A method for controlling the remanance of a sintered magnet by varying the time when the orienting field is applied during cold compression. The method comprises obtaining powders of an appropriate particle size, compressing the powders in an oriented field, sintering, heat treating, machining and magnetizing to technical saturation. The cold compressing in an orienting field takes place at a precompression rate of more than 15% before the orienting field is applied. The method applies to magnets of all shapes which must have magnetic induction well defined in modulus and in direction, particularly annular magnets for traveling wave tubes.