Dipping Needle Old / New

[Joe S (AK)]

Modern Divining Rods by R. J. Santschi.
Published: Glen Ellyn, Ill. : Century Press, c1939


https://ethw.org/File:Dipping_needle.jpg

On ebay today:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=di ... le&_sop=12

[Jim_Alaska]

"Dipping Needle"....also known as a "compass"? Or, a compass will do the same thing?

[Geowizard]

Dip Needle;

Interesting question. A compass aligns (points) to the magnetic north pole.

I used to ask student pilots which way is north? They would point (horizontally) in the direction of the magnetic north pole. Actually, the north pole is down at an angle because the earth is round, so, a compass - as used in an airplane dips down in a turn. It's called "northerly turning error". A normal compass can be turned 90 degrees and used as a dip needle. It will align with the earth's magnetic field.

The seven Merritt brothers were woodsmen in Minnesota back at the turn of the last century. One of the brothers noticed the compass urgently pointing DOWN. The result was the discovery of the Mesabi Iron Deposit!

The earths magnetic field around iron deposits can be mapped. Magnetic anomalies can define the location of magnetite and sometimes magnetite contains GOLD.

Wait, there's more!

- Geowizard

[Geowizard]

The Discovery;

The Merritt brothers obtained a dip needle to accurately map the boundaries of the Iron deposit.

Then they staked Mining Claims. Eventually the deposit was developed into the largest Iron Deposit in North America. The iron was used for the structure of the Empire State Building and steel rail for railroads that crossed America. US Steel owned by John D. Rockefeller eventually bought the Mesabi Iron Deposit.

More sensitive devices called "Magnetometers" are used today.

- Geowizard

[Geowizard]

Divining Rods;

Divining rods are not dip needles. Divining rods are sometimes used to mislead people.

People known as "Dowsers" use bent coat hangers, special made steel rods in a felt lined box to find water (non magnetic for all practical purposes) and all sorts of things that when subjected to a double blind test, are no better than random chance.

The so called discoveries made with divining rods are "cause and coincidence", not "cause and effect".

A well known professional debunker named Randi debunked divining rods in a double blind field test. Dowsers from around Australia showed up to demonstrate their abilities. The results were compiled. The results were the same as if a person would walk around and guess where the targets are located.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqoYrSd94kA

Note: Divining Rods, by definition must be held absolutely level to avoid turning due to Gravity.

- Geowizard

[Joe S (AK)]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, G, but you, obviously, seem to be rather opinionated on this topic (and maybe the others you also threw, in a bewildering way, on top as well). That stance seems to place you, awkwardly, in opposition to what has been used every day, for centuries, around the world. Used not in theory, but in fact. Not by academics or self styled "I know everything about this and I Just Know ......" people but rather by random segments of the everyday world's population. I AM ONE OF THOSE. Yes, I have used dowsing in a variety of applications - but, more to the point, here I would like to learn more about DIPPING NEEDLE operations and techniques.

"Cherry Picking" by quoting internet opinions that somehow align with yours, fully disregards the body of information which really is "the way things are".

I have heard, in another place and at another time, that "A closed mind never gathers insight." I hope that isn't the case here.

In closing, I wanted to say that I come here to learn and share what I have learned, not to be made to feel inadequate, somehow, in my thought processes. I believe others come here to do the same.

[Geowizard]

Science works;

The dipping needle works. Based on science and the laws of physics and what we know and understand about magnetic fields. It is predictable, verifiable and repeatable. The dipping needle works in the hands of anyone that takes it out in the field.

- Geowizard