You cannot get the original WD-40, anymore. It was fish oil in STODDARD (#%@& SLEPCHEK) solvent. Now(as of the last time I looked at an SDS) it's light machine oil and solvent. If you shake it well before spraying, it should leave a thin coat of oil after the solvent evaporates. But it may not be an even coat.I always hear people either love it or hate it (I know not to use for guns). But I have so many different cans of spray lube, garage door lube, silicone lube, penetrant oil, chain lube, etc on hand that I began to wonder if this stuff really can do most things well enough not to have to buy so many others?
For example, can you lube a bike or motorcycle chain with it or are you better off using some dedicated "chain lube". I already use WD40 for the following:
- protect metal parts, such as rust spots on trailers that are stored outside to keep them from getting worse.
- in the truck as a single can-o-lube for whatever I need while at the boat ramp, or fixing a car somewhere, etc.
- used it today to remove stubborn duck tape mess from a car door that had the window taped shut until I could replace the regulator
- as a general lube when I am out of or too lazy to find the dedicated stuff for bike chains and door hinges, etc.
But I decided today when using it that I would ask the board if it is a solvent then how it is also a good lubricant, because that seems counterintuitive to use one or the other for certain tasks.
I also wanted to just generally ask what all people use it for and why, and if anyone uses it as their only can-o-lube in the shop? Those that know me best on here know I am always looking for a simple solution to fit in a nice little logical box so it leads to questions like this. Even other brands of lube say the same stuff on their cans as WD40 says..."lubricant, protector, penetrant, etc..." so if original WD40 can't be the do-all, then is there something that can?
I noticed that WD40 is now in the marketing game with a bunch of different specifically marked formulas but I have no idea if they are just the same stuff in a different can.
I buy it in gallons, and use it for a lot of things, including displacing water. For lightly rusted parts, I spray it repeatedly, and try to separate the parts. For badly rusted parts, I use PB Blaster. I use it to clean parts for inspection a lot. If I decide to chemically or electrlytically remove rust, I use brake cleaner to remove the oily film.
I Don't use it for my arthritis!
There are better chemicals, for several of the things I use WD-40 for, but most of them are way expensive, and I'm a cheap bastrich. YMMV!
