Compass Points South

[UCanoe_2]

A couple years ago, I was delighted to find a Brunton Type 15 compass in a second hand store for $18 (current list is $60). I tucked the compass into my pocket next to the cell phone and headed for home. Big mistake.

Now the polarity of the compass is reversed. The red end of the needle points south instead of north.

I tried the repair method listed in this blog without success: https://www.myopencountry.com/how-to-fix-a-compass/ I taped a button size neodymium magnet next to the compass and let it sit for a day, without success. Then I tried the same method using 5 or 6 neodymium magnets over a 3 day period. Still no luck.

Does anyone have a suggestion? I could simply mark the compass "WHITE = NORTH," but then in an emergency I might not remember that this compass works backwards from my others.

 

[devils son in law]

Flip your map upside down!

I'm gonna follow this thread, never heard of that before.

 

[clemency]

Its a special southern hemisphere compass.

 

[yknpdlr]

Save it and sell it for a a lot of money as the only official "most accurate" compass when the earth's magnetic field flips north for south as it has done over geologic time, and will do so again in the future.

 

[UCanoe_2]

"Geologic time" is a REALLY long term investment.....

It's hot right now in the attic where the compass is. I'll try the solution from YouTube in the morning. Thanks, guys.

 

[UCanoe_2]

SUCCESS! Thanks, Devil, for this helpful video. The key to remagnetizing the compass is swiping the magnet lengthwise along the needle. I have to wonder if the author of the blog cited above ever really tried his method, because it sure didn't work for me.

Here are a couple of videos showing similar methods: