[GreenKeys] Good cleaning agent

[Ralph Mowery]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Web Williams" <WY3XinSC at earthlink.net>
To: <greenkeys at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, January 10, 2011 12:15 PM
Subject: Re: [GreenKeys] Good cleaning agent


> Be careful what you put WD-40 on, it leaves a sticky residue
> that hardens with age. A local gunsmith told me this several
> years ago, after telling me how much money he made removing
> WD-40 residue from firearm actions. It's OK to clean with, as
> long as you're aware that you'll have to use something else to
> clean it off after you're done (unless it's used in a non-moving
> parts location).
>
> -Web (WY3X)
>

Most of us have beat poor old WD-40 to death.  This is what put the final 
nail in the WD-40 product for me.  It is from the old FIDO net work.  For 
those that do not know if this,it was a sort of eairly news group before the 
internet became common.  For those that do not know of Ed Harris, he was a 
big name in gun writing.

From: ED HARRIS                    Refer#: NONE
  To: RAY ELAM                      Recvd: NO
Subj: WD-40                          Conf: (11) F-Firearms
Degrades in the presense of ozone, which can cause surface rusting such as
when  you have an arc welder in the shop.  When I was at Ruger we once had
to reblue  a week's worth of production after somebody rinsed guns after
bluing, and they  were stored on open racks near an arc welder.  Guns may
also rust after a  severe thunderstorm.  The stuff oxidizes and gums after
a few years and gives  no protection.  When I was at NRTA and we had to
pack up museum guns and put in  storage for 2 years, EVERY gun treated with
WD40 had rust on it, whereas none  of the ones treated with ordinary ATF
rusted.

The biggest problem is that it is too high in chlorides, because it
contains  chlorinated paraffins.  This contributes to stress corrosion
cracking in  stainless steel alloys.  According to FAA WD40 may not be used
in aircraft  applications, nor is it permitted in military or nuclear
applications.  When I  was at Ruger we wouldn't allow a can of the stuff
inside the plant gate.