I'll second that (no, third...). Late last spring I put together a little trunk-of-the-car tool box to supplement the disorganized mess that I laughingly call my shop. I tried to be neat this time and treated myself to a few little "pin oilers" (clear plastic squeeze bottles with long metal needles for nozzles) and filled one with WD-40, one with camelia oil, and one with Phil's Tenacious Oil. Well, six months later, the latter two are unchanged, but the WD-40 is a nearly solid mess about the consistency of honey that has begun to crystalize. Don't think I'll be using it again, at least not on my bike.
By the way, if you are wondering about the camelia oil, it's a fine lightweight oil the Japanese have used for centuries to protect tools and especially samurai swords... you can apply a thin coating and put the sword away for a couple of years and when you take it out it'll still be pristine. I've used it for 25 years now to protect sawblades, planes, chisels, heck, most all my tools (as well as saw & drill press tables), and a few years ago I started using it on the bike... mosly to keep nuts and bolts and spoke threads from rusting. It's more of a protectant than a lubricant so I've never doused a chain with it (but if you're looking for something to replace WD-40 for protective purposes, without the side effect of forming a film, this stuff is a good bet).
Anyway, it's great stuff! Places that sell Japanese tools usually stock
it... here's a place: http://www.hidatool.com/
Bob Hovey Columbus, GA
PS: If you want to use the stuff to protect your (classic content:) valuable set of Campy tools... instead of splashing it on and wiping it off with an old t-shirt, here's how the Japanese carpenters and sword-smiths do it... Cut a piece of 2" dia bamboo about 3" long with a closed joint at one end (bike fanatics can substitute an old bottom bracket sleeve or head tube ;) and stuff it tight with cotton or a piece of wadded up sock or t-shirt (make sure there's enough so that it pokes out 1/2 inch or so). Saturate with the oil, and now you have a nice neat applicator to use on your Campy "G" tool or samurai sword.
In a message dated 1/15/03 12:38:49 PM,
classicrendezvous-request@bikelist.org writes:
>>n a message dated 1/15/03 8:59:44 AM, R.Delmare@Charter.net writes:
<< WD-40 was never intended to lubricate anything . It was designed as
a water repellent , and a rust inhibitor , which would not have any
negative affects on welding .
Yes , it has some slight lubrication abilities .
But it is much better at forming a thin , varnish-like coating . >>
YES, yes, NEVER use "WD-40" for lubrication! As a part time clock/watch maker, camea (mechanical) repair man, I have seen so many people used "WD-40" to lubricate and ruin fine mechanism, it will kill or stop fine watch movement and camera shttuers!
KEN TODA, High Point, NC<<<