Expiration date on anti-sieze. Really?

[Buddy Fey]

Hello all from a new member,

I just bought a fresh bottle of anti-seize. Since I'm replacing some fasteners with stainless steel, I got Loctite LB771, which has nickel to be compatible with the SS. Much to my surprise, the bottle says "Use by Aug 2025". Seriously? How can anti-seize expire?

Thanks - looking forward to contributing wherever I can.

Buddy

 

[mike93lx]

Welcome.

I bet there is something in there that can dry out over time. Looking at the SDS would probably give you some insight

 

[Blk88GT]

I have a jar of anti-seize that is going on 20 years old. Still seems to get on everything and keep things from rusting up. YMMV.

 

[Buddy Fey]

Mike-The SDS claims it might not be a complete list of ingredients, just the hazardous ones. That said, they list nickel (of course), aluminum, graphite (well, it IS anti-seize), and mineral oil. Maybe the mineral oil evaporates? Hard to imagine it going bad, in the same sense as a jar of mayonnaise.

Blk88GT-I'll go you one better. I have a bottle that dates to sometime in the mid 1980s and it still seems OK, if maybe a bit thicker than it was then.

 

[jack stand]

I've seen some separation, nothing a little stirring wouldn't fix. I keep a nickel and a copper and sometimes it's seems to be used several times a week, then month's in between uses. Never noticed a decline in its effectiveness.

 

[bwringer]

There is something in there that can evaporate. I had a jar of the stuff go all pasty and waxy on me after several years and using 80% of it. Mostly my fault for not screwing the lid on all the way every time.

The expiration date is likely for fields where it's very important that the glops and goos you're using perform as designed, like aviation and assorted industries.

In a home shop, use it as long as you want. Stir it up every so often, keep the lid tight, and you can probably feel free to use up every scrap of it through 2030 or so.

 

[mogandave]

Water comes with an expiration date.

It's like a million years old and once you put it in a bottle it only lasts another year or two?

 

[Buckgnarly]

I scored a lifetime supply of it on Ebay, like 5 big cans of it. Got it from some gov wholesaler, appears to have come from Air Force or aviation and was expired.

 

[four.cycle]

I bought the can of anti-seize I'm currently using when I was driving the Opel.
I totalled the Opel in 1981. (Rolled it three times.)

I remember buying a bottle of Balsamic Vinegar at one of those "close out" stores one day. For one dollar.
Because it was past the expiry date.

They stamp those numbers on that stuff just to make you go out and buy more. If it's not food - ignore it.

Even then... we did a survey on the hikers' website, and Opus said he found a 14-year-old "Clif" bar in a jacket pocket and ate it anyway.

YMMV

 

[Gunfixr]

I have nickel anti-sieze i've for over 15yrs. The oil will seperate out a bit, I just stir it back in, it's fine. I do keep the cap tight.

 

[reader2580]

Water comes with an expiration date.

The state of New Jersey had a law requiring all food products, including water, must have an expiration date no more than two years from date of manufacture. The law no longer requires expiration dates on water, but manufacturers have kept putting expiration dates on water. I know that some bottled water tastes nasty when it gets old if it has gotten hot.

 

[AldeanFan]

It probably “expires” because the manufacturer can’t guarantee it will perform past that date. They can’t guarantee it because they haven’t tested it.
That doesn’t mean it won’t work just that they don’t promise it will work.

My bottle is at least 20 years old and still works.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

Imo when it "expires", you have to dunk the brush in and unseparate it.

 

[jayemm]

My 30 year old faded NAPA labeled can of the 'silver stuff' has thickened a bit but still messy enough to get over everything in sight. In recent years I keep it in a ziploc bag.

 

[Viper98912]

The state of New Jersey had a law requiring all food products, including water, must have an expiration date no more than two years from date of manufacture. The law no longer requires expiration dates on water, but manufacturers have kept putting expiration dates on water. I know that some bottled water tastes nasty when it gets old if it has gotten hot.

This, along with the fact that plastic leeches into the water, especially when it gets hot. Not good stuff to have in you.

 

[4xdog]

Agreed -- it makes no sense, @Buddy Fey. Use your own judgement.

I recall a time in my industrial lab where our safety people, trying to do the right thing, insisted on expiration dates on all chemicals on our shelves. I think they might have been willing to go up to five years on some items. My argument that sodium chloride wouldn't expire until the end of the world didn't sway them.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

That stuff is good for years. Probably just put the date on for protection. At work it sits on the shelf for months in the parts room till someone needs a can again which isn’t very often. I keep copper, nickel, aluminum on hand at home have three cans of the aluminum one I got on sale the other I had to buy when I left mine at home and needed it. So basically two new cans that will continue to sit there for years lol. Sometimes I’ll open them up and stir. I stir the regularly used ones which is copper and aluminum and they do fine. I think my huge 1lb can of the Loctite copper has an expiration date of like 5/2023 or something and it’s definitely not going to be used by then lol.

 

[finn]

The can of Never Sieze I was using las fall was probably twenty years old. The oil base had separated and the paste became chunky.

I mixed it up as best I could, but never did get it past a chunky peanut butter consistency, so yes, it does go bad, even with a tight lid.

I suspect the jar had frozen multiple winters, though, and it was certainly more than three years old.

Unopen calk and RTV goes bad, too.

 

[u2slow]

Expiry dates are good for business.

Sells more product.

 

[Crowbarman55]

Expiry dates are good for business.

Sells more product.

That was my thought too.
Todd

 

[txvwnut]

I do not remember how old my bottle of anti-seize is but I know it can legally buy alcohol if it could. It got rather dry a while back and I added some acetone to it and stirred it, made it just like it was when I first opened it.

 

[yatg]

Store it upside down like you should be doing with pipe (PVC) glue.

 

[mike93lx]

Agreed -- it makes no sense, @Buddy Fey. Use your own judgement.

I recall a time in my industrial lab where our safety people, trying to do the right thing, insisted on expiration dates on all chemicals on our shelves. I think they might have been willing to go up to five years on some items. My argument that sodium chloride wouldn't expire until the end of the world didn't sway them.

It may not go bad, but sitting on the shelf long term increases the chances of contamination or a storage vessel failing.

 

[4xdog]

It may not go bad, but sitting on the shelf long term increases the chances of contamination or a storage vessel failing.

True, but an expiration date doesn't really fix that.

Most salt in America is fossil salt from ancient seabeds under Lake Erie. Ain't nobody worrying about that stuff's expiration date. And a glass jar has a lifespan probably similar to the sodium chloride.

Don't get me wrong -- I was trained on safety in the chemical industry, including working for DuPont. I date any material that comes in to my shop or garage, and most things in the kitchen. An in-stock or opened date is really helpful. But an unexplained "expiration" date seems meaningless to me for an inorganic ionic compound.

 

[mike93lx]

True, but an expiration date doesn't really fix that.

Most salt in America is fossil salt from ancient seabeds under Lake Erie. Ain't nobody worrying about that stuff's expiration date. And a glass jar has a lifespan probably similar to the sodium chloride.

Don't get me wrong -- I was trained on safety in the chemical industry, including working for DuPont. I date any material that comes in to my shop or garage, and most things in the kitchen. An in-stock or opened date is really helpful. But an unexplained "expiration" date seems meaningless to me for an inorganic ionic compound.

How doesn't an expiration date help that? It gives a date for it to be disposed of

 

[4xdog]

How doesn't an expiration date help that? It gives a date for it to be disposed of

I don't accept placing a pre-determined disposal date on things that are inherently stable. I believe in regular inspection and evaluation. Throwing things away that are perfectly good is wasteful.

But your approach would have been most welcome with the Safety, Health, and Environmental guys who regularly inspected our lab!

BTW -- how often do you discard and replace all the table salt in your kitchen?

 

[mike93lx]

I don't accept placing a pre-determined disposal date on things that are inherently stable. I believe in regular inspection and evaluation. Throwing things away that are perfectly good is wasteful.

But your approach would have been most welcome with the Safety, Health, and Environmental guys who regularly inspected our lab!

BTW -- how often do you discard and replace all the table salt in your kitchen?

I don't stock more than I need

 

[whateg01]

The expiration date is likely for fields where it's very important that the glops and goos you're using perform as designed, like aviation and assorted industries.

I have several new rolls of solder from work that was being disposed of because it had "expired". Some industries take those expirations seriously.

 

[mike93lx]

I have several new rolls of solder from work that was being disposed of because it had "expired". Some industries take those expirations seriously.

When a customer quality complaint or downtime can cost thousands/millions, why let a 5+ year old can of anything be a cause for any question?

 

[reader2580]

I have several new rolls of solder from work that was being disposed of because it had "expired". Some industries take those expirations seriously.

Yep. I know a guy who hauled home tons of "expired" material from his employer. Solder was one of the items. He sells the stuff to hobbyists as a side business.

 

[LS1-IROC]

It's for spec compliance mostly, same with Loctite.

 

[rlitman]

There is something in there that can evaporate. I had a jar of the stuff go all pasty and waxy on me after several years and using 80% of it. Mostly my fault for not screwing the lid on all the way every time...

I had a tube of aluminum based anti-seize go pasty on me. I found it to be better than the more runny way it started.

...I remember buying a bottle of Balsamic Vinegar at one of those "close out" stores one day. For one dollar.
Because it was past the expiry date...

Yep, LMAO. And salt expirations. <sigh>

I have several new rolls of solder from work that was being disposed of because it had "expired". Some industries take those expirations seriously.

Ok, so lead-free solder DOES expire. Not the solder itself, but the flux is the issue. Flux used for lead-free solder is hygroscopic, and as it absorbs moisture, it leads to adhesion issues. If you've ever opened up a dead piece of electronics made between 2005 and say 2010, and found a loose surface mount component shaking around in the case, the cause was too much moisture content in the flux.

 

[dcg9381]

I scored a lifetime supply of it on Ebay, like 5 big cans of it. Got it from some gov wholesaler, appears to have come from Air Force or aviation and was expired.

You're welcome.
-Taxpayer.

 

[joel_400]

There are industries that will place their own expiration dates on chemicals and stuff like that. I had a friend who worked at a place that did such. They would throw out alot of chemicals due to that. Used to get alot of free loctite, antisieze, super glue and that stuff. Whatever fit in his lunchbox he would bring home. They didn't seem to mind as long as it was gone of the work site. He has since retired and I have realized the cost of that stuff...I use it more sparingly now! Haha
Joel

 

[CDPLUCKER]

i have a old can from work, the oil seems to have evaporated and it was super thick and pasty, i added a bit of oil and it brought it back to life and seems to work well. maybe i should get some more recently expired cans !

 

[fsae0607]

For us hobbyists, expiry on anti-seize is meaningless. I've also revived chunky anti-seize with a bit of motor oil.

Start with a splash, mix well, add more if needed. Good as new!

 

[NUTTSGT]

If mine dried up to the point I couldn't use and mineral oil was one of the ingredients, I would add more and stir it up.

 

[Wrench97]

Hello all from a new member,

I just bought a fresh bottle of anti-seize. Since I'm replacing some fasteners with stainless steel, I got Loctite LB771, which has nickel to be compatible with the SS. Much to my surprise, the bottle says "Use by Aug 2025". Seriously? How can anti-seize expire?

Thanks - looking forward to contributing wherever I can.

Buddy

It drys up in the bottle. I have a couple in the shop that nobody puts the lids back tight and they are like dried up paint.....................

 

[joel_400]

When it dried up at the shop I used to work at we just put some mineral spirits or a touch of diesel fuel in and stirred it up. Back to getting it all over you by just looking at the can in seconds! Haha
Joel

 

[Junkdrawer Dog]

It goes bad at the same rate as Tabasco.