How to Take Care of / Repair Your Compass

As I've noted before, a compass is one of the Top 10 Things I Always Pack with me.

However, a friend of mine just returned from New York City, stating that airplanes can be destructive to our tiny, pocket sized, friend.

Tsangerang Writes:
Hot Travel Tip!

Compasses are usually a thin piece of magnetic metal inside a plastic housing filled with water.

If you take them on a plane, occasionally they will develop water bubbles due to the changes in atmospheric pressure.

First, the bubble generally doesn't cause problems, meaning you can keep using the compass without worrying that bubble will send you into the middle of nowhere. I say generally because the bubble could technically cause problem for the directional arrow, but that's very very situational.

Second, how to get rid of the bubble. So the bubble pisses you off. It did for me. Just leave the compass in the warm sun for some time and the bubble disappears. The water vaporizes and the bubble is gone! Don't put your compass in some place hot (like boiling water) because you could warp the plastic housing. Warm is the good enough.

Original Source
He originally became aware of this problem from Adventure Sports Online. Hopefully, armed with this tip, you'll never be searching for home again.