WD-40....negative effects ????

CBM SC · 08-19-2004, 05:27 AM

Hey guys..............Went out again last night and a !@#$ rainstorm moved in...............got me and everything I own drenched !! Could've lived with that....but the storm cause the wind to completely shift and went from being perfect ...........to completely the wrong way !! [:'(][:@]

Anyway..........hunting/packing up until 9:30 pm and driving an hour home
is late for me...........so I wiped my bow down this morning and shot some WD-40 on all the screws,bolts,etc. !!

But afterward ..........it hit me ..........that the WD-40 overspray could possibly damage my servings or maybe something else (WD-40 is pretty strong stuff) !!

Anyone know of any ill effects caused to a bow by using WD-40 on them ???
I usually try to use gun oil ...............but I was in a hurry to get to work this morning !! [8D]

Arthur P · 08-19-2004, 06:56 AM

You're obviously aware of what many people aren't... that WD40 is mostly solvents, with little lubricant content. It's real good at freeing rusted nuts and bolts, displacing water and it's solvents are great for a lot of other things. It sucks as a lubricant though.

I have seen WD40 blister up some dipped camo finishes and make them peel. It'll leech the lubricant out of oilite bronze axle bushings and ruin them.... I've even seen WD40 cause them to crack and crumble! It attracts dust and dirt... bad news for mating surfaces on working parts. It DOES gum up, regardless of what the label says.

Those are the main things at the top of a long list of nasties that WD40 can do to a bow with prolonged use. Key word here being 'prolonged.' In an emergency like you're talking about, I doubt you need to worry.

When you get home though, you really need to make time to clean that poor bow thoroughly and get all that stuff off of it.

I can't recommend using gun oil on the bow either. My bows get treated with graphite, teflon or silicone based lubes ONLY. It's been at least 15 years since the last time I used oil on a bow.

ShadowAce · 08-19-2004, 07:02 AM

I didn't believe this at first but a lot of fishermen spray it directly on the line in their reels to help take the twists out. I would have thought it would deteriorate the line but apparently it doesn't.

Lady Forge · 08-19-2004, 07:12 AM

I like to take my bow when it gets wet inside to dry, wipe all you can dry with a clean cloth. I have used TriFlo (Teflon Based Lubricant) and wiped down my bow with it as a preventative measure if the weather was calling for light rain or drizzle......after I will wipe the bow down with scent killer, although I will avoid getting the TriFlo in the area;s of the wheel, Cam or axle area's. So far I have seen no ill affects on any of my bows from the TriFlo.

Bigpapascout · 08-19-2004, 07:58 AM

use rubing alcohol to dry up any water and to help stop the oxidation process then use bow lubricant on any screws cams ect and wax the string.
wd40will remove the finish on the bowand will make the servings on the string and harness loose and seperate as will any type of lubricant applied directly to the strings and cable system.