The astonishing story of how a top secret rocket formula morphed into the world's most powerful household cleaning product
And how a self-taught chemist failed 39 times before finally discovering the perfect mix of ingredients
Think of the word rivalry and often its siblings that come to mind … either brother to brother or sister to sister, or both.
Throughout history there have been notable rivalries among athletes, celebrities and countries.
Some more famous ones include:
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier - This rivalry defined heavyweight boxing during its golden era. Ali, known for his charisma, speed, and outspoken activism, faced Frazier, a relentless, hard-hitting fighter with a no-nonsense style.
Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Lionel Messi - Two of soccer’s greatest players, have dominated the sport for nearly two decades, with this rivalry having them competing for titles, records, and Ballon d’Or awards.
Rome vs. Carthage (3rd–2nd Centuries BCE) - This ancient rivalry culminated in total war, with Rome destroying Carthage in 146 BCE.
Great Britain vs. France (18th–19th Centuries) - Britain emerged dominant after Napoleon’s defeat in 1815, establishing a century-long Pax Britannica, which basically means global stability between the two countries.
But perhaps one of the most tense rivalries of all is that of the U.s vs The Soviet Union, especially during the 1950’s.
The rivalry started when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957, the first artificial satellite launch in history. The launch had Russian citizens rejoicing in what their government had just achieved.
Hailed as the first launch of its kind, Sputnik 1 had very limited capabilities. Although it was extremely fast, with an orbit time of only 96 minutes, all it did was emit a high pitched beep. This allowed scientist to track its whereabouts for space exploration purposes. However it could not take pictures or do anything more sophisticated.
Yet the launch of that satellite heightened tensions between the USSR and the United States, primarily because it marked a significant technological breakthrough for the Soviets.
The same R-7 rocket used to launch Sputnik could potentially deliver nuclear warheads, raising fears in the U.S. that the Soviets had surpassed them in missile development. It also catalyzed the Space Race, as the U.S. rushed to catch up creating NASA in 1958.
The competition between the two countries created such a bitter rivalry that each side was openly seeking to outdo the other in space achievements.
Rockets To the Moon and Beyond
When NASA was created its core mission was to conduct civilian space exploration and research space technologies. To do so, the agency initially adapted, modified and used rockets that had already been developed the United States Air Force.
It wasn’t until the Apollo programs came about that NASA starting building its own rockets, including Saturn V considered one of the most powerful for its time - powerful enough to take astronauts to the moon.
Prior to that, NASA repurposed rockets from the Air Force. And one of the first ones they used was the Atlas. Actually it was a family of rockets developed as intercontinental ballistic missiles ranging from the SM-65 Atlas and Atlas Agenda to the Atlas V and Atlas V Centaur.
The Atlas is most famously known for being used in Project Mercury, which was NASA’s first human in space program. The astronauts selected for the program included Alan Shepard, John Glenn, Gus Grissom, Wally Schirra, Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, and Deke Slayton.
Of course we know that the first American to fly into space was Alan Shepard on May 5, 1961.
Since then approximately 398 human spaceflight launches have taken place. And then of course there are the thousands of satellites that now orbit our plant.
But what you might not know is that all those rockets that were sent to space needed some kind of outer coating to protect them from rust and corrosion.
And this Dear Reader is where Norman Larsen, a chemist working at the Rocket Chemical Company comes into our story.
Dang Those Rusty Rockets
Born in Chicago in the 1923's, Norm had an insatiable desire to create things - things he thought would help people in one way or another.
Norm was also a book worm and particularly loved to read books related to chemistry. His collection of chemistry books included everything from modern and contemporary books to one published during the 18th century. It’s said that when he died, he had over 1,000 books in his collection.
Although he had no formal training as a chemist, that’s the role he took on when he formed the Rocket Chemical Company on September 23, 1953 with two friends, Gordon Dawson and John B. Gregory.
What Norm knew about chemistry came from all those books he read, and the time he spent working in the paint industry. In fact it was his experience in the paint business that provided him with practical knowledge of chemical formulations, coatings, and industrial applications.
While Norm was a self-taught chemist, it was more than enough for him to work on projects for the Rocket Chemical Company.
The Rocket Chemical Company had one goal in mind - create a product that would prevent rust on rockets and aircraft. You see what happens is that over time moisture builds up in metal crevices on aircrafts eventually causing rust.
Rust didn’t become an issue for airplanes until around the 1930’s. That’s when the industry started using metal instead of wood to build planes. Basically using metal spread from airplanes to spaceships and rockets.
When metal replaced wood, it revealed an entirely new kind of problem - rust.
Norm, Gordon and John were determined to find a solution once and for all. That’s because their one and only client, the Convair Corporation was desperate for one.
They signed a contract to work with Convair when one of the company’s representatives visited their office. Although it might have been a matter of coincidence because Convair’s assembly plant operated in Kearny Mesa California and the Rocket Chemical Company just happened to be located nearby.
At the time Convair was a division of General Dynamics and made all of the Atlas rockets for NASA’s space program. The design of their rockets was considered innovative because they used “balloon” tanks made of thin stainless steel to save weight.
These tanks, which relied on internal pressure from nitrogen gas or propellants to maintain their structural integrity, were unpainted to further reduce weight. However, this made them prone to rust and corrosion, especially in humid or salty environments like Cape Canaveral, Florida, or near San Diego’s coastal areas.
Slippery When Wet
Now tasked to solve the problem of moisture build up on the ballon tanks, Norm with his two co-founders went to work developing rust-prevention solvents and degreasers that could be used in the aerospace industry.
Working in their small lab, they experimented with different chemical agents and ingredients. They performed 39 different experiments. These tests likely involved lab-based assessments to ensure the compound could effectively displace water, prevent rust, and adhere to stainless steel surfaces without adding significant weight.
It was on the 40th one that Norm had a breakthrough. He managed to create a chemical dispersing agent that prevented the settling or clumping of particles in liquids, particularly water that didn’t damage the structural integrity of the tanks.
The name for his new product was simple: WD-40. The WD stands for water dispersing and 40 is for the 40th formula.
Convair Corporation now had what they needed for their rockets. In fact the product worked so well that several employees snuck cans of WD-40 out of the plant in their lunchboxes to use at home.
As for The Rocket Chemical Company they now had a product that could be used throughout out the aerospace industry. As their product began gaining traction, it exploded in popularity.
Just five years after its invention, the multi-purpose miracle substance makes it first appearance on store shelves in 1958 in San Diego, California. By 1960, the Rocket Chemical Company nearly doubles in size, growing to seven employees who sell an average of 45 cases per day from the trunks of their cars to hardware and sporting goods stores throughout the San Diego area.
Perhaps the biggest breakthrough for the Rocket Chemical Company came in 1961 when Hurricane Carla, the most intense hurricane to make landfall on the Texas coast in the 20th century and second in recorded history only to the Indianola hurricane of 1886.
It hit the coast around noon on September 3rd as a category 4 with sustained winds stronger than 145 mph. Carla's storm surge devastated the Texas coast, rising to 10 feet above normal along a 300 mile swath from Port Aransas to Sabine Pass. The higher tides reached the Upper Texas coast by the 8th as the large hurricane approached with storm surge eventually reaching 10 to 15 feet around Galveston Bay.
The storm caused extensive property damage, loss, and casualties in both Texas and Louisiana over the course of a hellish fourteen days. Contractors placed large orders for WD-40 to use it to help them recondition flood and rain damaged vehicles and equipment.
Truckloads of the WD-40 made their way to Texas. The success of the product in the recovery efforts propelled WD-40 into the public eye for good.
In fact in 1968, goodwill kits containing WD-40 were sent to U.S. soldiers in the Vietnam War, primarily to prevent moisture damage to firearms and keep them in good working condition. The humid, tropical climate of Vietnam caused rust and corrosion on weapons like the M-16 rifle, which was notorious for jamming if not properly maintained.
The Rust Wars
While WD-40 was taking off across the country, something was brewing at Rocket Chemical Company. There’s not a lot of detailed records, but seems as if there was a dispute over a verbal agreement between Norm and one of the companies that distributed the product.
That company, CRC industries then decided to set up a manufacturing firm to compete directly with Rocket Chemical Company. And for whatever reason, Norm sided with themn and actually left Rocket to lead CRC’s efforts.
The first product they produced was CRC Corrosion Inhibitor, which preserves metal surfaces, engine parts and components. It became a major competitor to WD-40.
By 1968 Norm had left CRC and founded his own company called Surcon, Inc. headquartered in Collegeville, PA. And if you haven’t guessed by now, he developed a chemical anti-corrosion formula similar to WD-40 called "Free 'n Kleen.”
He also developed specialized metal and wood preservation techniques for treasure hunter Mel Fisher, explorer Fred Dickinson of the Santa Maria Foundation, the Smithsonian Institute, and was a consultant on the recovery of the 17th century Swedish ship the "Wasa".
Norm also invented a very successful formula for hand cream, a hair restorer, and "Green Giant Udder Ointment", a petroleum jelly based ointment that was used to heal cow udders from the chafing of milking machines. But it turned out to be an excellent healer for burns and all wounds.
Meanwhile back at the Rocket Chemical Company, John Steven Barry already an executive there was promoted to President and CEO.
Before joining the Rocket Chemical Company, he worked in marketing, sales, and product development at 3M, Solar Aircraft, and Adams Rite Manufacturing. So he had plenty of experience to take on his new role.
Known for his frugal, unpretentious style—such as holding meetings at Denny’s, and answering his own phone—Barry emphasized simplicity and brand loyalty, famously saying, “We are a marketing company.”
That’s why one of his first moves was renaming the company the WD-40 Company, reflecting its focus on its sole product, WD-40.
He also concentrated on expansion efforts, going from 1,200 to 14,000 wholesalers within a decade. He began targeting supermarkets capitalizing on impulse purchases.
Under Barry’s leadership, WD-40 sales grew from $2 million in 1970 to $90.9 million by 1990, when he stepped down as CEO, remaining chairman until 2000.
Garry O. Ridge who had joined the company in 1987 as managing director of its Australian subsidiary was named CEO and President in 1997.
He focused on the global expansion of WD-40. By 2008, sales reached $317 million, with WD-40 in 80% of U.S. households and marketed in 176 countries.
In 2024, WD-40 generated a whopping $590 million in revenues.
Sadly Norm Larsen died of an apparent heart attack at his home in December 1970 at age 47. Barry died of pulmonary fibrosis on July 3, 2009, in La Jolla, San Diego.
Norm Larsen’s invention thrived on its simplicity and versatility, becoming a staple in garages, workshops, and households worldwide. By the 1970s, WD-40 was a cultural phenomenon, with fans swearing by its 2,000-plus uses, from silencing creaky doors to untangling fishing lines.
From humble beginnings to a household name, WD-40 proves that a simple idea, relentlessly refined, can lubricate the world’s toughest challenges.
Amazing Quotes by Amazing People
"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." - Thomas Edison