Problems inherent to magnetic alignment of alpha iron crystals are discussed and explained by electron microscopic observation of the behavior of the single domain crystals under the effect of magnetic fields. With these specimens, which possess a fraction of magnetically unfavorable dendrites, intrinsic coercive forces of over 1700 oersteds have been measured without alignment.``By no endeavour can a magnet ever attract a silver churn''(W. S. Gilbert:Patience, Act II).