Whale oil, also referred to as train oil, is oil produced from whales. It was a major food of the aboriginal peoples of the Pacific northwest, such as the Nootka but it was also used for many purposes.
* The first principal use of whale oil was as an illuminant in lamps.
* Whale oil was also used as candle wax.
* It was used for producing soap.
* Whale oil later came to be used in oiling wools for combing and other uses.
* It was used to make margarine.
* It was the basis of very effective protective paint for steel.
* Whale oil also had many uses in battle as a weapon, it was used by various military forces all throughout the 1700s and even into the 1800s.
As it has been noted above whale oil was the first of any animal or mineral oil to achieve commercial viability.
Source: Wikipedia