WD-40
WD-40 has been the blue and yellow can in almost every workshop since 1953. The name stands for "Water Displacement, 40th formula", the fortieth attempt by a group of Californian chemists looking for a corrosion preventative for the aerospace industry. On a bike the Multi-Use Product frees seized bolts, displaces moisture and stops squeaks.
WD-40 Range
WD-40 FAQ
Who or what is WD-40?
WD-40 is a brand of the WD-40 Company from San Diego, California. It is known above all for a single product: the Multi-Use Product in the blue and yellow aerosol can that frees seized parts, displaces moisture, protects against corrosion, cleans and lubricates.
The history of WD-40: forty attempts to get the formula right
On 23 September 1953, Norman B. Larsen, Gordon Dawson and John B. Gregory founded the Rocket Chemical Company in San Diego. They were looking for something that would protect metal in the aerospace industry against rust and corrosion. Only the fortieth attempt worked, hence the name: Water Displacement, 40th formula. The formula was used on the skin of the Atlas missile. Employees took cans home with them, and in 1958 WD-40 reached a shop shelf in San Diego for the first time.
WD-40 on a bike
The Multi-Use Product is not a chain lube and does not replace one. Its strengths lie elsewhere: freeing seized bolts and clamps, displacing moisture from cables and threaded joints, quieting squeaking joints and leaving a thin protective film on bare metal. Keep it away from the chain, the rotors, the braking surfaces and the tyres.
The variants
Every can holds the same formula, they differ in the spray head. Classic has the plain spray head, Smart Straw a fold-up spray straw that stays attached to the can, and Flexible a bendable metal tube for spots you cannot otherwise reach.
Product safety
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Information pursuant to the EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR).