When thinking of silicone, my mind frequently goes to silicone-enhanced mammary glands, but my only real contact with silicone has been using it as a lubricant or a sealant.
As my friends know, I am a big fan of WD-40 and its many uses, but it has it limitations. For example, it may seem logical to use WD-40 to lubricate the Rubik's Cube you have never solved, but you would be wrong. You need SILICONE! The modern lubricant! Unfortunately, WD-40 contains some petroleum components which are harmful to a Rubik's Cube whereas a silicone spray will lubricate your cube with no detrimental effects. That doesn't mean you will be able to solve it, but you will be able to waste your time trying in a much easier fashion.
I recently discovered a new use for silicone. I have a large, old SUV named "Clark." One of Clark's problems is that the retractable seat belts are very reluctant to retract. This frequently results in the belt and the latching device ending up in the door space and preventing the door from closing properly. The last time I took Clark to the dealership to get him oiled and lubed I told the service manager, Nick, about Clark's seat belt malfunction. He didn't even bother to check it out, he simply said, "Look, this is an old car. As cars age, some things don't function the way they used to. They're like people. You get old and your knee doesn't work like it used to. You have two choices, live with it or replace it. We can replace the seat belt mechanism but it will cost a significant chunk of change. I personally would not put any real money in something this old." (I was surprised Nick knew that my knee was malfunctioning, but I was a bit hurt that he spoke so disparagingly about Clark.) Feeling humbled, Clark and I returned home with a faulty seat belt and a bum knee.
Once home, I decided to fix the problem myself. I planned to remove the interior molding, gain access to the the retracting mechanism, and spray it with WD-40. I soon discovered it is not easy to remove that molding without causing damage, but then I had a "Saul/St. Paul moment." If I wanted to get lubricant into the mechanism, I could do so by putting the lubricant on the belt. Since I didn't want WD-40 on my seat belt, I decided to use a silicone spray. I extended the belt as far as it would go and sprayed the belt. I then pulled and retracted the belt multiple times, and now it works as well as it did when it came off the assembly line.
Still somewhat offended, Clark and I returned to the dealership to demonstrate to Nick how well the seat belt was working. "That's great." he said. "Now spray some silicone on your knee and see how that works for you."
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