I suspect I am once again late to the party, but:

Two recent experiences: handled a friend's knife-fighter shoulder sheath in which the primary security was magnetic and lost a small knife sheath while mushrooming by putting it down on the leaf litter and duff next to my knee on a dark and rainy day [I looked and looked but the forest gods apparently accepted an offering I did not intend to make].

So, I need a sheath and I would like to put magnets in it to retain the knife. If I can figure out a relatively neat and economic way, I would also like to add magnets to several existing sheaths for various steel tools.

Thoughts?

Thanks.

I wonder if any magnets strong enough to really secure a knife would also scratch the blade. Perhaps not a concern if the knife is a "user"... YMMV

Have you decided agains Kydex? My Kydex sheaths are pretty secure.

Hey D,I use a Mag Sheath,whilst carving/dressing Game,This Might be useful for your App's-www.magsheath.com The magnet is Very Strong,I use tape over the area to weaken the pull,a little,Good Luck!

I'm leery about carrying magnets. Doesn't take much to throw off a compass. An issue that may only come to light after your cold, tired, and no longer sure where you are.

Me, too. Concerned about compass, watch, cell-phone, and any other electonics. Wondering if a thinner layer on the blade side and thicker layer[s] on the outside might reduce the magnetic effect enough ....

I will check out the web site, Rich, thanks.

By the way, the magnet[s] in the knife sheath I saw were behind/inside the leather sheath and could not scratch the blade - or anything else.

Still thinking it through.

My preference for knives runs along the lines of a simple friction fit, often a simple phosphor bronze spring, or, if it needs to be held in its sheath, a thumb snap, thong or stud.

A lot of old setups used a simple leather thong that is tied to form a loop and a button or projection. This setup has the advantage of being easy to adjust as the leather stretches, you just move the knot, and easy to replace with another thong when it wears out.

Snaps and studs can have the problem of fitting well when the unit is new but can become loose and unreliable as the materials stretch. Adjusting them can be a problem. I've seen people stitch, or cut and stitch, sometimes pad, the strap to take up slack but the results are often less than satisfactory. Removing and repositioning the snap or stud can be done if you have the tools and skills, or the services of a friendly cobbler/leather worker.

Of course, a little time on the internet found several commercial knife and sheath guys using magnets. I also was directed to this magnet source:

http://www.dealextreme.com/products.dx/category.405~search.magnet

Anybody have experience with them?

I am considering whether one or more magnets would have survival uses. Detecting ferrous materials? Retreiving ferrous tools/keys/blades/hooks? Finding sheaths with other magnets in them that you cannot find in the dark/on a forst floor in deep duff?

Thoughts?

Thanks.

I have purchased some of those from DX. Very strong magnets but also somewhat brittle. Some have split when I tried to pry them from a metal surface. I think it is a function of the rare-earth material. Last few things I have ordered from DX have taken about 35 days to reach me.

Depending on the carry position, I would think that a strong sheath magnet could scramble the magnetic strips on the debit and credit cards in your wallet as you walk along.

What's a credit card?