If its the slightest magnetic....

billjustbill

billjustbill

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Feb 23, 2008
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If it's the slightest magnetic....

I'm needing some insight, experience, or just plain pity.... to help me separate the Good from the Bad.

The good of Saturday's garage sale is that $80 bought $800 in 10kt and 14kt....and more that 65 grams of Sterling. All pass the magnet test and are awaiting time to be tested to know for sure.

I have a domino size super magnet that if it gets in contact with another just like it, the only way to get them apart is to struggle and force them to slide sideways... The Bad is that there are four or five other tennis bracelets with beautiful oval stones that are stamped ".925", but they are just barely magnetic. They move toward the magnet only if it is 1/4" away, and at a speed akin to what your breath is when fogging and cleaning your reading glasses...

If it's the slightest magnetic, I consider it's a fake.... But is there any other way to look at it?

Thanks,
Bill
 

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in my experience slightly magnetic is ok, but to be 100% I'd invest in an acid test kit they are very inexpensive
 

Sometimes the spring inside the clasp is steel. Is it attracted to that or the bracelet themselves? I'd be leery if anything but the clasps. Sometimes (slightly older) sterling was made with nickel which is magnetic, so that is also a possibility. Most of today's silver is nickel free because of people and their allergies to it.
 

My jeweler told me that some silver can be slightly magnetic. (I wouldn't trust it from China though.) He waved a magnet over some pieces, and bought them anyway. We did use the acid test.

And yeah, don't do it near the clasp cuz the spring is magnetic.
 

The stuff I found that is slightly magnetic has been a few chains that are marked Italy & .925 and I've put those aside. So if they have a nickel content, are they still considered sterling? About when was it this alloy of nickel no longer used? My guess the chains I have are from around the 1970's based on the sterling pendants they came with that were not magnetic. I would say they are still a sterling silver if the alloy is a 92.5% of pure silver, over a 7.5% of some other metal, such as nickel. right?...The scrap guys don't like anything with magnetism. I'm thinking the chains I have should be still good for the scrap value by the weight of sterling?.
 

tamrock said:
The stuff I found that is slightly magnetic has been a few chains that are marked Italy & .925 and I've put those aside. So if they have a nickel content, are they still considered sterling? About when was it this alloy of nickel no longer used? My guess the chains I have are from around the 1970's based on the sterling pendants they came with that were not magnetic. I would say they are still a sterling silver if the alloy is a 92.5% of pure silver, over a 7.5% of some other metal, such as nickel. right?...The scrap guys don't like anything with magnetism. I'm thinking the chains I have should be still good for the scrap value by the weight of sterling?.
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As long as the silver content is 92.5% silver it does not matter what metal it was alloyed with to be classified as sterling silver.
 

I went to a yard sale and the guy had a broken 10K gold chain for sale. I acid checked it and it came up good but I forgot my magnet so I figured that acid test was good so I bought it for the $60 he was asking. It was worth about $120 in scrap. When I got home it was slightly attracted to my magnet (I use an incredibly strong rare earth magnet) and my first thought was it was fake. I brought it to my local pawn shop and he acid tested it then tested with his magnet and again the slight attraction. He came back to the counter and said he would give me $60 for it. I said to let me think about it and he said he would do $75 if that helped. I asked him about the magnetic attraction and he said that some hollow chains will be slightly attracted because of the filler they use on them to make them stronger. I wasn't sure so I figured it was time to cut my losses and I took the $75 because I was still scared it would turn out fake. I'm sure he knows what he's talking about but that is one of the first gold items I have ever seen that was magnetic and I'm still not sure what to think... :dontknow:
 

Bigmike, imo (and experience) a scrap buyer is only going to jump from a $60 offer to a $75 offer if they are making significantly more than that, ie 120. That having been said, I've handled many iffy "gold" pieces since I started doing this and have never had anything slightly magnetic actually be gold so at least you made $15 right?
 

kali_is_my_copilot said:
Bigmike, imo (and experience) a scrap buyer is only going to jump from a $60 offer to a $75 offer if they are making significantly more than that, ie 120. That having been said, I've handled many iffy "gold" pieces since I started doing this and have never had anything slightly magnetic actually be gold so at least you made $15 right?
Click to expand...

That's exactly why I accepted the $75 offer. I've been buying, selling and finding gold for 10 years now and other then the clasp I have never had a piece be even slightly magnetic. I have never sold anything to a pawn shop before this either but figured I didn't want to get stuck with it if it was fake and a $15 come up is better then a $60 loss any day.
 

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biggmike said:
This is the one I use. It is probably too strong. Be careful if you decide to get this type magnet and definitely don't let the kids get a hold of it.

N52 45 20 10mm Neodymium Permanent Super Strong Magnets RARE Earth Craft Blaock | eBay
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Or just take some out of an old hard drive for free & they hold up better over time because they are mounted to metal brackets which does make the actual magnet a little stronger rather than so fragile & those brackets make removing the magnet much easier as well.
 

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I've been buying scrap gold for 3/4 years now and have had exactly one single bracelet move against a 52lb neodymium magnet. It was 14k gold. I was skeptical.. But my buyer never flinched. He tests every piece he buys. Acid and electronically.
 

My other half harvested a bunch of industrial magnets from a landfill where he did an equipment installation recently, he hasn't gotten around to cleaning them up yet but I'm hoping there are some smaller ones so he can replace a gift he made for me which I foolishly misplaced. I had found this really lovely art deco costume ring setting that he epoxyed half of a magnetic clasp into, it was my GS/flea market/thrift store sneak magnet and it's been missing for a couple of months now :( I'm hoping it will turn up eventually but it was a very strong magnet and might have gotten stuck to something and thrown out. He's going to go through these new magnets and look for a couple to make his 'n hers sneak rings anyhow, it's oddly romantic.
 

Thanks BigMike and mugsisme for the recommendations.

mugsisme....I really like the pocket clip on the magnet you recommended and ordered one. (I keep loosing magnets. I think this will help)

BigMike...the magnet you recommended looks awesome, but probably more than I need and all the warnings scarred me off...lol.

kali_is_my_copilot....your ring sounds like a great idea. If you get a new one, please post pics. Especially, at yard sales, I feel like pulling out magnets and loupes changes the interaction. Great idea!
 

mugsisme said:
I got this one. I have two, one in the house and one in my pocket book.

Amazon.com: Master Magnetics Neodymium Pickup Magnet with Pocket Clip, Model# 07264: Home Improvement

Master Magnetics Neodymium Pickup Magnet with Pocket Clip, Model# 07264
Click to expand...

"....and one in my pocket book."

Remember credit cards have that magnetic strip on the back with your card data that can be corrupted by a strong magnet....

I had that happen. When the card wouldn't go through, the Wally-World checkout clerk punched in the card's numbers. It Wouldn't go through. He did it again.... wouldn't go through... Now, I'm standing there with $400 in groceries and chilled meats, dairy, and frozen items... He did it a third time and then said: "The credit card company said they shut down the account...." I'm Red-faced and I'm confused, so I used a second card from Wally-World itself that was just replaced because I use it for gasoline purchases.... WHEW!! When I got home and with my fingers on fire, I called the credit card company. The representative said it was shut down because the clerk kept entering the wrong expiration date....a signal to them that it may be fraudulent purchases on my account. The strong magnet started the problem and the Wally World Summer Employment Checker only made it worse....

My recommendation is keep your credit cards away from both.... :thumbsup:
 

Thanks silverdollarbill, it was a great idea (which I can't claim credit for) and I'm still sore that I lost the original and hoping that it turns up. If it does, or when we get around to making new ones, I will definitely post pics. It just sucks looking for settings, I already have several laying around to choose from but the mister wears a 13.5 and it's hard to find any rings at all that size!
 

So, I purchased this magnet: Amazon.com: Master Magnetics Neodymium Pickup Magnet with Pocket Clip, Model# 07264: Home Improvement

PROs:
- the fact it is shaped like a pen will help you not lose it

CONs:
- strength of the magnet is too weak
- I held the magnet against a ring that is magnetic and with the ring and magnet in hand you cannot tell the ring in magnetic. In order to tell the ring was magnetic, I had to lay the ring on the desk, touch it with the magnet, and pull. Then you could then see the magnet drag the ring.

Overall: You will not lose this magnet. However, it is not strong enough and you will not be able to discretely use it at sales. Sorry mugsisme. :)

Recommendation: buy a smaller, more powerful magnet
 

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