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Travellers' questions that don't fit anywhere else This is an opportunity to ask any question, and post any notice you wish that doesn't fit into one of the other sections.
Photo by Sean Howman, The Pamir highway in an unseasonably cold late October, Tajikistan

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Sean Howman,
The Pamir highway in an unseasonably
cold late October, Tajikistan



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  #1  
Old 18 Jun 2005
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WD-40
Dubblyew Dee Forty, do you know what it stands for?

It means: Water Dispersant, 40 days.

The following appeared in the June 1995 edition of GASIL, the General Aviation Safety Information Leaflet published for guidance of the operators of light aircraft:

The use of WD40

GASIL noted in an American magazine the statement that the much used WD40 should never be applied on aircraft.

The explanation given in the magazine for this is as follows.

"The brand name WD40 actually stands for 'water displacement' and '40 days'. The problem is that after a month or so WD40 dries into a sticky film that actually absorbs water and promotes corrosion."

It adds the CAA comment: 'It must not be forgotten that grease is hygroscopic (it absorbs water)'

So now you know.

Mind, it's still true that you can fix most things with a Mole Wrench and a can of WD40!

John

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  #2  
Old 27 Jun 2005
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I heard the '40' came from the fact that it was the inventors 40th attempt!
Quote:
Originally posted by John Roberts:
Dubblyew Dee Forty, do you know what it stands for?

It means: Water Dispersant, 40 days.

The following appeared in the June 1995 edition of GASIL, the General Aviation Safety Information Leaflet published for guidance of the operators of light aircraft:

The use of WD40

GASIL noted in an American magazine the statement that the much used WD40 should never be applied on aircraft.

The explanation given in the magazine for this is as follows.

"The brand name WD40 actually stands for 'water displacement' and '40 days'. The problem is that after a month or so WD40 dries into a sticky film that actually absorbs water and promotes corrosion."

It adds the CAA comment: 'It must not be forgotten that grease is hygroscopic (it absorbs water)'

So now you know.

Mind, it's still true that you can fix most things with a Mole Wrench and a can of WD40!

John
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  #3  
Old 27 Jun 2005
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I sprayed some WD40 down into my ignition lock because it got a little sandy. Does this mean my ignition will now rust and fall apart?
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  #4  
Old 27 Jun 2005
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You can get really good water-dispersant switch lubricants that will do a MUCH better job than WD-40 there.

I think of WD-40 as a band-aid - good for the moment, but of no use for long-term.

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  #5  
Old 27 Jun 2005
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yes. It was developed for the nasa space program - when it was first launched it was branded "rocket wd-40" for that reason.

chemist folklore is that it was the 40th formulation for water dispellant they tried. I have heard both stories and don't know which is true.

something graphitey (like silkopen) is better for lock mechanisms, but wd-40 will do it no harm.

although the grease does become hydroscopic (slightly) it still creates a good barrier between the surface and the water, which stuffs up the waters wetting properties as it is still hydrophobic (water hating) - like all oils. It will also contain sulphates and phosphates that will become chemically attatched to any fresh metal (a scratch for example)

in other words. spray liberally and leave, and it will do the job fine! (remember, never rub the last coat off!)
For bikes, GT85 is better as well as being cheaper!

dan
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  #6  
Old 28 Jun 2005
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I always carry a small can of WD-40 in my fix it bag.Although you can get specialty products for every imaginable situation,WD-40 will work miracles in a pinch.I've used it for:cleaning dirty chains,freeing up rusted locks,drying out water logged electrical switches,emergency starter fluid,sidestand lube,engine degreaser,ect.
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Old 28 Jun 2005
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The story from The WD-40 website suggests that the 40th water dispersant formula is where the name comes from. Guess that is about as close to the horse's mouth as you want to get.

Bad news about arthritis, tho'. :-)
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Old 28 Jun 2005
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I use it for cleaning chains and engine parts
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Old 29 Jun 2005
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For anti corrosion product...try ACF50. Its used in the aircraft industry...it keeps the chrome on my Harley through the winter months
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  #10  
Old 27 Aug 2005
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I think WD 40 is nothing but thin oil, though in 1800 or so, when it was invented, they needed 40 attempts to make that kind of oil.
Our days it should be done in 40 seconds on one attempt.
Its a good product, heavy enough to displace water, thin enough to penetrate everywhere.
My 2 cents

Cheers

Matt
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Old 27 Aug 2005
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Don't know about its water dispersant qualities. But it is great for removing text on airline tickets. Yes, a can of WD-40 emptied itself in my motorcycle pannier on a tour de Europe, in the same pannier as my airline ticket home, and the text on the ticket just dissappeared. I brought the blank ticket to the counter at the airport trying to explain the situation, hoping for a new one, but they thought it smelled like something very flameable and explosive and refused me to enter the aircraft with the rest of my motorcycle luggage since it smelled WD-40 too. No kidding.
I'll never travel with this product again.
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  #12  
Old 27 Aug 2005
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Eriks, don't blame WD40 for this. Rather look at it as another usefull to know usage of WD40 (maybee it could be handy to know you can delete anything from any paper while on the road), you were just the one to discover it the hard way. I know it wasn't funny at the time but something simmillar could have happend to you with engine oil, chain spray, stove petrol or what ever else "dangerous" fluid you pack into your panniers.

WD40 is not a specialized thing and there is a better solution for every possible usage of it, but who can carry all of them while traveling? It's like a letherman multitool, for every application there is always a professional tool but letherman does the job and it packs small, that's what is important while traveling. My 2 cents...

Cheers, Kudi
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Old 27 Aug 2005
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The same thing happened to a friend of mine, but with a broken bottle of olive oil.
I think its because ticket paper is made of a very smooth material, probably not absorbing ink.
Before the event he was a good cook, now as a result of his anger against olive oils, his food has a slight taste of carbon..!
Thats quite "barok" isnt it.
I tell him "mate, put in the oil,or soon it will burn".
5 years later his answer is allways the same:
No No No, they should have been writing on that bottle it can erase airline ticket text!

Seriously, WD40 is not extra ordinary, but sometimes you need one.
One of the favourite use I make with WD40 is polishing the paint of my bike, it gets brilliant.

Cheers,

Mattias


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Old 28 Aug 2005
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Another use... It's great as a cutting lubricant on the lathe when parting off. With the tube it gets right to the cutting edge. Every time I do that the thought does cross my mind that it might be a fire hazard. Hasn't happened yet, though. One snag is that my wife complains that I smell of cat's pee after I use it.

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Old 28 Aug 2005
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someone told me once the main ingredient in WD-40 is deisel?!?
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