO

Joined
Mar 20, 2001
Messages
71
I have a silly question... is Nickel Silver magnetic? I would presume that it's an alloy of Nickel and Silver, neither of which are magnetic but I'm not sure as common names can be misleading.

I have a magnetic latch design that I'm working on, and need either a non-magnetic or at worst very very low magnetic metal in a silver color to use. The rest of the knife is stainless, a Typhoon Butterfly knife kit.

I want to make sure it doesn't stick out like brass would.

If the idea works, I'll post details to the board after I get some legal protection for the idea.

Thanks,
Troy
 
No. You can put a magnet up to a nickel to test this--same stuff.
 
I believe that nickle silver is basicly brass with nickle added, no silver, maybe someone can come up with the acutual alloy. It's also refered to as german silver
 
AHD:
nickel silver
n.
A silvery, hard, corrosion-resistant, ductile, malleable alloy of copper, zinc, and nickel, used in tableware and as a structural material for hospital and restaurant equipment. Also called German silver.

Nickel Silver Alloys, called X% Nickel Silver, where X is the percentage of nickel, the remainder copper and Zinc (18% Nickel Silver contains 60% copper, 22% Zinc, 18% Nickel). Nominal impurities of lead, iron, manganese and other elements to compose no more 1.3%(only .25% of which is iron), should not affect magnetic properties.

http://www.lfa-wire.com/c76400-a.htm

Man I love the internet. :) Make sure to shrae it with us if it works, TroyO. Always interested in something new (and don't worry, i only make fixed blades, so won't steal the idea ;) )
 
I forget what Darrel used for the handles on these, but many/most three series stainless steels are also non-magnetic.
 
iron, nickel, and cobalt are the three magnetic metals, along with some certain ceramics.

when the percentage gets low enough in combination with the right metals, as in nickel-silver, the material won't exhibit magnetic properties.

i haven't checked a nickle in a long time, but the older ones could be picked up by a magnet.
 
Interesting about the old nickels. I got curious and stuck a stick magnet into my change bucket and got nothing. Almost all are new nickels though. There is a slight pull to the Boye Cobalt bars I have.
To get back to the original question, the slab of NS I tested didn't have any magnetic pull to it.
 
That's exactly the info I needed! I'll keep everyone posted as to how it turns out... sucess or failure. If it doesn't work, I'll at least be able to share WHY it doesn't work, and maybe it will trigger someone else to do it better.
 
Hello,
My name is Adam. I was just researching on this site and came accross your idea. I have actually been patenting the idea of a magnetic latch for years now. I actually own three patents. I am in the process of CAD'ing the knife now. I was just curious about your findings?
 
I think from some readings nickel silver, or German silver, can vary some in composition. None that I have worked has ever had magnetic quality.

RL
 
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