Whale Oil lubes

[SR James]

The discussion of patch lubes, etc. got me thinking. Whale oil was used a lot in the old days and I seem to recall reading somewhere it was also used as a patch lube. Anybody know if it was used straight or mixed with something else?

 

[rabjr]

Sure, you can use the oil as a lube or you can make a grease which is a mix of usually beeswax and the oil. Making a grease like I do with bear oil makes it go farther, lasts longer.

 

[SR James]

Yeh, I understand that Swamp. I guess what I'm asking is this: Whale oil was considered a superior lube for some (non-firearm) purposes and its passing from the scene was lamented by some and was even considered irreplaceable. So was it also superior for firearms? Does anyone know of any references of its being a great patch lube over other types? Just curious.

 

[renovato]

I don't know if it was used as a patch lube, but I strongly suspect that it was, in places where it was abundant. I do know that it was considered the premier lube for fine workings like watches and the like. That'd make it a fine lube for gun locks also. This is going to be a fascinating thread!

 

[10 gauge]

Back then any oil on hand and any wax, probably has been used in the past as a patch lube.
I was born in Sayville, LI NY. I remember we had a little whaling museum there and a common wax for our area was Bayberry wax. So if I was alive in Sayville in the 1700s what do you think I would of probably have used as patch grease?. :wink:

 

[twotoescharlie]

I have a pint of whale oil that I purchased from Dixie gun works in the early 60s. Havn't used much of it, but it is as clear as it was the day I recieved it. also non drying and does not get gummy. cannot get it any longer but they have a fake sperm oil but I don't know how it is.


TTC

 

[xxgrampa]

greetings,

one replacement for whale oil is automatic trans fluid.. don't know how it would be for a patch lube..

..ttfn..grampa..

 

[uncrichie]

Not that this answers your question but a little tidbit from google/Wikipedia. Whale oil is actually a liquid wax and not a true oil. Most of its uses have been replaced by of all things Jojoba oil which is also a liquid wax. Pretty neat hah. Kurt.

 

[bingo1952]

Early on automatic transmission fluid was comprised in large part of whale oil. The Defense Department still maintains a fairly large strategic stockpile of the stuff and NASA has found uses for it in outer space because it doesn't evaporate.

 

[Stumpkiller]

The old Ford tranny fluid had sperm whale oil in it. I can remember gear-heads hoarding it and bragging about finding it in old garages, barns and flea markets.

I am told Jojoba oil has similar properties (as does castor to a lesser extent).

 

[shunka]

"Common" Whale oil was obtained by rendering the whale blubber and was originally used as a general oil, and a clean-burning fuel in household oil lamps and for processing soap, wool, and some leathers.

Whale oil lamps were replaced by kerosene lamps, then gas, and finally electric.

Sperm Whale Oil, was a specialty item. It was obtained from the head cavity of that whale, sometimes as much as three tons from one sperm whale. It is an extremely fine oil, considered the most premium of premium oils for fine mechanicals such as watchworks, clocks, chronometers, avionics, etc.
It also has the ability to remain viscous at extremely low temperatures. Up until the sale of whale oil was banned around 1975 the US maintained stockpiles of it "for national emergencies".

I would recommend against ever buying any; someone was fined several thousand dollars around 2004 for the attempt.

your hunble servant
shunka

 

[ohio ramrod]

When I started shooting muzzle loaders back in the sixties I used sperm oil both as a patch lube and as a bore protecter for storage. (In fact I still have a few ounces left ). It makes a good patch lube used straight , but as a rust preventive it is poor compared to many oils now available.I have found good results using pure lard (Salt free) in cold weather and a mixture of lard (80% lard 20% beeswax) and beeswax in warmer weather.

 

[joliver]

How about a mixture of pure beeswax and olive oil as a rust preventative in the bore?

joliver

 

[Jblk]

From what i've seen of whale oil it must of been a very good lubricant.My Dad was always buying different articles at auction sales over a period of years.One of those articles that he purchased was a whale oil miners lamp.When he bought the lamp the oil canister was empty but the wick was still damp to the touch.He stored that lamp with a large array of carbide miners lamp in and unheated garage for over ten years that I know of.Upon his death we were preparing for his auction sale I happened to check the wick, and it was still damp to the touch.That garage was often above a hundred degrees in the summer and twenty below in the winter.I believe that alot of the lubricants that we have today would be hard pressed to match that.

 

[robinghewitt]

Sperm Whale Oil, was a specialty item. It was obtained from the head cavity of that whale, sometimes as much as three tons from one sperm whale.

Brain case oil is very different to rendered fat.

I believe it to be part of the whale's echo location unit and used to focus sound. The bottle nosed dolphin has a similar arrangement. [/trivia]

 

[longcruise]

The bottle nosed dolphin has a similar arrangement.

Wonder if there is a season on them? :shocked2: