Klever Ballistol

How BALLISTOL came into existence
In 1874 Friedrich Wilhelm Klever, a lawyer interested in the field of economy, founded the F.W. Klever Chemical Plant in Cologne, Germany. He began producing oils and fats on the basis of coal. To be independent of the delivery of raw materials, he bought a coal mine.Around the turn of the 20th century the imperial army was in need of a universal oil, which was not only suitable for maintaining the metal parts of guns but also for the upkeep and preservation of wooden stocks and leather gear. Simultaneously, it had to serve the soldiers as a wound oil for minor injuries, lacerations and bruises.

It was Dr. Helmut Klever, then lecturer for chemistry at the Technical University of Karlsruhe and the son of the founder of the Chemical Plant, who succeeded in finding the formula for a special oil. He coined the name BALLISTOL by combining the technical term ballistics and the Latin word for oil oleum. Only after a short while BALLISTOL managed to establish itself as a "wonder oil" due to its incredible, often miraculous qualities. It was used by the German Army from 1905 to 1945. The brand name BALLISTOL survived all the historical turbulences of our century and became a standing expression, a technical term, for hunters, shooters, anglers and many more. It is not exaggerated to claim that BALLISTOL has become a synonym for quality and versatility.