People who know the formula for WD-40

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Reverse engineering & “secret formula” mystique

  • Multiple commenters argue WD‑40 could be (and partially has been) reverse engineered with GC‑MS, HPLC, NMR, etc. A Wired piece is cited that finds mostly light alkanes, mineral oil, and CO₂.
  • Safety data sheets list broad petroleum distillate categories and ranges, but not exact species or percentages. People note SDSs are for safety, not full recipes.
  • Several see the “vault” and ultra‑secrecy as largely marketing, akin to Coca‑Cola’s “secret formula.” Others note that exact concentrations, processing steps, and base mixtures make perfect cloning nontrivial, but “close enough” industrial copies would be straightforward.

Manufacturing & information compartmentalization

  • Readers question how a mass‑produced product can be made if the formula is known only to a few.
  • Proposed answers: split supply chains, unlabeled ingredients, different plants mixing partial blends, or Coke‑like arrangements where no single group has the full picture.
  • Skeptics respond that procurement, tax, regulatory paperwork, and SDS requirements inevitably leak much of the composition, so the bank‑vault story is mainly PR.

What WD‑40 actually does

  • Widely repeated: “WD” stands for water displacement. Many treat it primarily as a water displacer/cleaner/solvent that leaves a thin oil film, not as a serious lubricant.
  • Common uses mentioned: drying wet tools, freeing stuck parts, cleaning threads and metal surfaces, removing sticker residue, light rust removal, cutting fluid for aluminum.

Is it a lubricant? Ongoing argument

  • One camp: if it reduces friction, it’s a lubricant; WD‑40’s own site calls it a blend of lubricants plus corrosion inhibitors and cleaners.
  • Opposing camp: in practice it’s a poor or “anti‑” lubricant—evaporates, strips existing grease, attracts dirt, leaves gummy/varnish residues, and performs badly for long‑term lubrication or as a top penetrating oil.
  • Consensus trend: acceptable for quick fixes and “get it moving,” but usually the wrong choice for lasting lubrication.

Alternatives, performance, and brand power

  • Project‑style tests are cited: dedicated products (acetone+ATF, Liquid Wrench, Kroil, PB Blaster, others) generally outperform WD‑40 for penetrating, rust prevention, and wear.
  • Recommended substitutes:
    • Hinges/household metal: white lithium grease, 3‑in‑1 oil.
    • Heavy machinery/bearings: thicker lithium greases.
    • Plastics/rubber/locks: silicone or graphite.
    • Rust protection: Boeshield, lanolin‑based sprays, specialized coatings.
  • Many conclude WD‑40’s real edge is ubiquity, brand recognition, and “good enough” versatility, not unique chemistry or top‑tier performance.