answersLogoWhite

0

The first principal use of whale oil was as an illuminant in lamps and as candle wax. It was a major food of the aboriginal peoples of the Pacific northwest, such as the Nootka. Whale oil later came to be used in oiling wools for combing and other uses. It was the first of any animal or mineral oil to achieve commercial viability. It was used to make margarine and was the basis of very effective protective paint for steel e.g. the original (but not current) Rust-Oleum.

Whale oil's predominant place in society was mostly eliminated with the development of kerosene from coal in 1846, and the discovery of petroleum drilling in the late 19th century, which led to petroleum-based waxes and oils replacing whale oils in most nonfood applications. With the 1986 International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium on commercial whaling, whale oil has all but ceased to be viable, as substitutes have been found for most of its uses, notably jojoba oil.[1]

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

What else can I help you with?

Related Questions

Whats whales used for?

Whales are used for makeup, lipbalm, oil, and meat.


What did whales used to be hunted for?

They were hunted for meat and oil from their blubber.


Do whales make oil?

yes... a really long time ago that's where people used to get oil from. They kill whales then do something to it.


What animal was used to make oil for lamps cooking and soaps?

whales


What fish are in Oily Fish?

whales are oily fishes, that is the fish we used to get oil


What important product came from whales and what was it used for?

Sperm whales were hunted for the oil in their heads, called spermaceti. It was used as lantern oil and to make perfumes and ointments.


What are dead whales used for?

The death of whales were used in the production of oil used for lamps and lubricating machinery. When a whale would die of natural causes, the remains are often used by sea animals as a home.


What are whales used for?

Whales are primarily hunted for food. Some cultures use the whale's blubber for oil as well. More whales are hunted in Japan than in any other country.


How does whaling industry work?

The whaling industry was very similar to modern fishing industries. The whalers would go out on boats and hunt whales. They would catch the whales, process the meat and also the oil from the whales which was used as a heating oil and such. They would then return to port and sell the meat and oil the markets and such.


What will be the consequences ecologically if whales become extinct?

If whales become extinct we will loose alot of oil because whales hold 70 barrals of oil in them!


What is whaling used for?

When a whale is hunted, its meat is used for food. Occasionally, people will use the whale's blubber for oil.


What is the use of Brine water in oil rigs?

i think its used to attract whales, so that they can hunt them.