> The actual ingredients are literally on the safety data sheet

This is an oversimplification, in a way that is likely not obvious to a lot of people on this (software-focused) forum. An SDS does not have to list exact amounts, does not have to disclose some details of how an ingredient or mix of ingredients was processed, and (depending on jurisdiction) may not have to identify some "safe" ingredients at all. Some ingredients may be identified in relatively vague ways, that are sufficient for safety purposes but do not reveal the exact product. As the SDS you linked to says "The specific chemical identity and exact percentages are a trade secret". An SDS is certainly very helpful to reverse-engineering a product, but it doesn't tell you everything.

All that said, yes, the main strength of WD-40 is its marketing and ubiquity, and claims about its secrecy have more to do with marketing than anything practical.

> Some ingredients may be identified in relatively vague ways, that are sufficient for safety purposes but do not reveal the exact product

Where I find this can be fun is that different countries seem to have different requirements for precision. Or just straight up different formulations for the same thing.

German wd40 says it’s all c9-c11 carbon chains:

https://smarthost.maedler.de/datenblaetter/EG_SIDA_WD40_EN.p...

US has a CARB and non-CARB formulation which are also different:

https://files.wd40.com/pdf/sds/mup/wd-40-multi-use-product-a...

https://files.wd40.com/msds/latam/GHS-SDS-WD-40-Multi-Use-Pr...

I once had a problem with the ignition lock I couldn't turn the key, my mechanic told me that that could happen on a very hot day with that model. "use a lubricant or wait till it's colder" - "Would WD-40 do?" -"Guess so" made it worse. with the help of the AAA (well, the equivalent in my country) and an oil spray I could turn the key, since then I've always an oil spray with me

The SDS should include all SAFETY relevant information/ingredients for whatever jurisdiction. If the local area doesn't really care if it's hexane or pentane from a safety perspective, they'll likely just be lumped together behind a generic name/cas number.

It's absolutely not a BOM to reproduce a product.

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