378:
101:
345:
333:
297:. Prior to 1972, over 30 million lb (14 million kg) of sperm whale oil was used annually in lubricants because of its exceptional lubricity and heat stability. In 1972, the sperm whale was listed as an Endangered Species. The following year, the US Congress amended the Endangered Species Act, outlawing the killing of whales and the use of their oil. The loss of sperm oil had a profound impact in the automotive industry, where for example, transmission failures rose from under 1 million in 1972 to over 8 million by 1975.
278:
357:
403:
20:
369:
394:
121:
This was the most valuable product: a lubricant that remained liquid in freezing winter temperatures. When spring came and the leftover solid matter melted a bit, the liquid was strained off and sold as "spring-strained sperm oil". In summer, the matter melted some more and the liquid was strained off to leave a fully solid wax. This wax, brown in color, was then bleached and sold as "spermaceti wax".
117:(or "melon"), the organs that serve to focus and modulate the animal's vocalizations. The matter from these organs was stored in casks to be processed on land; sometimes it was boiled first to prevent it going rancid. The blubber also contained smaller proportions of spermaceti, which was obtained by boiling the blubber on the ship itself.
253:. The proportion of wax esters in the spermaceti organ increases with the age of the whale: 38-51% in calves, 58-87% in adult females, and 71-94% in adult males. The blubber oil of the whale is about 66% wax. When cooled to below 30 °C (86 °F), the waxes in spermaceti begin to crystallize.
300:
Sperm oil was a popular lubricant. It worked well for fine, light machinery such as sewing machines and watches because it is thin, does not congeal or dry out and does not corrode metals. It was also used in heavy machinery such as locomotives and steam-powered looms because it can withstand high
120:
On land, the casks of head-matter were allowed to chill during the winter, causing it to congeal into a spongy and viscous mass. The congealed matter was then loaded into wool sacks and placed in a press to squeeze out its liquid. This liquid was bottled and sold as "winter-strained sperm oil".
377:
108:
After killing a sperm whale, the whalers would pull the carcass alongside the ship, cut off the cranium and haul it on deck, whereupon they would cut a hole in it and bail out the matter inside with a bucket. The primary source of sperm oil was the
285:
Sperm oil was particularly prized as an illuminant in oil lamps, as it burned more brightly and cleanly than any other available oil and gave off no foul odor. It was replaced in the late-19th century by cheaper, more efficient
316:
Sperm oil was used to protect metals from rust. A coat of sperm oil provided a temporary protection for the metal components in firearms, because it did not dry out or gum up. It was the basis of the original (but not current)
305:
was discovered to be a better substitute for high-friction applications because it is even more stable at high temperatures. This caused sperm oil's price to collapse to a tenth of its previous value.
256:
Winter-strained sperm oil is roughly two-thirds wax esters and one third triglycerides. Most of the carbon chains are unsaturated, with 18:1 being the most common. Unlike other toothed whales save the
785:
383:
Sperm whales celebrate the discovery of new oil wells in
Pennsylvania. The proliferation of mineral oils reduced the demand for their species' oil. (1861 cartoon from
219:). It retains its viscosity in high temperatures better than most oils. It does not tend to become rancid, dry out, or corrode metals. Sperm oil cannot be easily
402:
652:
439:
953:
1027:
Gunsmithing: The complete sourcebook of firearms design, construction, alteration, and restoration for amateur and professional gunsmiths
1012:
713:
745:
478:
778:
69:. In the late-18th and early-19th centuries, sperm oil was prized as an illuminant for its bright, odorless flame and as a
870:
840:
344:
873:
Alkoxy-Acyl
Combinations in the Wax Esters from Winterized Sperm Whale Oil by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
293:
In the US, sperm oil was used in cars as an additive to automatic transmission fluid until it was banned by the
520:
332:
33:. It is a clear, yellowish liquid with a very faint odor. Sperm oil has a different composition from common
356:
616:
462:
449:
100:
85:-based lubricants. With the 1987 international ban on whaling, sperm oil is no longer legally sold.
635:
41:. Although it is traditionally called an "oil", it is technically a liquid wax. It is composed of
1065:
77:
and stability. It was supplanted in the late 19th century by less expensive alternatives such as
294:
54:
980:
921:
901:
720:
697:
682:
667:
570:
550:
92:
was sometimes called "Arctic sperm oil." It was cheaper than and inferior to true sperm oil.
1040:
1025:
998:
1060:
281:
US consumption of sperm oil peaked in the mid-19th century, then saw a precipitous decline.
258:
155:
8:
802:
535:
482:
66:
822:
440:"$ 2,000 Penalty Assessed for Illegal Attempted Sale of Sperm Whale Oil Over Internet"
909:
739:
826:
814:
599:
173:
135:
110:
89:
587:
789:
504:
277:
238:
204:
104:
Sperm oil is extracted from the spermaceti organ and the junk of the sperm whale.
878:
848:
762:
845:. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN OIL CHEMISTS' SOCIETY, Vol .56, No.6. Pages: 629-631"
310:
1054:
220:
183:
114:
58:
242:
46:
19:
216:
145:
62:
30:
685:
On the
Northwest: Commercial Whaling in the Pacific Northwest, 1790-1967
603:
818:
553:
HazMat Data: For First
Response, Transportation, Storage, and Security.
318:
302:
250:
246:
230:
803:"Sperm whale oil analysis by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry"
997:
James R. McGuigan, R. Charles Moyer, Frederick H. deB Harris (2010).
943:. Oxnard: Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association, 2010. Print.
234:
224:
194:
82:
74:
70:
42:
34:
261:, most of the carbon chains in the wax esters are relatively long (C
368:
287:
78:
783:
Journal of the Marine
Biological Association of the United Kingdom
38:
757:
755:
393:
843:
Oxidative
Stability of Wax Esters by Thermogravimetric Analysis
954:"Transmission Problems in Cars Linked to Ban on Whale Killing"
752:
50:
538:
A Practical
Treatise On Friction, Lubrication, Fats And Oils
444:
428:
426:
313:, sperm oil saw widespread use in the aerospace industry.
781:
Physical
Properties of Spermaceti Oil in the Sperm Whale.
465:
Chemical technology and analysis of oils, fats, and waxes
1015:, New Bedford Whaling Museum. Modified August 22, 2014.
423:
215:
Sperm oil has a fairly low viscosity (roughly equal to
904:. Reed Business Information – via Google Books.
935:
933:
931:
698:Czesław Kajdas, S. S. K. Harvey, E. Wilusz (1990).
588:"Some Data on Sperm Oils Used for Burning Purposes"
928:
592:Journal of Industrial & Engineering Chemistry
566:
564:
562:
1052:
630:
628:
586:Blakeley, Abraham G.; Reilly, Edmund A. (1917).
479:"Official Swatch Website - Swatch International"
941:Gears for the Transmission Rebuilding Industry
800:
585:
559:
807:Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society
655:Lubricants and cutting oils for machine tools
625:
223:, and thus could not be used to make soap or
668:Joh. N. Tønnessen, Arne Odd Johnsen (1984).
899:
863:
516:
514:
544:
900:Information, Reed Business (1 May 1975).
573:Chemistry And Technology Of Oils And Fats
301:temperatures. In the late 20th century,
227:. It is fairly resistant to oxidization.
841:"J.W. Hagemann and J.A. Rothfus (1978).
706:
646:
511:
276:
99:
18:
801:Spencer, G. F.; Tallent, W. H. (1973).
1053:
744:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
16:Waxy liquid obtained from sperm whales
986:Consulting on Coal and Oil in America
700:Encyclopedia of Tribology, Volume 15
233:is a liquid wax, composed mostly of
571:Moninder Mohan Chakrabarty (2009).
13:
408:"Winter Sperm Oil" advertisement,
14:
1077:
636:"Liquids - Kinematic Viscosities"
130:Physical properties of sperm oil
401:
392:
376:
367:
355:
350:Strained sperm oil being bottled
343:
331:
1033:
1018:
1006:
991:
972:
946:
893:
833:
794:
772:
691:
676:
661:
610:
579:
523:Herman Melville's Whaling Years
272:
29:is a waxy liquid obtained from
767:Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals
653:William Gordon Forbes (1943).
529:
497:
471:
456:
432:
241:) and a smaller proportion of
1:
765:, J. G. M. Thewissen (2002).
670:The History of Modern Whaling
505:"Historic Nantucket Magazine"
448:. 8 June 2004. Archived from
417:
95:
871:"Gayland F. Spencer (1978).
551:Richard P. Pohanish (2005).
124:
7:
1042:The Springfield 1903 Rifles
619:Table of Refractive Indices
536:Emil F. Dieterichs (1916).
463:Julius Lewkowitsch (1904).
45:with a small proportion of
10:
1082:
1039:William S. Brophy (1985).
779:Malcolm R. Clarke (1978).
683:Robert Lloyd Webb (1988).
640:www.engineeringtoolbox.com
324:
199:21–23 cSt at 37.5 °C
37:, obtained from rendered
981:Scientists and Swindlers
617:J. N. Goldsmith (1921).
410:Charleston Daily Courier
309:Because of its very low
362:A spermaceti wax candle
178:1.4649 at 15.6 °C
57:, and a branched-chain
1024:Roy F. Dunlap (1963).
521:Wilson Heflin (2004).
295:Endangered Species Act
282:
249:being the most common
140:0.884 at 15.6 °C
105:
55:unsaturated fatty acid
23:
280:
165:unsaponifiable matter
103:
22:
1000:Managerial Economics
259:Amazon river dolphin
156:saponification value
761:William F. Perrin,
604:10.1021/ie50096a014
485:on 22 November 2013
452:on 30 October 2004.
131:
67:heat-transfer agent
958:The New York Times
920:has generic name (
819:10.1007/BF02640490
788:2008-12-17 at the
338:A spermaceti press
283:
129:
106:
61:. It is a natural
24:
598:(12): 1099–1100.
213:
212:
90:bottlenose whales
1073:
1046:
1037:
1031:
1022:
1016:
1013:American Whaling
1010:
1004:
995:
989:
976:
970:
969:
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965:
950:
944:
937:
926:
925:
919:
915:
913:
905:
897:
891:
890:
888:
886:
877:. Archived from
867:
861:
860:
858:
856:
847:. Archived from
837:
831:
830:
798:
792:
776:
770:
759:
750:
749:
743:
735:
733:
731:
725:
719:. Archived from
718:
710:
704:
695:
689:
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674:
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659:
650:
644:
643:
632:
623:
614:
608:
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568:
557:
548:
542:
533:
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495:
494:
492:
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481:. Archived from
475:
469:
460:
454:
453:
436:
430:
405:
396:
380:
371:
359:
347:
335:
174:refractive index
150:260–266 °C
136:specific gravity
132:
128:
111:spermaceti organ
1081:
1080:
1076:
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1074:
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978:: Paul Lucier,
977:
973:
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961:
960:. 17 April 1975
952:
951:
947:
938:
929:
917:
916:
907:
906:
902:"New Scientist"
898:
894:
884:
882:
881:on 8 April 2013
869:
868:
864:
854:
852:
851:on 8 April 2013
839:
838:
834:
799:
795:
790:Wayback Machine
777:
773:
760:
753:
737:
736:
729:
727:
723:
716:
714:"Archived copy"
712:
711:
707:
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681:
677:
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662:
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647:
634:
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611:
584:
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512:
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477:
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397:
388:
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363:
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351:
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339:
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327:
275:
268:
264:
239:cetyl palmitate
205:viscosity index
127:
98:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1079:
1069:
1068:
1066:Whale products
1063:
1048:
1047:
1032:
1017:
1005:
990:
971:
945:
939:Landis, Phil.
927:
892:
862:
832:
813:(6): 202–206.
793:
771:
751:
726:on 1 June 2013
705:
690:
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311:freezing point
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243:triglycerides
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185:
184:iodine number
182:
181:
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159:
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149:
147:
144:
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118:
116:
112:
102:
93:
91:
88:The oil from
86:
84:
80:
76:
72:
68:
64:
60:
59:fatty alcohol
56:
52:
48:
47:triglycerides
44:
40:
36:
32:
28:
21:
1041:
1035:
1026:
1020:
1008:
999:
993:
985:
979:
974:
962:. Retrieved
957:
948:
940:
918:|first=
895:
883:. Retrieved
879:the original
872:
865:
853:. Retrieved
849:the original
842:
835:
810:
806:
796:
780:
774:
766:
763:Bernd Würsig
728:. Retrieved
721:the original
708:
699:
693:
684:
678:
669:
663:
654:
648:
639:
618:
612:
595:
591:
581:
572:
552:
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537:
531:
522:
499:
487:. Retrieved
483:the original
473:
464:
458:
450:the original
443:
434:
409:
384:
315:
308:
299:
292:
284:
273:Applications
255:
229:
221:hydrogenated
214:
119:
107:
87:
73:for its low
31:sperm whales
26:
25:
1061:Animal fats
885:30 December
855:23 December
385:Vanity Fair
217:coconut oil
168:17.5–44.0%
146:flash point
63:antioxidant
1055:Categories
730:29 October
418:References
319:Rust-Oleum
303:jojoba oil
251:fatty acid
247:oleic acid
235:wax esters
231:Spermaceti
189:70.4–96.4
160:120–150.3
96:Processing
43:wax esters
1030:. pg= 84.
988:. pg 152.
769:. pg 1164
702:. pg 308.
672:, pg 228.
237:(chiefly
225:margarine
195:viscosity
125:Chemistry
83:petroleum
75:viscosity
71:lubricant
35:whale oil
27:Sperm oil
1045:. pg 71.
1003:, pg 29.
984:(2008).
910:cite web
827:95490342
786:Archived
740:cite web
687:. pg 144
621:. pg 239
575:. pg 183
525:. pg 232
489:13 March
467:. pg 870
288:kerosene
113:and the
79:kerosene
964:1 March
657:. pg 69
540:. pg 22
325:Gallery
245:, with
186:(Wijs)
39:blubber
825:
555:pg 865
412:, 1833
53:of an
823:S2CID
724:(PDF)
717:(PDF)
51:ester
49:, an
966:2020
922:help
887:2012
857:2012
746:link
732:2012
491:2014
445:NOAA
209:180
115:junk
81:and
65:and
815:doi
600:doi
269:).
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387:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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