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Comment by hi_hi | Hacker News Reader

Oh no, its the AWD vs 4WD thing all over again.

Is WD-40 a lubricant? Apparently, again, it depends!

Any low viscosity liquid is a lubricant including water, or any small enough solids. WD40 is a lubricant, but a very poor one for folks who have not discovered silicone spray lubricant. That said if all I had was an old can of WD40, I would use it.

The funny thing is where I live you can buy “WD40 Lubricant” (silicone).

I think many people buy WD40 because, unconsciously or not, the smell brings back memories.

Right, and this is probably the important bit, sometimes a poor lubricant is worse than no lubricant, and its really important to understand when something like WD-40 should be used and when it absolutely should not.

Let me explain. I ride motorbikes. You don't want to be using WD-40 on the chain as it will strip it of any existing lubricant and dry it out, which as you can imagine, is bad. However, it's actually really useful for cleaning parts of the bike that have been covered in gunk and grease.

I have to admire their marketing, as like you mentioned, I grew up in a house where WD40 was used for absolutely anything sticking or squeeking, and so for the longest time also used it to fix those things, and beyond.

> You don't want to be using WD-40 on the chain as it will strip it of any existing lubricant and dry it out, which as you can imagine, is bad. However, it's actually really useful for cleaning parts of the bike that have been covered in gunk and grease.

If you asked me to name the part of a bike most likely to be covered in gunk and grease, I'd say the chain. ;p

I think their point was ‘and then use a proper chain lube on the chain or you’ll regret it very quickly’.

Speaking of the smell, all these quick WD-40 hacks will leave the room smelling like WD-40 for weeks. I am also surprised he touches the WD-40 with bare hands, it feels impossible to get the smell of my fingers for the longest time.

I love that smell. I wish there where WD-40 smelling deodorant.

> Is WD-40 a lubricant? Apparently, again, it depends!

Yeah...

I love WD-40 and use it all the time but... For many use cases there are better solutions out there. For example the picture showing it used in a window (or door?) seal: you want to use a spray of silicone for that instead. For locks (inside the lock I mean) you want to use graphite powder (or teflon). Not WD-40.

WD-40 is amazing because one can can save your day. But the examples where something better exist are numerous.

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