A paperclip A razor blade A safety pin A hairpin
A refrigerator magnet works well for this purpose. You can also buy plain magnets from craft stores. You can use a steel or iron nail, horseshoe, crowbar, or other household item if you don’t have a magnet. The hair and fur shown in the photo should be ignored! To magnetize a piece of metal, only another magnet will do the trick. Rubbing it can electrically charge it - but not magnetize it.
Use the same method for magnetizing the needle with silk, fur or hair. Stroke the needle with the item up to 50 times to magnetize it. Don’t use these soft items if the needle you’re using is a razor blade. If your magnetizer is a piece of steel or iron, tap the needle to magnetize it. Stick the needle into a piece of wood and rap the top of the needle 50 times.
If you’re using a razor blade or another type of needle, simply place it on top of the cork so that it’s evenly balanced in the middle. You may need a larger piece of cork to hold the razor blade. Any small item that floats can be used in place of the cork coin. If you’re in the wild and in need of something on which to float your needle, you can use a leaf.
If a breeze hits the compass, it may have trouble aligning itself north to south. Try to shield the compass from wind by using a deeper jar or bowl. Currents will also disturb the direction of the compass, so you can’t expect to get an accurate reading if you suspend it in a lake or pond. You might be able to use a still puddle.
Read the stars. Locate the North Star, the last star in the handle of the Little Dipper constellation. Draw an imaginary line from the North Star to the ground. The direction of the line is due north. Use the shadow method. Place a stick upright in the ground so you can see its shadow. Mark the spot where the tip of the shadow falls with a rock. Wait fifteen minutes, then mark the shadow’s tip with a second rock. The line between the rocks is roughly east to west. If you stand with the first rock on your left and the second rock on your right, you are facing north.
