74. The Special Advantages of Mineral Oils as lubricants in horology are:
1. Mineral oils can be made entirely pure, and possess uniform and known properties when derived from the same or a similar source; while the quality of animal and vegetable oils varies from year to year, depending, in animal oils, on the season of the year when the crude oil is obtained, on the age and condition of the animal, and on the kind, quality and quantity of food which it had (5) recently consumed; and in vegetable oils on the season, soil, climate and method of treatment.
2. According to Thurston "All vegetable and animal oils are compounds of glycerine with fatty acids. When they become old, decomposition takes place and the acid is set free, by which action the oils become rancid. This rancid oil or acid will attack and injure machinery. Again, all animal oils contain more or less gummy matter, which accumulates when exposed to the action of the atmosphere, and will, consequently, retard the motion of the machinery."
3. Spon, in his Encyclopedia of the Arts, gives his views to the effect that "The best oil is that which has the greatest adhesion to metallic surfaces and the least cohesion in its own particles. In this respect fine mineral oils stand first, sperm oil second, neatsfoot oil third. Consequently the best mineral oils are the best for light bearings. The best oil to give body to fine mineral oils is sperm oil."
4. "Mineral oils do not absorb oxygen," and consequently do not "gum" or become viscous.—Thurston.
5. Mineral oils never become rancid in any climate, as they possess no fatty acids.
6. Mineral oils produce very little fluid friction.
7. Mineral oils withstand a high temperature without decomposition or vaporization, and a low temperature without solidification.
8. Properly prepared mineral oils are free from grit and all foreign substances.
9. In addition to the above, a minor property of mineral oil is that they are very cheap comparatively, while they do not possess any odor if properly refined.