I bet that brings the jokers out into the open.....
You can't call yourself an old-timer here unless you remember this stuff! Any of you recall those fishy-smelling guns? (Yeah I know they're mammals....)
Posts: 612 | Location: Atlanta, GA USA | Registered: 19 June 2000
I can remember when this oil was the best in the world for guns and watches. It would remain the same for years. An old watch repairman explained this to me in the 1960's. I bought several cans from Brownell's when they closed it out because of P.E.T.A. Does anyone sell this stuff now? ------- My thoughts: "LIFE IS NOT A JOURNEY TO THE GRAVE WITH THE INTENTION OF ARRIVING SAFELY IN A PRETTY AND WELL PRESERVED BODY, BUT RATHER TO SKID IN BROADSIDE, THOROUGHLY USED UP, TOTALLY WORN OUT, AND LOUDLY PROCLAIMING, "WOW! WHAT A RIDE!!!" Anonymous ??
Posts: 965 | Location: Texas | Registered: 19 May 2004
Steve, I am not an old timer by most accounts, but I'd be very willing to buy that sperm oil off of you. It is THE key ingredient in black powder and paper patched bullet lubes when combined with beeswax.
I have my own bees, but still searching for the oil. If you want to sell any or all of it, email me at brentd@iastate.edu
Brent
Posts: 2257 | Location: Where I've bought resident tags:MN, WI, IL, MI, KS, GA, AZ, IA | Registered: 30 January 2002
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration charged a resident of Lincroft, N.J., with four counts of selling or attempting to sell sperm whale oil over eBay�s online auction site, in violation of the Endangered Species Act. NOAA is an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department.
NOAA�s Office of General Counsel for Enforcement and Litigation assessed a $2,000 penalty against Alan Troshane for the infraction, which took place between March and April 2000. Troshane found the sperm whale oil in the basement of the school where he worked and advertised the whale oil for sale on the Internet-based auction site for $40 per ounce.
During the course of an investigation by NOAA�s Office for Law Enforcement, Troshane admitted the violation and subsequently paid the penalty.
Sperm whales are listed under the Endangered Species Act. The act governs the taking, possession, transportation, sale, purchase, barter, exportation, importation of, and other requirements pertaining to wildlife and plants determined to be threatened or endangered.
NOAA is one of the federal agencies enforcing the regulations under the ESA that make selling or offering to sell endangered species parts or products illegal.
NOAA Fisheries is dedicated to protecting and preserving our nation�s living marine resources and their habitat through scientific research, management and enforcement. NOAA Fisheries provides effective stewardship of these resources for the benefit of the nation, to support coastal communities that depend upon them, and to help to provide safe and healthy seafood to consumers and recreational opportunities for the American public. To learn more about NOAA Fisheries, please visit: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov.
NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation�s coastal and marine resources. For more information about NOAA visit: http://www.noaa.gov.
Posts: 1295 | Location: 3rd Planet from the Sun | Registered: 24 April 2003
ATF may be fine for automatic transmissions, but it's no substitute for bullet lube. Works well for oiling locks and protecting the bore - I use it a lot for that, but it's not a bullet lube. Brent
Posts: 2257 | Location: Where I've bought resident tags:MN, WI, IL, MI, KS, GA, AZ, IA | Registered: 30 January 2002
According to Jack Belk the purest oil in the modern world is transmission oil, now we were not talking about bullet lubes, just good oil for fine shotguns and stuff...that is all he uses...He apparantly did a number of tests etc. and came to that conclusion...but since he discussed that with me I have been using it and found it works in any climate and only requires only minute amounts to make things work.
Posts: 42176 | Location: Twin Falls, Idaho | Registered: 04 June 2000
I was just thinking of sperm oil....actualy watching a space program, made me think of it. NASA has tons of the stuff stock piled since the banning of whaling. Sperm oil has yet to be synthisized(sp). Yes, it was the base for automatic trannys, but where is really shines is in the space shuttle, and other orbital equipment. The sperm oil don't change viscosity, wheather is is cooking on the launch pad or subjected to 100's of degrees below 0,in outer space. It don't change properties. NO modern lube can match it, so...NASA has LOTS stock piled.
If ever any one is in Lahina, Hawaii, be sure to visit the whaling meusum there. They have an extensive history of whales, whaling, and the uses of the products.
Posts: 40 | Location: California, USA | Registered: 24 July 2003
YOu have quite a treasure there. Use it wisely. Sperm oil is actually not an oil. It is a liquid wax. That is why it works better than any kind of oil I have every tried at extreme pressures (remember that wax is used for extreme case forming rather than oil).
I bought a pint of the stuff from Brownell's back when it was legal. I used about 1/3 of it before they made it illegal to buy or sell (you can use it though, as long as it is pre-ban). Now I use it when all else fails -- and only a drop or two at a time. It seems to last forever. It has not turned rancid in over 40 years. I am down to my last 1/4 of a pint and hoping it will last. I just wish I had enough to make up some Black Powder bullet lube. It was roughly 1/2 beeswax and 1/2 sperm oil from what I have read. Given the success I have had with other uses for sperm oil, I would really like to give it a try, but that is never going to happen.
Several others "susbtitutes" have been mentioned. ATF fluid is great stuff, but not as good as sperm oil under extreme pressure. ATF does have less change in viscosity than most oils -- and it is almost as good as sperm oil there. I have tried STP. Remember it was advertised as being "slicker" than regular oil. Still jammed a case while trying to form it. There is a synthetic sperm oil substitute sold several places. I tried some, but it is not a real substitute either. I don't know of ANY true substitute for sperm oil. However, we just have to try to get one with life.
Anyway, you have a treasure there. I wish it was me.
Posts: 212 | Location: Omaha, NE | Registered: 22 August 2003
I remember reading that jojoba oil (from the jojoba bean) was a vegetable replacement for sperm whale oil, at least for the applications such as fine machinery, etc.
Any idea if it works in your BP applications?
jim
Posts: 4166 | Location: San Diego, CA USA | Registered: 14 November 2001
Don't know about a replacement for sperm oil, but there was a big demand for jojoba beans about 15 years ago (jojoba is a local plant). My understanding was that the wild beans were processed into oil to use in the cosmetics industry.
During that time of high demand, some farms planted jojoba, but it takes several yeary to mature, and I think the demand died before the crops came in. All of the fields of jojoba I have seen in the last several years have been dried up and abandoned.
Posts: 121 | Location: Arizona | Registered: 29 December 2002
Jim, Quite a few people have tried jojoba oil, among there things, including me. I do not find it particularly good - in fact, I did not like using it at all. It's not a replacement for the real thing. Of course, the real thing may not be so good as has been claimed. But a few folks that have some, say otherwise, and so do their targets in some cases.
Brent
Posts: 2257 | Location: Where I've bought resident tags:MN, WI, IL, MI, KS, GA, AZ, IA | Registered: 30 January 2002
