Whale oil was primarily used for lanterns, candles etc... but it was not as inexpensive or available as animal tallow farther inland. The most expensive whale oil was Sperm oil that was more waxy. I have seen where it could be two and three times more expensive. I wonder how much of it was used for lubing gun barrels by the average frontier farmer or settler, or army? I wonder if bear oil or deer tallow was always the poor man's alternative? I have read where wax candles were precious on the frontier and tallow lamps were the local alternative? Maybe same for gun oils.
