What does WD-40 stand for?

[Kai Tsang]

In article 100000@gladstone, Daniel Joshua Stern <dastern@gladstone> writes:
> WD-40? easy. It's Water Displacer formula #40.
>
> On 22 Sep 1994, Jim Craven wrote:
>
> >
> > My daughter's teacher posed this question to the class. The can doesn't say.
> > Anyone know?
> > --
> >
> >

I thought WD = War Department.

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Kai Y. Tsang k...@wg.icl.co.uk
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[Benson Wills]

Ought to stand for "Weapon Disabler". Bad for ammo primers and the gun
itself.

--
\\ b...@mercury.interpath.net. NRA member.
>> Conducting genealogy research on: WILLS/OH,NY,NC. HUGUENEL,NEHRBASS/NY.
>> SCOTT/OH. TUTTLE,ERVIN,PUETT,GORDON,STEWART,MCALPIN,LONG,GILMER(GILMORE),
>> MCLEAN,CARSON,NIEMYER/NC.

[Frank Mallory]

A>My daughter's teacher posed this question to the class. The can doesn't
A>say.
A>Anyone know?

The short answer is that it is called "WD-40" because it is a product of the
WD-40 Company.

I always thought that "WD" stood for "War Department"; however, no gov't
specs
are cited on the product container.

---------
Fidonet: Frank Mallory 1:109/417
Internet: Frank....@f417.n109.z1.fidonet.org

[Greg Marciniak]

I believe it is Water Displacement Formula #40. I seem to remember
it was developed during the Atlas missle program to use for
rustproofing purposes.

Greg Marciniak

[Mike Jones]

In article 94092...@blkcat.fidonet.org, Frank....@f417.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Frank Mallory) writes:
> A>My daughter's teacher posed this question to the class. The can doesn't
> A>say.
> A>Anyone know?
>
>The short answer is that it is called "WD-40" because it is a product of the
>WD-40 Company.
>
>I always thought that "WD" stood for "War Department"; however, no gov't
>specs
>are cited on the product container.

The predecessor of the WD-40 company (whose name I cannot recall) was a
defense contractor in San Diego. It's rather damp/humid there, and they
were having problems with condensation in missile assemblies. They
wanted to develop a lubricant that would displace the water so they
could lube and protect the parts at the same time. WD-40 stands for
"Water Displacement - formula #40". The workers found the stuff to be
so useful that they started taking it home. Eventually the company
decided it could make more money selling the stuff than building
missiles and changed their name to match the product.

Mike Jones | jon...@crd.ge.com

Beware the wrath of a patient man.
- Dryden

[C. Deforrest Smith]

Water Dispersant.

Next question?

[Stephen Grant]

In a previous article, k...@ss11.wg.icl.co.uk (Kai Tsang) says:

>In article 100000@gladstone, Daniel Joshua Stern <dastern@gladstone> writes:
>> WD-40? easy. It's Water Displacer formula #40.
>>
>> On 22 Sep 1994, Jim Craven wrote:
>>
>> >
>> > My daughter's teacher posed this question to the class. The can doesn't say.
>> > Anyone know?
>> > --
>> >
>> >
>
>I thought WD = War Department.
>

I've heard that before, but I think it comes from a misunderstanding
around how it was invented. It was not developed in a defense program
(thus the War Department connection), but actually early on in the space
program for drying out ignition coils etc. which had absorbed moisture
from the air. I had an old '73 Toyota Corolla would not start if it had
rained overnight. Spray WD-40 on the wires, wait 10 minutes, it'd start
like a charm.

Steve
--

[Alex Miller]

Water Displacement (formula) 40

I think it was made to spray on (aircraft) parts to protect against
corrosion.

Alex
a...@netcom.com

[Mike Antalek]

The WD stands for Water Displacement (I know, you all knew that.) the 40 means
that it displaces 40 times its weight of water.

Mike Antalek