What’s Your WD-40 Story?

Did you know that W-40 stands for “water displacement”, and forty because it took them 40 tries to get it just right?
They say that smells have a stronger link to memory than any other sense.
When I smell WD-40 my memory goes back to helping my Dad with projects as a kid, and working on my air-cooled Volkswagens in high school. @hausplans

#building #howto #construction #tools #trailer #diy #contractor #wd40 #story

[xochj]

"...smells have a stronger link to memory than any other scents..." Well, alrighty then.

[Tmackbb]

You'll never lose that "wash up" feeling. I heard about this cologne, and I instantly thought... "I don't mind the smell, I'd just feel gross "

[brionbee]

I worked in a bike shop. And about once a month, someone would come in with a bike they had just bought within the last five months. They would be complaining that we sold them a bike with a faulty chain, because it was already orange with Rust. At that moment, every employee in the shop, would all unanimously say “WD-40”. This stuff is not a long-term lubricant. It actually strips whatever lubricant is already there. It might’ve been “good enough for grandpa” but so was Chainsmoking and asbestos. I use tri-flow.

[richardmillhousenixon]

Plot twist: that "Smells like WD-40" cologne is literally just WD-40

[dogfightdixon]

My WD-40 memory is that of burning wasp nests. My dad used to knock nests from the eaves and soak them with it and set them alight

[WyattCass]

WD-40 is so nostalgic, always reminds me of when I got my first car up and running. All those hours underneath my jeep, to change the harmonic balancer, and the smell always brings me back.

[MrMicahMane]

WD-40 reminds me of when I was 8 years old, soaking my skateboard bearings in WD-40 thinking it was making me go faster lol

[fewworddotrick]

My story is when I was a kid my dad got me into racing dirt oval go karts...back in the day before tire preps got big, you used to rub wd40 on the tires to soften the rubber and add grip. So that was my first significant memory of wd40...tires and the whole garage always smelling like it. Every time I smell it my mind goes right back there. Same for PB blaster, simple green, gear oil and other garage chemicals lol.

[jasoncarle]

Definitely brings me back as a youngn helpn the ol man with the most important job, holding the flash light 😂

[ekojar]

My WD-40 memory is, working on my bicycle, and once I learned to build one, I started building a low rider bike. I was living with my aunt at the time, and she made a deal with me that if I got straight As on my report card, she would buy me a new low rider bike part every report card from the flea market. They had a sick low rider bike shop there.
But yeah, I had a low rider built by the summer, then next year I was able to get all the pipes and whistles lol. My brother got the same deal, and I was always jealous of his bike, he saved up a few report cards to go and get the Twisted Frame from the top shelf. It was nice. We eventually combined forces and made one decked out bike for riding around the block to visit our girlfriends lol.

[Petrolhead]

WD-40 smells like home. I quite literally grew up in the shop with my dad working on his E30 325 w/ S14B23 swap and his 70 Bronco w/ 302.

[DrtKkdo]

I relate the WD40 to hot summer days and a really sweaty face lol. Usually involes a wrecked bicycle or holding a flashlight for my dad and a strong urge to take a shower

[evangorski]

My great grandfather worked for the air force as a chemist and was involved in the development of WD-40:) glad he made the chemical smelly enough to form nostalgic connections for you and many others😂

[rocketdogticker]

I did know that. I work at a hardware store and I always call it water displacement and not WD-40. It blows the customers mind

[benjm]

My memory goes back to my grandpa's tire shop when I was a kid. I don't know why, but each time I smell WD-40, my mind goes back to that shop.

[americanpaisareturns]

My best friend would have loved this. He would splash diesel on himself to make his wife believe he was out working when in fact he was out with other ladies. 😂
RIP Guacho. I miss you.

[shadmxn]

I remember using WD-40 to lubricate the hinges on the back door so I could sneak out without waking my parents up 😊 good times

[tovarseasycleaning]

I love your content. You do a great job storytelling.

[cbmech]

My memory goes back to the original liquid wrench

[_financial_regret_]

WD-40 is linked to repairing my MX-5. Took 4 months and A LOT of the stuff, especially when paired with a wire brush scraping all the surface rust off the car