It was originally sperm whale oil, and that was a masterpiece of organic chemistry.
As you can imagine, we can’t get any of it anymore. For all the right reasons.
To give you an idea..I just pulled this off a gun forum, via a quick search for the wd-40 connection:
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Whale oil is actually a better lubricant than most petroleum products. It was used in gear lubes until the whale industry was reduced and the whales put on the endangered list.
It is very effective in limited slip differentials. Those clutches will chatter and cause a "walking" sensation when turning a corner without the whale oil in it. There are other higher tech alternatives.
As a matter of fact, the lubricant made by the human body to lubricate the shoulder and hip sockets is easily 6 times more effective than the best stuff mankind manufactures. Just a little FYI.
(I don't agree or disagree with this clipped and posted bit, I'm just conveying a bit that is out there on the complex issue of lubes vs cleaners, etc)
And that is also why getting the dog spit off the plate that you put down on the floor, for the dog to clean off, is such a total PITA. There isn’t anything better for the job than what the dog has naturally, no matter what a lab can concoct for millions in research and effort. (I just got a dog again after about 12 years without one. Hint, use a vinegar/water spray, soap will never work--wrong pH)
