# Where can I buy lamp oil?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-lamp-oil/209241
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [October 24, 2003, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-lamp-oil/209241 "2003-10-24T02:50:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2003, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-lamp-oil/209241/1 "2003-10-24T02:50:46Z")
It seems no one sells oil for lamps. Anyone know a source in the U. S. other than mail or online order? Thanks.
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### Author:  [@Turbo\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turbo_Dog)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2003, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-lamp-oil/209241/2 "2003-10-24T03:12:08Z")
Kmart, Walmart, many grocery stores.
Where do you live that they don’t sell lamp oil??
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### Author:  [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2003, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-lamp-oil/209241/3 "2003-10-24T03:18:26Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Turbo Dog \*
> \*\*Kmart, Walmart, many grocery stores.
>
> Where do you live that they don’t sell lamp oil?? \*\*
This is for a guy who lives in L. A. He said he tried Target and hardware stores like Osh and Home Despot, I mean, Depot. 🙂
Anyway, thanks, and I’ll pass this along. I don’t have oil lamps, but they look cool.
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### Author:  [@Turbo\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turbo_Dog)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2003, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-lamp-oil/209241/4 "2003-10-24T03:26:14Z")
L.A.?? He can’t find lamp oil in L.A.???
When I was there I bought oil in Stater Bros., Vons, convenience stores, and everywhere but the corner crip. He must live in a REALLY depressed area of L.A. that I’m not familiar with, but I will say that I don’t think I’ve ever seen it in Osh or HD, but I never really looked either. If I’m in HD, the last thing on my mind is lamp oil.
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### Author:  [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2003, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-lamp-oil/209241/5 "2003-10-24T04:53:47Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Violet \*
> \*\*It seems no one sells oil for lamps. Anyone know a source in the U. S. other than mail or online order? Thanks. \*\*
When I was young we used kerosene. That’s probably why we called them kerosene lamps, or lanterns as the case may be.
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### Author:  [@suezeekay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suezeekay)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2003, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-lamp-oil/209241/6 "2003-10-24T06:08:21Z")
I buy mine at Wal-Marts; then again, I live in Maine. I know they try to maximize their shelf space for products that sell so it’s very possible they don’t have it in L.A. But, I would try it.
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### Author:  [@SlickRoenick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlickRoenick)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2003, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-lamp-oil/209241/7 "2003-10-24T06:20:30Z")
Ace Hardware
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### Author:  [@Belrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belrix)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2003, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-lamp-oil/209241/8 "2003-10-24T15:55:49Z")
Sigh - repeating an eaten post…
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### Author:  [@Belrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belrix)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2003, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-lamp-oil/209241/9 "2003-10-24T15:59:09Z")
That was fun…
Anyway… the “Lampwick Farms” stuff is nice - I think it’s a form of liquid paraffin rather than an oil and it smokes less than true oil or kerosene.
I got a big bottle from Wal-Mart. Candle shops sell it, too.