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A needle point on nylon, a bearing, but not as you know it.
WD-40 was first used by the military in the '50s to clean up Atlas missile parts. Today, it's used by people everywhere to clean up virtually everything in need of a gleam. But don't go spraying the stuff just anywhere. WD-40 can cause more harm than good to certain household items. The DIY enthusiasts at Stack Exchange chime in.
Photo by Jorge Barrios.
It seems like WD-40 can be used to lubricate just about any moving metal part. But is this true? Are there instances when WD-40 can be harmful?
— sharptooth (originally asked here)
WD-40 isn't actually a true lubricant. WD stands for "water displacing" and its main use is as a solvent or rust dissolver.
The lubricant-like properties of WD-40 come not from the substance itself, but from dissolving components. And the effect doesn't last.
WD-40 can be a good substance to start with — it can help clean up rust or other grime. But depending on what you're working with, you should probably follow up WD-40 with use of a true lubricant such as one based on silicone, grease, Teflon, or graphite.
Z.
John Peckham:
If you really wanted to upset RAF armourers just spray your rifle with WD40 instead of oil rifle for the use of issued. Apparently it stinks out the armoury for days overcoming the fragrance of the issued oil.
Sparkingchip:
I know I have told this story before.
When I was around sixteen I went with a mate to find an electric fence unit in his uncles shed, we had been told there were several and he was welcome to have one, if we could find an usable one.
This was before fancy electronics were used in electric fencing units, they had a swinging arm and a solenoid inside them, giving them a very distinctive tick tock when they were working.
We had dismantled a couple that looked promising, but did not actually work, WD40 was being liberally applied to the mechanisms inside them along with a bit of cleaning and general “maintenance”.
Then we ran out of WD40, so we started to apply some Plus Gas that was to hand, we connected one to the battery and my mate gave the swinging arm a nudge, as it contacted the solenoid it sparked resulting in quite an impressive explosion which we took full in the face.
That night we went to the pub (yes you read that right, it was the 1970’s) where we had the mickey taken out of us from the moment we entered the door, as we had both lost our eye brows, eye lashes and fringes.
Ever since I have been very cautious about what I spray inside electrical appliances and in what combinations.
Andy B.
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