Whale oil

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More like it was there, and got used, and the machinery was built to use it. Then they had to find a way of using mineral oils in it's stead.

It was the "best" lamp oil for the same reasons.
 
And once the W in the viscosity designation stood for whale instead of winter.


The winds were foul, the ship was slow
The grub was bad, the wages low
 
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Originally Posted By: BRZED
And once the W in the viscosity designation stood for whale instead of winter.


Got a link for that, or trolling ?
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Originally Posted By: BRZED
And once the W in the viscosity designation stood for whale instead of winter.


Got a link for that, or trolling ?


And there I thought you were easily amused.
 
I just thought that someone with such a fragile sense of humour would be posting only facts.
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow
I just thought that someone with such a fragile sense of humour would be posting only facts.


And look how wrong you were!
 
I thought whale oil was an ester oil with high viscosity index and thermal as well as oxidative stability?

Could be wrong, just IIRC.
 
Originally Posted By: Leo99
Read Moby ****. That oil was very valuable.
heh heh I'm in the New Bedford City Hall a few times a week. The lobby has a mural of whalers taking a Nantucket sleigh ride. What a way to earn a living. Sailing all over the world chasing the largest carnivore on earth with a spear, some rope and a rowboat. You stick him in the side, and it just makes the whale mad. The smart ones would charge the boat
grin2.gif


Whaling was a sustainable industry until the advent of the steamship and the harpoon cannon.
 
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Chem Phys Lipids. 1969 Apr;3(2):145-51.

Sperm whale head oil. I. The ester fraction.

by Challinor CJ, Hamilton RJ, Simpson K.
 
My father had a 1965 Jeep that was a garage project.

When we got to swapping out the fluids, I quickly learned about whale oil.

Needless to say, a lot of towels were ruined that day...
grin.gif


A lot of fun indeed.
 
It was a natural ester.

Compasses in aircraft used it as well. Most use Kerosene today but as I hear it no where near as good.

If automotive companies went to an all ester based ATF it would get much closer to the fantasy of filled for life they try to recommend! LOL
 
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