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A question regarding storage: I've seen some info saying not to store a compass next to ferrous metals. Will it really damage it if it's stored in my pouch with folding knife, ferro rod and DC4?
Personally, I love magnetic compasses. Funny how the Silva compass design hasn’t changed in decades…I just noticed that Asda (aka Walmart) have Silva style compasses in for £5. I have bought cheap Silva clones before and the only thing to check is the friction when you turn the compass housing - too lose and they move when you don't want them to. Other than that they work fine.
From my time in the military I've always used prismatic compasses including ones using mils as opposed to degrees. We were doing radio shots which had to accurate to the enth degree and something like a silva couldn't give us the required accuracy so for me it's prismatic every timePersonally, I love magnetic compasses. Funny how the Silva compass design hasn’t changed in decades…
These days with everybody following GPS directions, navigating with a compass and charts is a dying art.
Funnily enough it’s still the basis for aviation navigation training. Younger people, used to smart phone technology, really struggle with going back to paper aeronautical charts and slide rule. Of course, once they have their ticket, everybody just ‘follows the magenta line’.
I can’t speak for Silva compass design or quality. Haven’t seen one in years. But they were the staple of every school geography class, Boy Scout navigation exercise and Duke of Edinburgh award expedition.
Awesome. Just awesome.
Alan