Here’s a random question: What’s the shelf life of commonly used lubricants like WD40, 2-26, or Tri-Flow? Just curious, really, is all.
In my department here at work , we order all those items by the cases , they sit for very long times before being all used up , years even. Never ran into a problem of the product going bad, The only caveat to that is I’ve seen aresol products lose there ability to spray after some years. It’s as if the propellant leaked away slowly.
I’ve seen some non aerosol bottled oils get thick and gummy after sitting in garage heat and cold for years. But it took a LONG time. (5-10 years)
I don’t know enough about the other items to tell you, but contrary to urban legend - WD40 is NOT a lubricant. The solvents used to displace moisture (WD = Water Displacement) have some lubricating properties, but generally dry out in about 2 weeks. WD40 is great for cleaning (the only product I know of that will take glacier silt off a car in Alaska), freeing rusted or corroded fastenings and joints, temporary lubrication, and drying electrical components that have gotten wet. WD40 is horrible as a long term fine lubricant for things like model trains, bicycle chains, etc. WD40 works moderately well (lasts about 2 weeks in a marine salt air environment) as a corrosion inhibitor.
I don’t have time enough to keep learning everything the hard way…
Fred W
As stated before, WD40 is NOT a lubricant. It was developed by NASA to displace moisture. It was used for external moving parts on space capsules, that if left wet with water, would freeze into place in the vacuum of space. That’s why I used it to make money in Arizona. People would fly through flooded intersections and water would get into the distributor cap, killing the engine. I would drive by (like I had some sense), and offer to get them rolling for $5. At first they would get indignant, at which I would tell them to call a tow truck. I’d remove the ignition cap, spray WD40 into it, replace it, and they’d fire right up. They were happy to fork over the $5. And I’m pretty certain WD attacks (crazes) plastic, so I woudn’t use it in ANY modeling application. LaBelle makes lubes for that.
Never cared for WD40 much, as it seems to create rust if left without follow up lube. Have cans easily 10 years old, some still spray, others tossed after propellant leaking out. Seems we did carry it with us in Alaska when we ventured out in a Rent A Dent…or was it Rent A Wreck? Twas a long time ago.
Someone recommended LaBelle lubes to me some months back and I purchased the 102, 108 oils and 106 gear lube. Wow, that stuff breathed new life into some old locomotives and made them literally run like new again. Very pleased with LaBelle products! Also have a tube of Lionel grease that must be over 40 years old and seems fine, but with the new LaBelles, no reason to use it, especially on N scale. It attracts dust like crazy.
Have artist oil paints from my grandfather’s teacher and most of those are perfectly viable still today. Not really an answer to the posted question, just my two bits worht of comments!
[C):-)] Rob