Why Not WD-39 or WD-41?

[Zmechanic]

WD-40 gets used as a lubricant often, but that's not it's original purpose. It actually does quite well at preventing rust, though. I find lots of machinery on craigslist that could have been spared if someone had just popped a can open and gave the critical areas a nice coating..

[woody b]

An old racing friend of mine (who's kinda a shyster LOL) told me about WD40's name several decades ago. He started packaging and selling this (I don't remember the 2 letters) xx120, it said "3 times better" on the label right under the xx120. According to him the main ingredient in WD40 is fish oil.

[Walter R. Malik]

Was talking to the Wife today and asked her why they chose WE-40 and not WD-39 or WD-41. Checked my Email later and she had sent me this link.

http://wd40.com/cool-stuff/history

WD-40 was named simply because it was the "40th" attempt at producing THE "Water Displacing" liquid compound the inventors needed to pass all the tests they were given.

That must be to simple for most people to understand.

[pdq67]

The old AP Green Firebrick Company, Mexico, MO I worked for years ago sold the best molten aluminum contact brick going called, DV-38!

I asked about the name and was told it was the 38th batch the Lab tried that worked the best!

And to top it off, I once got a call from South America from an Engineer that was trying to rebuild an aluminum melting furnace and he was running out of Target diamond refractory brick saw blades because the DV-38 was so HARD!!

I asked him if they were "water-cooling" them while cutting and he said, "Yes, they dribble a bit of water on the blade!"..

I told him to take a 1/2" water hose and flood the blade to cool it!! Never heard anymore out of the guy.

Right, a lot of the time the last mix card number is the actual name of a product sold!!

pdq67