That talk of whale oil takes me back ! When i was an apprentice , kept the shed behind the forge , was three red Shell 50 gallon drums . One of "20/50 ", for the vans ( used often..) one of "hoof oil ", used only on horses shod in the forge , maybe 2 pints a week .. and one of "whale oil .." for hardening .Not used very often at all…unless there was a load of breaker points to sharpen , from Southern Water .. Fair few quids worth though.. and it was "the boys job" to replenish the vans , or refill the hoof oil pot , or fetch a bucket of whale oil and do the points , £1 a point..
They lay on their sides together in a rack ,with a tap on each..and it stunk in there, and the cinder floor was soaked in old oil drips …
Someone left the whale oil tap open ,and dripping… and it was empty next time we needed some, and the boss went absolutely mental !!
I think it may have been me
…though I was sure it " wasn't me " at the time !!