Sperm oil

[1] In the late-18th and early-19th centuries, sperm oil was prized as an illuminant for its bright, odorless flame and as a lubricant for its low viscosity and stability.

On land, the casks of head-matter were allowed to chill during the winter, causing it to congeal into a spongy and viscous mass.

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.

[22] Unlike other toothed whales save the Amazon river dolphin, most of the carbon chains in the wax esters are relatively long (C10-C22).

[citation needed] In the US, sperm oil was used in cars as an additive to automatic transmission fluid until it was banned by the Endangered Species Act.

The following year, the US Congress amended the Endangered Species Act, outlawing the killing of whales and the use of their oil.

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.

[27] In the late 20th century, jojoba oil was discovered to be a better substitute for high-friction applications because it is even more stable at high temperatures.

A coat of sperm oil provided a temporary protection for the metal components in firearms, because it did not dry out or gum up.