Muttley, Light, Milnoque: WD-40 Question

[Zaphod B]

Hey guys -

Discussion on another board led to the topic of whether or not WD-40 can harm a guitar finish.

This came up because I stated that I will occasionally clean dirty old strings sparingly with WD-40. (Cause I usually have it around, and may not have any specialized guitar string lubricant.) I never let the stuff contact the guitar itself and don't spray it anywhere near the guitar. I'll spray it on the corner of a thin cloth and wrap the cloth around strings individually, and dry them the same way. It's just a way to get a couple more hours of play out of an old set and it works well.

So naturally there are some that say you should never even let the stuff get near your guitar, which may be true but I've never seen it have any adverse effect the way I use it.

Other guitar stuff like lemon oil furniture liquid and FingerEase, etc., are full of petroleum distillates too, and don't harm finishes.

How 'bout WD-40?

 

[muttley600]

Potentially any degreasing agent, solvent or such can damage a finish. It all depends on what the solvent is and what the finish is. WD40 is quite an aggressive cleaner and I wouldn't use it near a guitar. In a pinch you are better off using naphtha (zippo lighter fluid) but keep that off the finish as well, or normal switch cleaner. I don't know what brands you have in the states. Some one else maybe able to advise. Truth is your better off wiping the strings when you finish with a clean chamois and changing them regularly. Wipe the under side as thats where the gunk collects. If I was you I'd use a recognised product as they aren't expensive and always test on an unseen area if you have any doubt.

 

[Milnoque]

Used the way you describe it's great stuff. Its actually good for a rosewood or ebony fingerboard.

 

[Zaphod B]

Potentially any degreasing agent, solvent or such can damage a finish. It all depends on what the solvent is and what the finish is. WD40 is quite an aggressive cleaner and I wouldn't use it near a guitar. In a pinch you are better off using naphtha (zippo lighter fluid) but keep that off the finish as well, or normal switch cleaner. I don't know what brands you have in the states. Some one else maybe able to advise. Truth is your better off wiping the strings when you finish with a clean chamois and changing them regularly. Wipe the under side as thats where the gunk collects. If I was you I'd use a recognised product as they aren't expensive and always test on an unseen area if you have any doubt.

Very good, Muttley, thanks.

Normally whenever I finish playing, even if only for 1/2 hour, I wipe the back of the neck and the strings with a clean dry cotton cloth (including the undersides of the strings) and this keeps them fresh for a good long time.

You know, it's funny that I tend to think of WD-40 more as a light lubricant than as a cleaner, but anything that will cut duct tape residue has to be pretty aggresive, as you say. I wouldn't think of letting it contact a guitar finish in any case, or any other stuff that isn't labeled as specifically formulated for guitar finishes. OTOH my occasional use of it on the strings has never caused a problem for me.

Better to be safe than sorry, though.

 

[Zaphod B]

Used the way you describe it's great stuff. Its actually good for a rosewood or ebony fingerboard.

Ah, that's interesting, Milnoque, thanks. So it's OK for bare fingerboards - just keep it off the finish.

 

[Milnoque]

The stuff leaves a penetrating oil residue. It doesn't eat nitro or poly finishes. It doesn't replace oiling your fingerboard but it doesn't really dry them out. I used it occasionally for many many years without any problem.

Never leave any kind of residue on a finish.

Muttley and I will have to disagree on this one. Be advised he has far more experience than I do.

 

[ocnor]

Used the way you describe it's great stuff. Its actually good for a rosewood or ebony fingerboard.

You are not supposed to use it on bare wood because it will displace all of the moisture and cause cracking.

 

[muttley600]

Ah, that's interesting, Milnoque, thanks. So it's OK for bare fingerboards - just keep it off the finish.

No don't use it on fingerboards. Mineral oil, virgin olive oil, branded lemon oil etc. Not WD40. For unfinished wood you need to add oil as a barrier and don't want to remove it wd40 will so will other solvents. Naphtha is the best solvent because it is light and evaporates cleanly. That's what most f'b products have in there along with various mineral and non drying oils..

If you get wd40 into the grain eventually it is going to start attacking the lignin in the wood and that's what holds the whole the stuff together. Probably not ebony but keep it away from rosewood. Keep it off anything with inlays in there. It just isn't worth the risk when a tub of lemon oil costs so ,little and a good chamois lasts forever.

 

[Dani Pace]

Used the way you describe it's great stuff. Its actually good for a rosewood or ebony fingerboard.

Used sparingly and only on metal parts WD-40 might be safe, but it is not intended to come into contact with rosewood. Over time it will cause rosewood to start breaking down by weakening the natural cohesion of the wood. This results in pitting (wearing away the surface where contact is made) and can cause frets and inlays to become loose. I learned this lesson the hard way many years ago when WD-40 was touted as the wonder substance.

 

[Milnoque]

I yield---

 

[Zaphod B]

OK, I think we have a consensus.

Thanks, all.

 

[Armistice]

.... and wouldn't you rather your rosewood fretboard smelt all clean and lemony than like an engine... yech!

 

[Zaphod B]

.... and wouldn't you rather your rosewood fretboard smelt all clean and lemony than like an engine... yech!

Well, I don't know....big, honkin', politically-incorrect V8s are cool with me.

 

[toyL]

Try some "Blitz". Buy it at the Army/Navy surplus store. It's a soft cloth saturated with a proprietary oil formula (it has some tung oil in it). Works great as a cleaner and a lube. It's also good for the fingerboard. Like WD40 I wouldn't let it contact any finished area. Also, I wouldn't use WD40 because it's NOT good for your skin.