Blog: Reflections from Rural Route 2
Monday, February 06, 2006, 19:38
WD-40
I have often said I wished that I been the one to invent WD-40. I have used it for squealing barn door rollers and sluggish lawn mower throttles and squeaky door hinges and screaming bicycle pedals. I have also used to loosen rusty bolts. And to make wrenches work better. And. . .well. . .I've used it for many things.
I received the following about WD-40 in an e-mail. I don't know how much of it is true about the history of WD-40, but the uses listed at the end sound fairly authentic and plausible.
LeAnn R. Ralph
WD-40 began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a "Water Displacement" compound. They were successful with the Fortieth formulation. The Corvair Company bought it in bulk to protect their Atlas missile parts.The workers were so pleased with the product they began smuggling (also known as "shrinkage" or "stealing") it to use at home. The executives decided there might be a consumer market for it and put it in aerosol cans. The rest is history. It is a carefully guarded recipe known only to four people. One of them is the "brew master." There are about 2.5 million gallons of the stuff manufactured each year. It gets its distinctive smell from a fragrance that is added to the brew. Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you.
~Protects silver from tarnishing
~Cleans and lubricates guitar strings
~Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making it slippery
~Restores and cleans chalkboards
~Removes lipstick stains
~Loosens stubborn zippers
~Untangles jewelry chains
~Removes stains from stainless steel sinks
~Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill
~Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing
~Removes tomato stains from clothing
~Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots
~Keeps scissors working smoothly
~Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes
~Gives a children's play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide
~Lubricates gear shift and mower - deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers
~Rids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises
~Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open
~Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close
~Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards and vinyl bumpers
~Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles
~Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans
~Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons and bicycles for easy handling
~Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly
~Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools
~Removes splattered grease on stove
~Lubricates prosthetic limbs
~Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell)
~Removes all traces of duct tape
~I have even heard of folks spraying it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.
~The favorite use in the state of New York WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
~WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a LITTLE on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. It's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.
~Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately, and stops the itch.
~WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.
~Also, if you've discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and re-wash. Presto! Lipstick is gone!
~If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start. (If I knew what a distributor cap was, it might help)
~WD-40, long known for its ability to remove leftover tape smudges (sticky label tape), is also a lovely perfume and air freshener! Sprayed liberally on every hinge in the house, it leaves that distinctive clean fresh scent for up to two days!
~Seriously though, it removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Use WD-40 for those nasty tar and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off. Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
Monday, February 06, 2006, 02:14
Bear!
"Look at these tracks," I said.
Randy turned back toward me on the deer trail we were following through the woods and bent closer.
"Charlie tracks?" he said.
"I don't think so," I said. "Charlie's tracks don't look like that. These look like a human foot. . ."
I looked at him, and he looked at me. Then we both looked at the tracks in the snow again.
"Bear!" we said.
"But not a very big bear," Randy said.
"Probably a yearling," I said.
Sunday morning after we had gotten home from church and had fed the horses and the dogs, we took Pixie and Charlie for a walk through the woods again. It is a bright sunny day, although the northwest wind is cold and biting.
The bear tracks were up in the woods just beyond a small spruce grove.
"Shouldn't the bears be hibernating now, though?" Randy asked as we followed the bear tracks farther up the slope.
"The raccoon aren't hibernating, so there's no reason to suppose the bears are, either. Or at least, maybe not the younger ones," I said.
"Wanna track it?" Randy asked.
"Not especially," I said. "I would rather not have to break up a fight between a bear and our dogs."
"Good point," Randy said.
For quite a few years there have been bear sightings in the area. The neighbors just down the road, where the horse died last month, had a bear destroy their bird feeders a couple of years ago.
Another neighbor who lives farther away looked out her kitchen window one night and came face-to-face with a bear standing on its hind legs, cleaning out the bird feeder.
And still another neighbor, who has a horse and who likes to ride through the woods, saw a bear and her cubs last spring.
I have never actually seen any bears around here. And this is the first time I've seen tracks. Usually the bears are hibernating in the winter, so you don't get much opportunity to see their tracks in the snow. The tracks are hard to spot under other conditions, although if one crossed the dirt road in wet sand or in the mud, you might be able to see the tracks then.
I know one thing is for certain. If we go picking blackberries up in that woods this summer, I am either going to wear a bell to let the bears know I am there. Or else I'll spend a lot of time singing. I would prefer not get into a discussion with a bear over just exactly who is entitled to those blackberries!
Neighbor -- My terminally ill neighbor passed away sometime during the night Saturday night. Her husband woke up at 5 o'clock Sunday morning, and she was gone. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone in her family.
LeAnn R. Ralph
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