WD-40

[Joel]

WD-40

The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and de-greaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. It's name comes from the project that was to find a "water displacement" compound. They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40.

The Corvair Company bought it in bulk to protect their Atlas missile parts. The workers were so pleased with the product, they began smuggling (also known as "shrinkage" or "stealing") it out to use at home. The executives decided there might be a consumer market for it and put it in aerosol cans. The rest, as they say, is history.

It is a carefully guarded recipe known only to four people. Only one of them is the "brew master." There are about 2.5 million gallons of the stuff manufactured each year. It gets it's distinctive smell from a fragrance that is added to the brew. Ken East says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you.


Here are some of the uses:

Protects silver from tarnishing

Cleans and lubricates guitar strings

Gets oil spots off concrete driveways

Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making it slippery

Keeps flies off cows

Restores and cleans chalkboards

Removes lipstick stains

Loosens stubborn zippers

Untangles jewelry chains

Removes stains from stainless steel sinks

Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill

Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing

Removes tomato stains from clothing

Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots

Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors

Keeps scissors working smoothly

Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes

Gives a children's play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide

Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers

Rids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises

Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open

Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close

Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers

Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles

Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans

Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons and bicycles for easy handling

Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly

Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools



We're not through. Here's more:

Removes splattered grease on stove

Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging

Lubricates prosthetic limbs

Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell)

Removes all traces of duct tape

I have even heard of folks spraying it on their arms, hands, knees, etc., to relieve arthritis pain.

One fellow claims spraying it on fishing lures attracts fish.

WD-40 has been designated the "official multi-purpose problem-solver of NASCAR," a ringing endorsement if there ever was one. I told my NASCAR loving sons about this and they said they couldn't imagine how WD-40 can solve the Jeff Gordon problem.

In celebration of their 50th year, the company conducted a contest to learn the favorite uses of it's customers and fan club members. (Yes, there is a WD-40 Fan Club.)

They compiled the information to identify the favorite use in each of the 50 states. Naturally, I was curious about Georgia and Alabama, and found the favorite use in both states was that it "penetrates stuck bolts, lug nuts, and hose ends."

Florida's favorite use was "cleans and removes lovebugs from grills and bumpers".

California's favorite use was penetrating the bolts on the Golden Gate Bridge.

Let me close with one final, wonderful use. The favorite use, in the State of New York: WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.

No wonder they have had 50 successful years.


THE OTHER HALF OF WHAT YOU NEED TO FIX ANYTHING IS DUCT TAPE

If it doesn't move and it should, use WD--40.

If it moves, when it shouldn't, use Duct tape.

Joel

[TransformX]

I can count over 50 things I'd NEVER use duct tape to fix

WD40 sounds like a great thing, but I wouldn't use it near anything that's going to enter my systems (food).

[High_Jumbllama]

We had a problem with all the doors where I use to work where they would creak. One guy brought in an old partially used can of WD-40 and I went around fixing creaking noises one day when I was waiting for a set of CDs to be burned.

[gt40]

it's also great for removing stickers/and or tape adhesive.
or removing those stick on tatto's
or for checking vacuum leaks at intake areas on a motor.
or for starting a vehicle with wet sparkplug wires.
or as a cutting lubricant.

[MultimediaMan]

MSDS Sheet Available Here.

Also makes for a fine source of fuel to blowtorch spiders. We always hit the spider with a "cold shot" (No Lighter), followed by a hotshot (With Lighter).

Please refrain from trying this: bad things can happen when (mis)using an aerosol can for such insane purposes. (Hey, I never got burned or hurt by doing it, but someone could have - easily.)

Weakly defending my actions: In Arizona, you HAD to do this with all of the Spiders indigenous to the area.

Some words of caution about WD-40: While it is advertised as a lubricant, it is a poor choice for anything with high loads, or requiring extended free-running lubrication. It will attract dirt, and it leaves a sticky residue when the carrier evaporates. (Remember, it was developed as a rust-inhibiting, water displacing agent for unfinished parts, and for this it works exceedingly well.)

As far as a metal penetrant goes it is very good: maybe too good. Will leech (remove) pigmentation from Colored Soft Anodized Aluminum over time.

Other uses: Metal Polishing with Grit Sandpaper: Lapping a heatsink? Use a little WD-40 as a lubricant to create a slurry to polish the metal down to 2000 grit. Finish with Happich Simichrome or Flitz polishing compound/paste. Works for ferrous and non-ferrous alloys.

[Marshmallowman]

toolbox in a can

[KRSESQ]

I use it for (among other things) cleaning and freeing up the latches on my car doors. However I always follow up with a few drops of good old 3-In-1 oil.

But I use it straight to prevent corrosion from forming on my car battery terminals. Neater than the axle grease my dad used and only needs re-application every year or so.

Ken East says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you.

"CONTAINS PETROLEUM DISTILLATES. Harmful or fatal if swallowed. If swallowed, DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING."

Kevin

[jackzod]

"CONTAINS PETROLEUM DISTILLATES. Harmful or fatal if swallowed. If swallowed, DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING."

Its harmful if it gets in your lungs, hence the "do not induce vomiting" thing, otherwise, hydrocarbure are rather mild intestinal irritant. You could drink a can of gas without problem, but don't choke while doing it.

Jackzod

[Brian Ellis]

Originally posted by jackzod
Its harmful if it gets in your lungs, hence the "do not induce vomiting" thing, otherwise, hydrocarbure are rather mild intestinal irritant. You could drink a can of gas without problem, but don't choke while doing it.

Jackzod

Hope its unleaded and you hang a no-smoking sign round your neck!!!

Seriously, don't do it. The LD50 for mixed hydrocarbon fuels is less than 1000 mg/kg. (For those who don't know it, LD50 means the lethal dose for 50% of people within 12 hours in milligrams ingested per kilogram of body weight, so that a hefty 80 kg male would have a 50-50 chance of dying by swallowing just 80 g of the stuff, a small glassful). Straight unblended aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as pure paraffins, are less toxic with LD50s in the 2,000 - 5,000 range.

[jackzod]

Originally posted by Brian Ellis
Hope its unleaded and you hang a no-smoking sign round your neck!!!

Seriously, don't do it. The LD50 for mixed hydrocarbon fuels is less than 1000 mg/kg. (For those who don't know it, LD50 means the lethal dose for 50% of people within 12 hours in milligrams ingested per kilogram of body weight, so that a hefty 80 kg male would have a 50-50 chance of dying by swallowing just 80 g of the stuff, a small glassful). Straight unblended aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as pure paraffins, are less toxic with LD50s in the 2,000 - 5,000 range.

Is this the LD50 for ingested (by mouth) hydrocarbon ?? Cause its a known fact that they're not very well absorbed by intestinal mucosa and tend just to irritate it (unless you take very big amount). Now if you inhale it (benzene for example or glue) the absorption is higher and toxicity can occur.

Jackzod

edit:typo

[Brian Ellis]

Yup, it is.

The problem is that, in blended motor fuels, there are all sorts of additives, including some cyclic HCs, that can be esterified by stomach acids and thereby absorbed. Some of these are badly metabolised and can cause acute renal or hepatic failure.

[jackzod]

are you sure it has clinical significance, cos in real life we rarely see any significant toxicity from HC (ingested I mean), but usually people (mostly child) never take more than 50 ml at most.

[Greebe]

I would never use WD-40 for...

Lubricating motors
locks
hinges
high load bearing surfaces
bearings
preventing corrosion of ANY metal

what I would use it for...

freeing up hindges, nuts, bolts, screws and bearings
rinsing out rust and corrosion
removing the sticky left from tape (but then again peanut butter also works for this

I'll add WD-40 is not a true lubricant, it is akin to Liquid Wrench. The petroleum distillants will evaporate in short order and anything that requires lubrication, use the appropriate oil/grease once WD-40 has dispersed.
(have seen this stuff do more harm than good)

[RedRed]

WD 40 is great for distributor caps and TH leads in cars - as an Easy stary or winter start...... (drives out dampness).....

Dont use it on guitar strings (except for cleaning them)..... nickel strings are best left uncoated....

It can damage the laquer on the fretboard (or stain rosewood)....

If you have REALLY sweaty palms, a LITTLE on a cloth between fretboard and strings (avoiding contact with the board) will clean the strings...

I use it for degreasing - works great.... for hinges - 3-in-1 graphite

never thaught of useing it for grinding.... must try it....

Its great stuff, though....