OK long story shortened:
I used to work in the R and D lab for a company called Inland Specialty Chemical (later purchased by Great Lakes Chemical). We essentially blended chemical compounds for producing printed circuit boards. (Everything from blending UCON 14 and 140 to make solder reflow oil (HTF), machine solder fluxes, cleaners, plating solutions, photoresist strippers - which had some real cool amines - ever smell choline?) This lab was in Costa Mesa, Calif. Yes I was chemist, despite my current low position as an Amsoil peddler.
The old man R&D Chemist in the lab, Bo Floresch, was quite bitter whenever the subject of WD-40 came up. At first I never new why. Then I asked another dude in the lab (Larry Durandette, who was to become the best man at my wedding). Larry told me that Bo was the original inventor of WD-40 (water displacer - 40th trial/page 40 of the lab book depending...). Anyhow Bo was the man, but the guy that started the company essentially stole Bo's formula. This took place physically in the San Diego area.
I don't think there are any amines in WD-40 ...being young and foolish at the time I didn't write down what Larry said, but essentially either butyl cellusolve/carbitol, kerosene and a light mineral oil. I could be wrong, but mainly the reason Bo was so pissed wasn't the intellectual rights to the idea, but that the stuff is so stupid simple. (patent? why?)
The only reason I use WD-40 is primary external cleaning of some metals, etc. I always follow up with some solvent. WD-40 cleans well, I suspect it is the butyl....
[ May 23, 2003, 04:10 PM: Message edited by: Pablo ]