WD40...solvent or lubricant?

[Cowbaby]

I don't really like it to well but it sure is handy to give something a quick squirt and wipe for some short term protection.
I know an old guy out by Talihina that has what must be one of the first Ruger 10/22s ever made. It is the only one I have ever seen with a steel receiver. I have one from the early 60s that has a walnut stock but the receiver is aluminum already by then so his must be 50s I am guessing.
His family has used it for decades and he says he has never has cleaned it. All he ever does is pull the action back and give it a good blast of WD/40 then points the barrel down in a bucket and inserts the straw in the barrel spraying until WD/40 runs into the bucket and puts the gun away. He says the gun has never jammed.
I have witnessed him shooting it and it works like the day it was made but I still just can't make myself treat one of my own that way.

 

[sh00ter]

Rem oil gets used just like I use WD40.

When I did a rust test on bare steel the Quicksilver 2 stroke oil won the test.

I would have never thought of that but makes perfect sense as a marine oil! I've heard people trash rem oil but can't recall why; maybe the PTFE gums up???

WD40 is a very light oil with some other stuff in it that penetrates, displaces water and then evaporates off.

The solvent evaporates and leaves a fine coat of the grease to protect the bare metal.

You both answered my question...the solvent evaporates and leaves only the lubricant behind; hence it really is multi-use, thx! I know Dennis was doing it the old fashioned way, but same concept.

ALSO, Dennis the gear oil soak is recommended for some ATV air filters...makes sense. Someone else (forgot who with all these replies) also said motor oil for gun oil...that is a VERY popular thing for airguns because the dedicated pelgun oil is costly for the tiny tube you get vberses a quart that lasts forever. I wonder what weight oil people are using for guns? I would think a straight weight would be best.

Started using Ballistol several years ago, and have never used WD40 since. I believe the WD stands for water displacement, its a light oil, rust inhibitor.

I use Ballistol for one thing right now. I use it to protect metal finishes of airguns that live in the garage. It works well for that! I may need to consider using it for the trailers and such that sit outside, but WD40 is cheaper and easier to find.

When I worked part time for a couple of local gunsmiths they both loved WD40 because it was a quick money maker.

Yeah I recall stories from it gumming up guns.

WD40 was developed for the military to keep rust and corrosion off of missile parts true story . Its not intended as a lubricant. As a kid we used 3 in 1 at home for gun lube , I used LSA and CLP for a long time because the army used it and it works great. Pro tip for you though A quart of Mobile One makes fantastic gun lube and will last you the rest of your life.

Yeah my dad loved that 3-in-1...more recently I have been on the Walmart house brand spray lube...it claims to do all the same stuff as WD40...except I will use it for things that I want to lube like door hinges before I reach for the WD40. But I reach for the WD40 for water displacement or rust inhibition instead of the supertech stuff.

Works great for getting bugs and tar off your vehicle.

YES...I learned this from a buddy in college...it works great for removing duct tape residue too as mentioned. I had some stubborn duct tape residue and brake cleaner wasn't working so I went to the WD40.

I should have added that we used it for daily cleanup after shift. After cleanup we’d wipe way lube on.

Brushing on grease like that would keep rust at bay for a good long while!

When I worked at a parts house we used it to clean & shine the countertops.

In my understanding almost anything can be used as a solvent for something else as long as it dissolves.

WD-40 works as a great solvent for other greases as its lightweight and can be wiped up once the heavier grease is dissolved.

For me WD-40 is the great jack of all master of none. It does nothing really well but man does it do so many things “eh, I guess that works.”

I just switched to using PB blaster for all my rust prevention issues. Put it on my smoker for smoke season, and put it on pretty much any metal part I can think of. It stays a lot longer than WD-40, but doesn’t destroy paint.

I use PB blaster for big automotive jobs that I soak the bolts beforehand...OR if WD40 won't work in the immediate moment. Does WD40 destroy paint?

I got a hold of some stuff at the marina one time and that stuff stays on like maple syrup for rust prevention but it is hard to cleanup/off if you ever need to so I went back to using WD40 for the outside things and just try to soak them more often.

I lay chains in a pan with news paper under them and spray them with brake cleaner, oil and dirt gos on news paper chain quickly drys.
Then i drag a old tooth bruch with chain oil on chain that is it.

Good method...I just been using the quick clean with simple green and a brush, rinse with water, dry, then lube with spray chain lube. But the dip/saturate method with liquid oil like you and Dennis are saying sounds like the best way. What oil are you using?

 

[crapsguy]

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 went to the OKC police shooting range a couple times [prob 25yrs ago] with the companies security guys when they went for their annual updates - might be odd to all here but they had a table set up to clean guns after the matches and they used ONLY WD-40 to clean them up - wiped them down good and good to go??
I would be concerned about getting it on ammo or too much in mags, etc but no concern of using it to clean
-- I had a little sig22 mosquito that was gummed up when I bought it - flushed out the firing mech good and cleaned it with WD and never had another issue
I use it to clean the exterior and use a gun oil or 3-1 for lube to lube slides, etc

 

[sh00ter]

I went to the OKC police shooting range a couple times [prob 25yrs ago] with the companies security guys when they went for their annual updates - might be odd to all here but they had a table set up to clean guns after the matches and they used ONLY WD-40 to clean them up - wiped them down good and good to go??
I would be concerned about getting it on ammo or too much in mags, etc but no concern of using it to clean
-- I had a little sig22 mosquito that was gummed up when I bought it - flushed out the firing mech good and cleaned it with WD and never had another issue
I use it to clean the exterior and use a gun oil or 3-1 for lube to lube slides, etc

Interesting...so it doesn't damage any finish or plastic/wood, etc? Do you use it as a bore solvent too?

 

[sh00ter]

Saw this: Why you shouldn't use WD-40 as a chain lubricant | Pedal Chile |

I can't say I agree because WD40 does leave behind an oil film and not dry like solvent only would do.

"WD-40 = solvent​

WD40 is primarily a solvent, which means that it dissolves contaminates so parts get nice and clean. As a solvent, WD-40 will strip away any existing lubricant, leaving your chain, and drivetrain dryer than before application. This means that using WD-40 as a chain lubricant is worse than using no lube at all."

Looks like WD40 does make a bike chain specific formula...wonder if it contains solvent?

https://www.wd40.com/products/wd-40-bike-all-conditions-lube/
EDIT: geeez...and another??? Maybe for motorcycles...why can't they ahve one for both bikes and motorcycles in one formula?

https://www.wd40.com/products/roller-chain-lubricant/
MORE: This guy says it is mainly kerosine and is the best cleaning choice for a motorcycle chain but still should use dedicated lube after cleaning...I wonder if the WD40 is okay to MIX with chain lube since that would be inevitable if you used it to clean (unless you rinsed it afterwards with degreaser).

 

[Camo]

Water Displacement.

There it is. I use it on my safe queens that don’t get fired much for general lube.

 

[Camo]

Interesting...so it doesn't damage any finish or plastic/wood, etc? Do you use it as a bore solvent too?

Been hosing mine down with WD40 for years. I put them in a large bucket and let it drip down on a pad. Never had finish or damage to wood/plastic

 

[jackinok09]

try FREE ALL you'll throw all the others away.

 

[crapsguy]

Interesting...so it doesn't damage any finish or plastic/wood, etc? Do you use it as a bore solvent too?

I have bore solvent to clean inside barrels

 

[TANSTAAFL]

WD40...solvent or lubricant? No "C" energy drink​