In 1953, a fledgling company called Rocket Chemical Company and its staff of three set out to create a line of rust-prevention solvents and degreasers for use in the aerospace industry, in a small lab in San Diego, California. It took them 40 attempts to get the water displacing formula worked out. But they must have been really good, because the original secret formula for WD-40which stands for Water Displacement perfected on the 40th tryis still in use today. Convair, an aerospace contractor, first used WD-40 to protect the outer skin of the Atlas Missile from rust and corrosion. The product actually worked so well that several employees snuck some WD-40 cans out of the plant to use at home. A few years following WD-40's first industrial use, Rocket Chemical Company founder Norm Larsen experimented with putting WD-40 into aerosol cans, reasoning that consumers might find a use for the product at home as some of the employees had. The product made its first appearance on store shelves in San Diego in 1958. http://www.wd40.com/AboutUs/our_history.html
MARVEL MYSTERY OIL STORY Your gonna love this. I posted this before but for those you haven't read it... Ya know, I think I believe this story. I read this from a gentleman on a Model T forum. [FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][SIZE=-1]By Steve DeCosa (Sdecosa) on Monday, February 24, 2003 - 09:31 pm:[/SIZE][/FONT] Story about Marvel Mystery Oil: During the summer of 2000 we were cruising through the Central Adirondacks of New York State in our mostly original '23 Touring. We stopped for gas at a local station, and a gentleman who appeared to be about 80 yrs old, in coveralls, came out to the pumps. I noticed he had a thick New York City accent. He admired the T, and we talked about old Fords for a few minutes. I finished gassing up, and topped off the tank with a 4 oz. baby-jar full of MMO. He said, "Why do you use that stuff?" I replied, I'd been using it(I'm 53 yrs old) for over 30 yrs in all my flathead V-8s, Model As and Ts, good upper cyl lube, etc, etc. He said, "I'll tell you a story: During the Depression, when I was in high school, I worked as a mechanic in a sewing shop in the Garment District in NYC. Those old sewing machines had visible oilers on top, and when it got hot the oil would stink, and the ladies who ran the machines would complain. The owner, whose name was Marvel, (pronounced Mar-VELL) told me to go down a few doors to the candy factory-I think it was a 'LifeSaver' type candy- and get a couple of gallons of Oil of Wintergreen and some food coloring. We mixed it with the 10 wt. sewing machine oil to make it less offensive to the ladies. It became popular with the other shops, and Marvel made more money with that oil, than with the sewing. Whenever anyone asked what was in the oil, Marvel said, 'Don't ask... It's a MYSTERY!' and that's how the name came about!" You meet the most interesting people when you drive a Model T! Regards, Steve DeCosa Oswego, NY __________________
A gentleman never tells... which leaves me out. I don't know the story, that's why I want to hear it. Maybe breeder does.
Did they change the formula for WD-40 a few years ago? As a kid, I was able to use the stuff as starting fluid for whatever wacky internal combustion project I was working on. A few years ago it stopped working for that purpose, and somebody told me they changed the formula. If that's true, shouldn't it be WD-41?
Check this out,, I saw an article in an Outdoors magazine that trout like WD,so I tried it. Cut a small strip off of a chamois,douche it good with WD & pin it on a fish hook. Caught several fish with it one time. I was hoping it would displace the water in the lake so I could see the bottom,but it never happened
My uncle owns a small engine shop,he used wd for starting fluid all the time when it didn't work anymore he figured out it's not flamable anymore. He said it's missing the propane don't know but he uses carb cleaner now. later Rob
huh. I forgot that it used to be a good starting fluid. I also remember watching guys hose down blower parts with it.
I dont think it has ever been flamable maybe it was the propellant used back then and they recently changed it?
friend of mine told me recently that they took the propane out of WD40 because of an old Beavis and Butthead episode showing them lighting fires,etc,with it..I miss it,best wasp killer i've ever seen,with a 2 foot flame on the end of the nozzle..This MAY be bullshit,dunno,if it is,file it with all my other worthless posts on the HAMB
I've experienced the same thing. It WAS good starting fluid. And seemed safer than the ether stuff. Less "knocking"
Is it true that WD-40 added some "good smell" to make it more sellable, since the first baches in the early 50's smelled really bad??? True????
The lack of common sense that some people display never ceases to amaze me thats why although I love the HAMB I have to take break every once and a while and get a good laugh at my 2nd favority site IDIOTVIDS 36RRC
I had a friend in college whose mom worked for the Naval Jelly Company and he had an 18" naked lady coomemorative statue filled with pink Naval Jelly. That was a Nice bit of room decoration.
i was more interestede in the marvel mystery oil history so i did a search on it and came up with this story from their web site. http://marvelmysteryoil.com/main.taf?p=2 Marvel Mystery Oil, boasting an enviable reputation among vehicle owners world-wide, is truly a legend of its own. From an auspicious beginning, it is now recognized as a product that has stood the test of time and continues to provide unsurpassed performance and benefits in motors in the automotive, industrial and marine world. Burt Pierce founded the Marvel Oil Company in 1923. His reputation for ingenuity preceded him as he was already well-known for inventing the Marvel Carburetor, standard equipment on 80% of all vehicles produced after World War I. Vehicles of the post WWI era encountered carburetor problems, the most perplexing being clogged jets due to high lead content and other contaminants found in the gasoline of the time. The problem motivated Mr. Pierce to direct his creative ingenuity towards formulating a blend of chemicals and petroleum products to clean and maintain clogged jets. He was successful beyond his wildest expectations and the legend was born! “Mystery Oil”, as it was originally called, proved to have other beneficial effects on the engine. By creating a top ring seal, it produced higher compression and, by preventing blow-by on power strokes, it resulted in more power. Mystery Oil also improved gas mileage and minimized engine wear. Initially based in Chicago, the company moved to New York City and then in 1941 moved to its long-time home in Port Chester, New York. In 1999, the Marvel Oil Company was acquired by Turtle Wax, Inc. and is now headquartered back in its hometown in the Chicago area. Marvel Mystery Oil continues to be an extremely relevant and effective product, even in today’s “high-tech” vehicles. With the cost of vehicle maintenance increasing every year, preventive maintenance is the key in avoiding astronomical repair bills. Why the name Mystery Oil? Burt Pierce refused to divulge the formula for his new product and answered all inquiries as to its make-up with “It’s a Mystery!” The name caught on and is still recognized today for its “mysterious” ability to cure and prevent almost any engine ailment.
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