Thread: WD40

Is it safe to use WD40 to dry out the hinge of a razor?

I read in a post here ,that oil can color white bone scales.
Obviously there will be no problem with plastic and I assume celluloid and other artificial materials. I can't be sure on horn, Ivory, and exotic wood scales scales.

Originally Posted by rupert87

Is it safe to use WD40

It's not dangerous that's for sure. It may not be advisable though. I've found over the years that WD40 will attack some synthetic materials such as 'O' rings and also some paint finishes.
I'm not a WD40 fan but I'll bow to someone with practical experience of the stuff on razors.

I wouldn't put WD40 on a ****roach I disliked Seriously though I talked to a knifemaker over 10 years ago and he told me that you never want to use WD40 on a either a good firearm or a premium folding knife or any piece of cutlery for that matter.

If you truly do need some serious lubrication on any hinge on a razor I would highly recommend a product I've used for the past few years called Militec. I am really sold on Militec's fine synthetic oil. Their synthetic grease has tremendous lubricity as well. Their grease is great for the internal gears of fishing reels and many other delicate mechanisms.

But I've used nothing but Militec on my pocket knife collection and the folders I carry on a daily basis for some time now and it's just great.

Even as much of a ghetto-rigging caveman as my late dad was he wouldn't even use WD40 in his last days That crap varnishes up and it's hell to get it off after it does.

If you do need a spray type lubricant for stuff that WD40 was designed for I highly recommend Slick 50 One Lube. It's 50 times better than dinosaur grade WD40

It wasn't the lubrication I was after, but its properties for drying out hard to reach places. AIUI, that's what WD40 was originally designed to do.

Originally Posted by rupert87

It wasn't the lubrication I was after, but its properties for drying out hard to reach places. AIUI, that's what WD40 was originally designed to do.

Really!! I always thought that WD40 was meant to be a light/fine lubricant to get into tight places and to lubricate things that mainly require a light oil.

So when it does dry and have that varnish effect it's supposed to coat metal? I had never heard that before. All I know is that I've found at least 20 lubricants that I personally like better than WD40.

Just thinking about it I guess it would be good to coat garden tools for long term storage.

Another thing I like about Militec is that it doesn't create a static charge and it doesn't attract dust or dirt like some lubes do. And it clings to metal unbelievably.

Personally I never had very good luck with WD myself. But thank GOD for a huge selection

Originally Posted by rupert87

It wasn't the lubrication I was after, but its properties for drying out hard to reach places. AIUI, that's what WD40 was originally designed to do.

Indeed it was, and it took the research scientist who formulated it 40 attempts, hence the name W(ater) D(isplacement) 40.

Alcohol can do the same thing in many cases - but you would have to be sure that alcohol would not have an adverse effect on the scale material: on some plastics and celluloid it acts as a solvent.

On razors with scales not affected by alcohol it can be used full strength (although you will need a Customs & Excise exemption ticket to buy it in the UK) but it can be used in varying strengths - even the easily obtainable iso-propyl alcohol will work.

As a bonus it disinfects too. Strangely enough, for killing microbes, research has shown that alcohol with a small water content (eg 80 - 90% alcohol if I recall correctly) is better than pure alcohol.

Regards,
Neil.

Yes it works just fine,,,

I would call it safe on every scale material I have run across, except unfinished or beeswax finished wood, those it might penetrate, but then again so will anything else...

If you actually take the time to look at the test results out there, only a very few products beat it for rust prevention too..
It will gum up over extended periods but I have it on some of my seldom used collection razors (1 use per year) and have had no problems there either...

BTW The next thing you will hear is "I wouldn't put it on my face" I don't know about you guys but I actually rinse my razors before I use them.....

PS: This exact same discussion is on here at least 5 times that I can think of

I'm not sure how your shave den is laid out, but it would be much easier for me to reach for a hair dryer than a can of WD40.

I don't generally get the pivot area wet. After I rinse the blade in hot tap water I wipe it with a tissue. Then I take a look inside the scales and if necessary stick the corner of the tissue inside and get any droplets if I wasn't careful when shaving. Then I give it 20 on leather to get any micro gunk that might be in the striations of the bevel. After I strop I wipe the blade with a silicone gun cloth impregnated with a rust preventative that is no longer made called R.I.G.. So far so good.