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Wd40
- Thread starter stolas223
- Start date
Can we get away from the 'opinions and assumptions' and look at some facts? Like it or not, here is what WD-40 actually is. Other products may work better or worse, depending upon usage.
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WD-40 is the trademark name of a widely-available water-displacing spray developed in 1953 by Norm Larsen, founder of the Rocket Chemical Company, San Diego, California. It was originally designed to repel water and prevent corrosion, and later was found to have numerous household uses.
WD-40 stands for "Water Displacement - 40th Attempt".
The long term active ingredient is a non-volatile, viscous oil which remains on the surface, providing lubrication and protection from moisture. This is diluted with a volatile hydrocarbon to give a low viscosity fluid which can be sprayed and thus get into crevices. The volatile hydrocarbon then evaporates, leaving the oil behind. A propellant (originally a low-molecular weight hydrocarbon, now carbon dioxide) provides gas pressure in the can to force the liquid through the spray nozzle, then itself diffuses away.
These properties make the product useful in both home and commercial fields; lubricating and loosening joints and hinges, removing dirt and residue, extricating stuck screws and bolts, and preventing rust are common usages. The product also may be useful in removing moisture.
WD-40's main ingredients, according to U.S. Material Safety Data Sheet information, are:
* 50%: Stoddard solvent (i.e., mineral spirits -- primarily hexane, somewhat similar to kerosene)
* 25%: Liquefied petroleum gas (presumably as a propellant; carbon dioxide is now used instead to reduce WD-40's considerable flammability)
* 15+%: Mineral oil (light lubricating oil)
* 10-%: Inert ingredients
The German version of the mandatory EU safety sheet lists the following safety-relevant ingredients:
* 60-80%: Heavy Naphtha (petroleum product), hydrogen treated
* 1-5%: Carbon dioxide
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Stitchawl
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WD-40 is the trademark name of a widely-available water-displacing spray developed in 1953 by Norm Larsen, founder of the Rocket Chemical Company, San Diego, California. It was originally designed to repel water and prevent corrosion, and later was found to have numerous household uses.
WD-40 stands for "Water Displacement - 40th Attempt".
The long term active ingredient is a non-volatile, viscous oil which remains on the surface, providing lubrication and protection from moisture. This is diluted with a volatile hydrocarbon to give a low viscosity fluid which can be sprayed and thus get into crevices. The volatile hydrocarbon then evaporates, leaving the oil behind. A propellant (originally a low-molecular weight hydrocarbon, now carbon dioxide) provides gas pressure in the can to force the liquid through the spray nozzle, then itself diffuses away.
These properties make the product useful in both home and commercial fields; lubricating and loosening joints and hinges, removing dirt and residue, extricating stuck screws and bolts, and preventing rust are common usages. The product also may be useful in removing moisture.
WD-40's main ingredients, according to U.S. Material Safety Data Sheet information, are:
* 50%: Stoddard solvent (i.e., mineral spirits -- primarily hexane, somewhat similar to kerosene)
* 25%: Liquefied petroleum gas (presumably as a propellant; carbon dioxide is now used instead to reduce WD-40's considerable flammability)
* 15+%: Mineral oil (light lubricating oil)
* 10-%: Inert ingredients
The German version of the mandatory EU safety sheet lists the following safety-relevant ingredients:
* 60-80%: Heavy Naphtha (petroleum product), hydrogen treated
* 1-5%: Carbon dioxide
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Stitchawl
So why not more proponents of WD-40? Snob appeal?
Unfortunately, it doesn't go well with food.
Before I switched to "Tuf-Glide," I always kept my outdoor blades coated with WD-40, and any indoor knives that were in 'storage.' Always worked for me as far as rust prevention went. Folders also got a drop of a heavier oil worked into the pivot. I would spray the entire blade and pivot, wipe off the excess, then add a drop of heavier oil and work that into the pivot. No rust. No gummy residue. Perhaps it was the 'wiping off the excess' that made the difference. I really don't know.
But for at least 40 years or so I was coating my outdoor knife blades with WD-40 and using them for food preparation, especially Opinels. I never noticed any bad taste or health problems. It's not as if I was spraying WD-40 on a slice of ryebread and eating it. Most likely that would NOT be a good thing to do often. But I was cutting up veggies, meats, cheese, and bread with a coated blade most every weekend for all those years.
About 10-15 years ago someone gave me a couple of new 'Marine Tuf-Glide" cloths and a large bottle of the liquid. I began using that instead of WD-40. Frankly, I can't say that I notice any difference. Still no rust, and still no taste. I'm still alive and kicking. Every year I set a new 'personal best' for years lived.
Stitchawl
If all you have is WD 40 go ahead and use it, but there are so many better oils to use out there that don't turn gummy and will prevent rust much better. I have worked on firearms for over twenty years and I use Breakfree Collector and CLP or Birchwood Casey Sheath. So far Breakfree Collector has protected every gun I own and performed extremely well. I have a shop full of carbon steel tools that have been protected for many years with these products. Boeshield is also very good but does leave a thin waxy film.
shunsui
Gold Member
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2008
- Messages
- 5,857
Looks like you could just use mineral oil and save a lot of money.
No hexane...?, just a free bonus.
You could, but the Stoddard's Solvent thins out the oil, allowing it to penetrate into smaller crevices for better coverage. It's what makes the 'penetrating oil' action of WD-40 get in between rusty surfaces allowing them to break free.
Stitchawl
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2004
- Messages
- 1,670
Actually, I think that's Wikipedia's version of the facts. The MSDS can be found here, I would interpret it to be similar to that, in fact containing more than 17% mineral oil, and probably over 20%:
http://www.wd40company.com/partners/msds/
So it should be an OK lubricant ... which has been my experience. But it is still inferior in that regard to many other products, so why use it for anything more than door hinges?
The one thing WD40's proprietary formulation seems really good at is starting fires, providing quick ignition and enough duration to the burn to really get things going. I friend of mine burned out much of his house when a screwdriver in his workshop fell off the tool board and made a small rupture in a WD40 can on the workbench ... with the furnace nearby, it didn't take long before a good blaze erupted.
If I were burning some knives, I would probably use WD40.
I work for a regional lubrication manufacturer, and I have tried many different lubes/oils of firearms and knives. I prefer using the same oil on my guns and I do in my car...Mobil 1. Per volume it is 100 times cheaper than most firearm and knife specific oils. And, if it a synthetic that lasts very long.
For my knives I use a heavy (75w90) gear lube.
For my knives I use a heavy (75w90) gear lube.
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2001
- Messages
- 1,917
Hagphish,
Can you elaborate on this? Please.
I live in Korea, where some products are hard to obtain. But I was talking to a machinist here the other day who also recommended (synthetic) automotive engine oil for tool storage/protection.
What are the plusses, other than price? And what weights are appropriate for various uses?
Thank you.
Can you elaborate on this? Please.
I live in Korea, where some products are hard to obtain. But I was talking to a machinist here the other day who also recommended (synthetic) automotive engine oil for tool storage/protection.
What are the plusses, other than price? And what weights are appropriate for various uses?
Thank you.
I like Break Free CLP. If you look up any of the tests on the internet, it's an excellent rust preventative, and it leaves a dry Teflon coating that provides great continuing lubrication.
Eezox is usually the best rust preventative in those tests.
Motor oil? Are there any problems with it collecting lint and grime? It seems like any tool in my garage that has seen motor oil grabs every bit of dirt, dust, and grit that floats by.
Eezox is usually the best rust preventative in those tests.
Motor oil? Are there any problems with it collecting lint and grime? It seems like any tool in my garage that has seen motor oil grabs every bit of dirt, dust, and grit that floats by.
For the purpose of knives, oil is pretty much oil. Motor oils work fine for lots of applications. Traditionally, motor oil was mineral oil based. However, a potential downside is that motor oils typically have a variety of additives intended to improve performance inside the extreme conditions of internal combustion engines. These additives may or may not be well suited for tools to be handled or in contact with food. I don't know that this is the case or not. However, that I don't know does give me pause about it's suitability.
Any wet lubrication will collect debris. That isn't a function of type or brand of oil. it's a function of the surrounding area's dirtyness.
Any wet lubrication will collect debris. That isn't a function of type or brand of oil. it's a function of the surrounding area's dirtyness.