http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_oilWikipedia wrote:
Whale Oil
Whale oil is oil obtained from the blubber of whales. Whale oil was sometimes known as train oil, which comes from the Dutch word traan ("tear" or "drop").
Sperm oil, a special kind of oil obtained from the head cavities of sperm whales, differs chemically from ordinary whale oil: it comprises mostly liquid wax. Its properties and applications differ from those of regular whale oil, and it sold for more when marketed.
Early industrial societies used whale oil widely in oil lamps and to make soap and margarine. With the commercial development of substitutes such as kerosene and vegetable oils, the use of whale oils declined considerably in the 20th century. With most countries having banned whaling, the sale and use of whale oil as of 2015 has practically ceased.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sperm_oilWikpedia wrote:
Sperm Oil
Sperm oil is a waxy liquid obtained from sperm whales. It is a clear, yellowish liquid with a very faint odor. Sperm oil has a different composition from common whale oil. Although it is traditionally called an "oil", it is technically a liquid wax. It is composed of wax esters with a small proportion of triglycerides, an ester of an unsaturated fatty acid and a branched-chain fatty alcohol.[1] It is a natural antioxidant and heat-transfer agent.[2] Through catalytic reaction, it carries phosphorus and sulfur derivatives providing anti-wear and friction modification.[3] 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. It was supplanted in the late 19th century by alternatives such as kerosene and petroleum-based lubricants, following bans on both whaling and the subsequent sale and use of whale-derived products.[4]
The oil from bottlenose whales was sometimes called "Arctic sperm oil". It was cheaper and inferior to true sperm oil.