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Let’s be honest, sometimes the 3 oz. spray can of WD-40 in its custom leather holster just takes up too much space on your belt nestled between your iPhone 7 and the 40-year-old Leatherman PST. Besides, there are times when giving that squeak a good blast just isn’t socially acceptable—the manager at Applebee’s didn’t appreciate the help. Finally, however, WD-40 has launched the game-changing Precision Pen applicator to cut down on the fog and fumes.
The new design looks like a Tamiya Paint Pen—or maybe a Tide Pen—for those of you who aren’t scale model aficionados. However, I imagine the demographics of WD-40 Precision Pen buyers and people that can tell you if a Porsche 935 is 1/20th or 1/24th scale at 200 yards share a lot of overlap.
The large pen body has a felt-like tip that allows you to wipe or dab the miracle concoction wherever you see fit. Coming in at just 0.3 oz, you might find yourself burning through the stuff in a hurry. That said, Amazon offers a 3-pack of Precision Pens that will keep you spot-lubing for months on end. The WD-40 PP fits neatly in your pocket, purse, glovebox, or even close to your heart in your pocket protector.
The formulation inside the Precision Pen is said to be the same as in other delivery methods, although we have been told that Europe, Australia, and the United States differ slightly from one to the other. If you’re tired of spraying down everything in the general vicinity every time you reach for ole blue and yellow, the Precision Pen is just what you need.
But, what is WD-40 anyway? It stands for Water Displacement 40th attempt. The formulation dates back to the early 1950s when it was developed to wipe down the outer skins of missiles and rockets to avoid rusting and corroding. The formula has never been patented because that would require the company to divulge its ingredients.
According to chemists, who have studied the slippery substance with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to determine its makeup, it is mostly, wait for it, mineral oil. Along with some petroleum oil, and several versions of hydrocarbons called alkanes. Some of these are used to displace the water, while others are antifreeze. WD-40 works to displace water, obviously, removes and prevents rust, and works OK as a lubricant.
You can pick up a pack of precision pens—try saying that ten times fast—for just $12.75 on Amazon, which isn’t all that bad considering how many you get and all the applications, both at Applebees and in the garage, that are available.
