4 Rust Penatrants vs. Home Brew

Submitted by Dan Donnovan 
If you are restoring a vintage trailer this concoction may come in handy.
A subjective test of  popular penetrants with the control being the torque required to remove the nut from a "scientifically rusted" environment. 

*Penetrating oil ..... Average load*

 None .................... 516 pounds
 WD-40 .................. 238 pounds
 PB Blaster ............. 214 pounds
 Liquid Wrench ..... 127 pounds
 Kano Kroil ........... 106 pounds
ATF-Acetone mix....53 pounds

The ATF-Acetone mix was a "home brew" mix of 50 - 50 automatic transmission fluid and acetone. Note the "home brew" was better than any commercial product in this one particular test. Our local machinist group mixed up a batch, and we all now use it with equally good results. Note also that "Liquid Wrench" is about as good as "Kroil" for about 20% of the price. 

​Machinist's Workshop Magazine (March/April or May/June, 2007) tested penetrants for break out torque on rusted nuts. Significant results! As forwarded by an ex-student and professional machinist, Bud Baker.