Can we talk about using WD-40 on rusted hinges?

I always thought it was a myth that WD-40 was the go-to for every rusted lock or hinge, but after trying it on a 1950s anvil stand last month it unstuck everything in 10 minutes. Anyone else find a common household product that actually works better than specialty stuff for your shop?

2 comments

2 Comments

carr.willow5d ago

Respectfully, I gotta disagree a bit here. WD-40 is more of a water displacer than a real penetrating oil (the name literally comes from "Water Displacement, 40th formula"), so it's great for drying out ignition systems but not the best for deep rust. For really stuck hinges or bolts, I've had way better luck with something like PB Blaster or even a mix of acetone and automatic transmission fluid, let it soak overnight. WD-40 might work if the rust is light or the part is already close to moving, but for a 1950s anvil stand with 70 years of crud, I bet you just got lucky more than anything. Not saying it never works, just that there's stuff out there built specifically for this job and it's not much more expensive.

matthewperry5d ago

Did you try Kroil? That stuff freed up my grandpa's old tractor hitch in about five minutes.