I am not sure why you would make that statement unless you were not competent in what you were doing. I must admit I do a lot less water baths than I use to, but even then I would not have a problem using the water bath. Water will not hurt a thing if the parts are dried properly.

Likewise, bore butter/Wonderlube when used correctly can work and have worked for many years. The real key there is to use it correctly not as a cure all fix everything - because when it is used incorrectly it can go sideways in a hurry.

What I believe it all comes down to is knowing what you are doing and doing it correctly.