Whats your magnet of choice? - Page 2

The material that we receive is so varied and mixed good magnets are really important to us. Hard drive magnets, as mechanic said, are too strong. they attract 300 series stainless steel varieties that are still stainless but have slightly magnetic tendencies. My local yard won't use them for that very reason, they still use the old school 'magnet on a pocketwatch chain.' One time I had to go to Harbor Freight (We love their blue gloves) and randomly picked up one of their magnets to try out. They are now the only magnet we use. Every other magnet just gets thrown in with shred.

Here is the magnet, they have a rubber grip handle not pictured. It's really smaller than it looks. The handle will allow for two gloved fingers to fit in when grabbed quickly.


It's great because while it is strong, it's not 'suck your will to live' strong and so it does not attract the 300 series stainless steel that HD magnets do. The main reason we love them is the handle though. Being able to quickly stick it on and off something, then return it to it's spot, and then quickly grab it again and check something else is worth the wait. The handle is big enough to get your fingers in using gloved hands and that's important too. Everybody has one here, one in the toolbox of our trailer, and I have 3 or so in my desk in case somebody loses these or something.