WD-40

WD-40 comes in various sizes

WD-40 is the trademark of a widely-used penetrating oil (cleaner, lubricant and anti-corrosive solution) developed in 1953 by Norm Larsen, then working for the Rocket Chemical Company, to eliminate water and prevent corrosion on electrical circuitry. It stands for "Water Displacement, 40th attempt" (see below). Its first industrial use was by Convair, which used WD-40 to protect the outer skin of the Atlas missile from rust and corrosion. The product became commercially available on store shelves in San Diego in 1958.

WD-40's name comes straight out of Norm Larsen's lab book. Larsen was attempting to concoct a formula to prevent corrosion — a task which is done by displacing water. His persistence paid off when he perfected the formula on his 40th try. [link]

While its uses are many and varied, WD-40 should not be used as a general-purpose lubricant, as it dries out very quickly and collects dust. This can result in serious damage to machinery and equipment designed for use with heavy oils when they are lubricated with lightweight WD-40.

Many handymen consider WD-40 and duct tape to be the two most important items in their toolbox. In The Duct Tape Guys' book "WD-40," they proclaim, "Two rules get you through life: If it's stuck and it's not supposed to be, WD-40 it. If it's not stuck and it's supposed to be, duct tape it."

At one time there was for sale in Mexico a similar product called "WB-50," whose name apparently had no meaning other than to mark it as an alternative to WD-40.

WD-40 Company

Various products from the WD-40 Company

In 1969, the Rocket Chemical Company renamed itself WD-40 — after its then only product — but the product was still sold as "Rocket WD-40" for many years, with the history of its use in preserving Atlas rockets printed on each can. The company went public in 1973. Its NASDAQ stock symbol is NASDAQ: [WDFC]. In recent years the WD-40 company has acquired several household products companies, adding such brand names as 3-In-One Oil and Lava to its roster. The company still has its corporate offices in San Diego, California. It now markets its products in more than 160 countries around the globe. In 2003, it recorded sales of $238.1 million.

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