Greasing the wheels of money making at the Mints 0

[RWB]

Here's an acknowledgement of contract award for various lubricants used at the Philadelphia Mint. The other mints had similar needs.

Lard was used to lubricate gold and silver ingots as they passed through the rolls and drawbench. Sperm whale oil was used on fine machine parts such as lathes and cutting tools, and electric motors. Cosmolubric No. 2 was a fire resistant hydraulic fluid used in engines and small hydraulic precipitate presses. This latter oil would become very important once the new large hydraulic medal press was put in operation in late 1893.

Edited May 26, 2020 by RWB

[Just Bob]

Houghton is still in business, and still manufacturing detergents, lubricants, and fluids, including Cosmolubric. (The latest is Cosmolubric B-230). Their very first product, Cosmoline, is still being used as a rust preventative today.