Grinding
and pressing crude spermaceti for removal of taut-pressed oil.
Interior view of oil refinery. Filling bottles with sperm whale oil
1902.
Sperm whales have a particular kind of oil
called "spermaceti" in their massive heads. This is
different to the normal kind of whale oil from blubber that is
used by the whale for insulation and also for food storage, it
therefore has different properties.
Spermaceti is a liquid when warm (when obtained
from the whale) and turns to a white solid on contact with air and
when it cools. This are pictures of a shore processing factory
where the spermaceti brought back in barrels by whaling ships is
being turned into whale oil products - mainly high quality
candles.
Image courtesy NOAA
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