How to Make an Escape Compass

If you ever find yourself in an emergency situation in which you need to escape or travel in a safe direction, the knowledge of where north and south are can be critical. Fortunately, you can transform a simple metal wire or needle into an accurate and lifesaving compass that will indicate the direction of true north at your location. By simply applying a magnetic charge through static electricity, you can create your very own emergency escape compass, or just impress your friends.

Things You'll Need

  • Needle
  • Piece of silk fabric
  • Cup or bowl
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Instructions

    • 1

      Stroke the needle with a piece of silk from the hole to the tip. Pinch the needle at the hole between two fingers and, with the other hand, rub the needle from the eye to the tip up to 100 times. Doing this directs a magnetic charge into the needle, forcing the tip to be magnetized positively, and the eye negatively.

    • 2

      Pour or collect a small amount of water into a cup or bowl. You can use a puddle or other non-moving water source in an emergency.

    • 3

      Place the needle on a small leaf and float it on the water. Wait for the tip of the needle to turn and eventually stop. The tip of the needle will eventually point in the direction of magnetic north. You can also coat the needle with a little natural oil from your hair or face, which can help the needle stay buoyant on the surface of the water without using a leaf.

    • 4

      Ensure there are no pieces of metal close by the needle when measuring north, as they may give your needle a false reading.