Maintenance using WD-40?!?

[edcgear]

OK guys, here it is, I'm little bit sloppy and lasy when thing comes to maintenance (thats why I love Victorinox so much  ) so I tend to use regular plain WD-40 multipurpose spray ( http://www.wd40.com/ ) for that purpose. I'm interested in your oppinion, experience and advice with WD-40 used for this purpose??

[evil510]

Hey edcgear. Here is an older post for ya that may help a bit.....WD40?

[edcgear]

Thanks mate...  Didn't browsed forum for awnsers, just posted a thread, my mistake.... 

[specgrade]

 After cutting tape, I use WD-40 to get rid of the sticky residue from the knife/scissors. It works great for get stickers off of mirrors and windows. It will clean out old lube and grease, also.

[Styerman]

I mostly use WD40 to clean , rather than lube . For that I use a light machine oil like sewing machine oil or Remoil . Use very sparingly , basically when joints feel gritty .

Chris

[Mercury]

As the WD40?  thread most likely mentions, it really doesn't work well for lubing a MT or knife, because it attracts so much grit.  It is an unparalleled cleaner though.  Couple it with a nice finish coat of nano oil or 3 in 1, and you're golden!

[diabolicturtle]

yeah i find it to be the absolute best cleaning solvents, but pretty bad for general lubrication, at least where I'm at, i find it attracts dust way to easily to be used for general lubrication

[Benner]

People say you shouldn't, but I have used it for years with no probs.

[edcgear]

Tnx guys... This is helpfull! 

[lovenhim]

WD40 works just fine.  Any lube that is oil based is going to attract dirt and dust, so I have never bought into the idea that WD40 is poor because it attracts dust....all oily lubes will do that....gun oil, 3in1, etc.  Is it the best lube on the market, no it is not.  Does it work well and do a decent job, sure it does.  I have used WD40 as a general all around lube for years with no problems.  Leatherman mentions  WD40 as a lube on their website, so that is good enough for me.  http://www.leatherman.com/about/maint

[Dunc]

WD40 works just fine.  Any lube that is oil based is going to attract dirt and dust, so I have never bought into the idea that WD40 is poor because it attracts dust....all oily lubes will do that....gun oil, 3in1, etc.  Is it the best lube on the market, no it is not.  Does it work well and do a decent job, sure it does.  I have used WD40 as a general all around lube for years with no problems.  Leatherman mentions  WD40 as a lube on their website, so that is good enough for me.  http://www.leatherman.com/about/maint

Works for me too 

[WhichDawg]

It is a good questions and deserves to be asked again (things get lost sometimes back in the pages )

Like stated I like to use it to "clean" gunk and glues, then I wash out my tools and dry em out good.
but usually I just wash em out with a little soap and water then dry throughly,

I would never spray WD40 and then put it in my pocket or case!
most times I don't really don't need to lube.

[Mike 56]

WD-40 is good stuff i buy it by the gallon at 12.00 a gallon it is a bargain. For gun cleaning i frist soak the bore with gun solvent run a few patches then flush with WD-40 patch dry run a wet patch of Breakfree and i am done. Semi auto bolts with free floating firing pins i flush them well with WD-40 then blow the excess out with compressed air. I also wipe down the exterior of my guns with WD-40. My black power guns,SAKs, and multitools i wash them in hot soap and water rinse dry with a blow dryer soak with WD-40 remove excess with compressed air. The trick to WD-40 is removing is the excess it will not turn sticky it will dry and not collect dust and tests have shown that WD-40 protects medal from rust much better than a lot of well known products like Breakfree, Hopes gun oil, Rem oil and 3n1 oil. WD is a lube it is a dry lube spray some bare medal remove the excess and let it set over night and check it in the morning.

Mike

[edcgear]

WD-40 is good stuff i buy it by the gallon at 12.00 a gallon it is a bargain. For gun cleaning i frist soak the bore with gun solvent run a few patches then flush with WD-40 patch dry run a wet patch of Breakfree and i am done. Semi auto bolts with free floating firing pins i flush them well with WD-40 then blow the excess out with compressed air. I also wipe down the exterior of my guns with WD-40. My black power guns,SAKs, and multitools i wash them in hot soap and water rinse dry with a blow dryer soak with WD-40 remove excess with compressed air. The trick to WD-40 is removing is the excess it will not turn sticky it will dry and not collect dust and tests have shown that WD-40 protects medal from rust much better than a lot of well known products like Breakfree, Hopes gun oil, Rem oil and 3n1 oil. WD is a lube it is a dry lube spray some bare medal remove the excess and let it set over night and check it in the morning.

Mike

Exactly what I have done... 6bar of compressed oxygen that is... 

[NutSAK]

WD-40 is good stuff i buy it by the gallon at 12.00 a gallon it is a bargain. For gun cleaning i frist soak the bore with gun solvent run a few patches then flush with WD-40 patch dry run a wet patch of Breakfree and i am done. Semi auto bolts with free floating firing pins i flush them well with WD-40 then blow the excess out with compressed air. I also wipe down the exterior of my guns with WD-40. My black power guns,SAKs, and multitools i wash them in hot soap and water rinse dry with a blow dryer soak with WD-40 remove excess with compressed air. The trick to WD-40 is removing is the excess it will not turn sticky it will dry and not collect dust and tests have shown that WD-40 protects medal from rust much better than a lot of well known products like Breakfree, Hopes gun oil, Rem oil and 3n1 oil. WD is a lube it is a dry lube spray some bare medal remove the excess and let it set over night and check it in the morning.

Mike

So, you're basically using WD-40 as a solvent & corrosion inhibitor.  Yes, it works well for that.  I don't recommend using it solely as a lubricant, however.  It was not designed as a lubricant, and many products can be substituted that will work much better in that role--those that were developed for lubrication.  It's been my experience with firearms that Hoppes oil and RemOil, lubricate better than WD-40, though they may not inhibit corrosion as well.

If I were maintaining a highly polished stainless Victorinox tool such as the OP, I wouldn't be too concerned with inhibiting corrosion.  I personally would use something that I could put on and not have to worry about drying every drop off to avoid gumming up.  Also, if I were ever preparing food with that knife, I would use something (such as mineral oil) that was food safe also.

[Dunc]

Mike

Exactly what I have done... 6bar of compressed oxygen that is... 

I hope its not 100% Oxygen  .Oil and WD40 near 100% 02   

[edcgear]

Mike

Exactly what I have done... 6bar of compressed oxygen that is... 

I hope its not 100% Oxygen  .Oil and WD40 near 100% 02   

No... Not 100%... 

[DaveK]

Pretty much as Terry says, I agree that WD40 does work as a lubricant, but it's not a great option, and wasn't designed to be that. The fact that the WD40 Company Ltd makes other lubricants like 3-in-1 PTFE for example, sort of backs that up.

Personally, I find it works, but you need to apply it more often, and it can get clogged up. There are better alternatives out there.

It's not going to do any harm though, so you may as well give it a go and make your own mind up!