Wiha SoftFinish- clean with WD40?

[Vvmvbb]

Hey all.
I just bought a second set of Wiha SoftFinish screw drivers.

My first set stays in an electronics lab so stay clean.

This second set is going in the garage for general automotive duty so they'll want to get wiped down routinely with a WD40 moistened rag like everything else. Unless someone here tells me to avoid that for some reason.

What do you say, any worries?

 

[dodge610]

WD 40 might cause the soft finish on those handles to get slick and affect your grip on them.

 

[Fedwrench]

To me, WD40 attracts dust and dirt. I would wipe them down with diluted simple green or 409, a GP cleaner.

 

[pistolpete1313]

I use break cleaner or mineral spirits and have not seen any ill effects fwiw

 

[JMToolCo]

2nd the simple green

 

[firworks]

I wonder what the impacts of Starter Fluid would be. That's what I usually clean tools with. I've almost bought a set of the Softfinishes a few times.

 

[Wamsutta]

That white GOJO hand cleaner will clean the soft grips real good without causing damage. They got it at Pep Boys.

 

[1950mercury]

I use wd40 on my so soft instincts and never had a problem

 

[stihlntime]

I've used Simple Green with excellent results.

 

[plain garage]

brake cleaner and wipe off.

 

[Keyrick]

Meaning no disrespect, but why do people want to clean or lubricate anything with WD-40? It is meant to displace water. I can see it as a sort-of rust preventive, but that is all. And it is not the best smelling stuff out there either! It works good as a diesel starting fluid!!

Lubricate with oil, or other lubricants, clean with cleaners. Displace Water with WD-40.

 

[1950mercury]

Meaning no disrespect, but why do people want to clean or lubricate anything with WD-40? It is meant to displace water. I can see it as a sort-of rust preventive, but that is all. And it is not the best smelling stuff out there either! It works good as a diesel starting fluid!!

Lubricate with oil, or other lubricants, clean with cleaners. Displace Water with WD-40.

Don't knock it till u try it. I've cleaned tar off clothes and carpet with it, what does that have to do with water displacement. Plus it smells better than simple green

 

[Keyrick]

Don't knock it till u try it. I've cleaned tar off clothes and carpet with it, what does that have to do with water displacement. Plus it smells better than simple green

WD stands for Water Displacement! I will agree that simple green does not have the best aroma!

Rick

 

[JBradley500]

WD40 smells awesome. I wear it as a cologne when I run out of VP-110.

 

[Vvmvbb]

Thanks guys.

Yeah, I think everyone knows he origins of WD from the 1950s but its popularity and general usefulness have little to do with its original intent.

It's just a light oil mixed with a fairly mild solvent. That's a handy mix to have on hand. Ends up cleaning well and when the solvent evaporates it leaves an oily residue that's easy to clean off if need be. And it still displaces water.

I've been wiping down hand tools with it for so many years, it'll be pretty hard to convince me its not the right stuff. Unless of course it eats the SoftFinish, which its sounds like it won't. A soap or soap/citris cleaner like simple green might be better for these handles I guess, but that'd be one more thing I'd need to keep up with.

Thanks again!

 

[P51Boilermaker]

Simple green. Brake cleaner is very caustic and would probably dry out and degrade the handle over time. Or a simple wash in hot water with dish soap would cut grease. Oil spill clean up crews use Dawn on animals so it'll work fine for your screwdrivers. Good choice with Wiha, I love my set.

 

[1950mercury]

WD stands for Water Displacement! I will agree that simple green does not have the best aroma!

Rick

I know that wd stand for water displacement.... That doesn't mean that's all its good for. As far as a penetrating oil its not that great. 40 is like the 40th try at making it or whatever.