Quote Originally Posted by Captain Gizmo View Post
Stainless steels come basically in Austenitic and non-Austenitic. The Austenitic steels are non magnetic. Common example is the 18/8 stainless in dinnerware.
I tried a strong neodymium magnet on two swivels. The coast lock on the smaller was very magnetic, the ring less so and the body not at all. On the larger swivel the rings were magnetic and the body not. None of them Sampo or SPO brand.

Regards,
Thomas of the Desert
I would say you need a stronger magnet. Yes to a point it’s non magnetic at first glance but I assure you that with a strong neodymium magnet you can pick any ferrous metal up. Not a little one, one of the 100-200 lbs force magnets wich you can only get from electromagnets or the large neodymium magnets, like we use in magnet fishing. If there is any iron in it, it sticks. How much is relevant to the quality of your stainless. The only thing it won’t pick up is nonferrous metals. A small neodymium magnet say out of hard drives. They are strong for their size but it’s not enough. The amount of carbon and magnesium in the alloy combinewith about 15% nickel 7% iron. Greater mass of non magnetic properties of the alloy make it seemingly impossible to stick to the metal. But if you increase the magnetic pull to over come the mass of the non steal properties. Undoubtedly it will stick. No questions asked. That’s one of the easiest ways to test the quality of the stainless. If a magnet that has 50lb strength sticks your stainless is junk. If it takes a 100lb strength your getting close to quality stainless. 200lb force is premium.
Unless you have spectrometer.