old time "Coal Oil"

[Copperhead]

And up till around 1972, Sperm Whale oil was one of the primary ingredients in automatic transmission fluid. It had great properties that only high grade synthetics that came along later could duplicate. Even RustOleum paints were originally formulated based on whale oil.

 

[Gator6x4]

When I was growing up in southern Oklahoma in the '40s and early '50s, I never saw any coal; never knew anyone who had any or used any. But, yep, I had to get out there and milk the cow by the light of a coal oil lantern. At least that's what everyone called it.

I don't remember just when common usage of the term "coal oil" changed to "kerosene", however . . . .

I do remember for sure that I sold both kerosene AND "white gas" (unleaded gas) for 10 cents a gallon in the late '50s in my Dad's Mobil service station.

The only use I can remember for the white gas was for those newfangled Coleman lanterns that were so much brighter, but more trouble, than our old kerosene lanterns. But as others have said, kerosene or coal oil, was used for lots of things.

Been there with a lantern many a morning also Bird. Used to really love getting struck on the side of the face with a cow tail full of cuckle burrs. Now that will bring you to the fully awake stage in a split second. :laughing:

 

[Egon]

Been there with a lantern many a morning also Bird. Used to really love getting struck on the side of the face with a cow tail full of cuckle burrs. Now that will bring you to the fully awake stage in a split second. :laughing:

Chuckle burrs?? We had a different name for it!

 

[JerryK]

One of my first memories of my Grandmother is when my older brother stuck a pitchfork thru his foot. Once she saw what happened, she poured some coal oil into an old white wash basin and stuck his foot into it....

 

[Bird]

Been there with a lantern many a morning also Bird. Used to really love getting struck on the side of the face with a cow tail full of cuckle burrs. Now that will bring you to the fully awake stage in a split second. :laughing:

Yeah, the only thing worse was when the old cow stepped on your foot. Which was worse? When she stepped on your foot and just stood there and wouldn't get off, or when she stepped on the side of your foot and slid off?:laughing:

 

[vtsnowedin]

We had elecktricity in the barn when I was a youngster but the gutter cleaner was me with a shovel. I remember calves kicking me in the forehead as I milked their mother before they were born.
One Ayrshire heifer with a really large and sore udder and very short teats managed to kick me off my stool and twice more before I got out of range. I learned the only way to milk her safely was to let her calf work the bejesus out of one side of her while I milked the other side . She couldn't figure out which side to kick at without hurting her calf.