Pole pieces

[SpareRibs]

Hello,
Is it possible to magnetize 1006 steel rod to use as pole pieces. Alnico is approximately 60%
iron, so might it work?

[copperheadroads]

I'm not familiar with 1006 steel ,But according to the carbon content it's pretty soft .
Steel won't keep its charge permanently ,you will need to use magnets

[Mark Hammer]

One of the reasons that pickups use alnico and similar substances, rather than nails or other forms of steel rod, is because of the high coercivity of alnico. Bring a neodymium magnet near a nail, and it will hold onto the nail firmly. But once you separate nail and magnet, the nail will show very little evidence of having been magnetized. It might pick up iron filings, but that's about as much as you can expect. Do the same with a piece of alnico, and the alnico rod/bar will become "coerced" into being a magnet once separated from the magnetizing source.

That is not to say that any of a variety of atypical materials could not be used to derive signal out of a coil, but you'd need to have a magnet in place, and charging that atypical material, to accomplish that.

[big_teee]

Like Copper Said, Steel Won't keep a good charge.
And, if it does keep a charge it will be too small for a pickup.
Regular Pole Magnets are fairly inexpensive, I would just go that route.
Good Luck,
Terry