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The Classic WD-40® Product is a versatile solution that protects metal from rust and corrosion, displaces moisture, and lubricates almost anything. But when you need to cut through deep rust and break frozen bolts free, try WD-40 Specialist® Penetrant before reaching for a blowtorch. The stuff works wonders on bolts you’ll find under a car and, as I appreciated recently, metal tools, rollers, and hinges that are bricked up in a jail of rust.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been helping my father-in-law clean out the little shop he’s occupied since the 1980s. It’s slow and tedious work. The upshot is that he’s letting me keep some of the tools and treasures we’ve uncovered. Of course, most everything is rusted and needs quite a bit of love to clean up and bring back to life.
This old Ryobi chop saw was a highlight, and it was just a little elbow grease and spray of WD-40 Specialist Penetrant away from being useful again.
I hate the idea of throwing something in the trash when it can be put back in service with a deep clean, and honestly, that’s the case with a lot of the things you’ll find in a good garage clear-out. After clearing away the hay and dirt off the saw with my hands, the WD-40 Specialist Penetrant freed up the critical adjustment screws and guide-securing bolts that had been bound by rust. The workpiece guiding plates on this tool are all located with hex-head bolts, which you need to be able to tighten and loosen easily as you slice different-sized items. I didn’t have any axles, pipes, or hoses to snake around like I often do on automotive projects, but the EZ-REACH® straw was still helpful to aim the penetrant right where I needed it, without spraying excess product.
There are quite a few different rust penetrating products on the market, but WD-40 Specialist Penetrant stands above the rest. It penetrates 50% faster than the competition for less downtime and faster return to service*. Getting the job done quickly and efficiently is what it’s all about.
That said, the longer the penetrant soaks, the more useful it can be. If you’re working on a truck that’s been outside for multiple Michigan winters, soaking your bolts with penetrant in the days and hours leading up to your project can be beneficial.
Meanwhile, most of my saw adjustment bolts were moving within just a few minutes of the penetrant dwelling. One took a few extra soaks, but the whole thing was sliding and adjusting again in short order.
This old Ryobi chop saw might not be an heirloom tool or anything, but getting it running again was well worth the price of a few minutes and sprays of penetrant.
The WD-40 Specialist Penetrant helped me revive something else, too—and discover a tool feature I’d actually never seen before.
The bottom of this old toolbox has four little round feet that were covered in a layer of rust. I’d planned to sand the whole thing down and repaint it, but first wanted to spray a few targeted hits of penetrant using the EZ-REACH flexible straw to loosen the rust and get the hinge moving smoothly.
After letting the WD-40 Specialist Penetrant soak into the feet for a few seconds, I realized they’re actually rollers! This toolbox sits on little metal balls, allowing you to easily slide it around a table when it’s full and heavy. I’ve seen caster wheels, but this style of box mobility was a new one for me.
Moral of the story—find something rusty in your garage, barn, or shop, give it a good blast of WD-40 Specialist Penetrant, and bring it back to life!
*Test Lab: WD-40 Co. Technical Center (Pine Brook, NJ); Penetration speed measured using nail climb (time to reach 1.75cm); Test dates: 03/2023; 07/2024.
Automotive journalist since 2013, Andrew primarily coordinates features, sponsored content, and multi-departmental initiatives at The Drive.
