Some Questions About BLO

[Bob K.]

After talking with many of you on this forum I've found that, like myself, many of you use BLO on your wood carvings. What I've realized is that it is used in various ways...some of you use it before painting with acrylics (like I do) and some use it after painting. My questions are: 1) what is your reason for using BLO; 2) why do you use it when you do; and 3) what is the difference between using it before or after painting? I'm always looking for a better way to finish my carvings and I'm confused.

[uvawyo]

1. I use it cause it was suggested on the forum and because I like the color it imparts on faces better than any flesh paint I have used
2. I use it after painting cause when i was still using flesh paint and put blo on before painting it really messed up the looks of things - the flesh over blo I think that answered #3
Actually lately I have been using a butchers block wax plus a little brown shoe polish if needed instead of blo the butchers wax has a pure (not toxic) linseed oil in it

[carlt]

I like it, mainly because it has been a standby of mine for finishing gunstocks years ago. I also don't really like painting, so a lot of my carvings are left natural, except for dipping in BLO. I am going to experiment with different waxes as a final application after the BLO. Watch out for fire risks with leftover rags or paper towel,

Merry Christmas
Carl

[JoeVM]

Bob, I use it after painting and found that it brightens the colors. I tried it before painting and I didn't like it as well -- but that's just me.

[sappy]

I buy BLO by the gallons, living in an old house with oil preserved floors. Used to use it for oil paintings also. Linseed oil imparts a polymerization when applied over paints which gives a tough finish that is reversible, meaning removable if the need be. Linseed oil also allows the paint or wood under it to "breath", unlike some other finishes. While I am just learning about other oils and especially want to use Tung oil to see the results the linseed oil will never be put very far away at our house.

[rkentmoore]

I used BLO in the past as a medium in oil painting my carvings and for antiquing.It worked well,until I went back and looked at some caricature carvings from 10 or more years ago that I had in storage.They had all darkened to an unpleasant(to me) hue.Now that I have reentered the carving scene I still paint with oils,but am now using Minwax stain(neutral).On occasion I will use walnut oil,however it is expensive,but does not alter the color.

[rkentmoore]

One thing I omitted.The master carver Fred Zavadil has a great tuturial on his website on finishing basswood carvings.If you havn't seen his his carvings you need to check out his website.Just google his name and it will take you.

[Mottles]

Bob, I like BLO on Basswood-- I like the way it brings out the grain and gives the wood a golden color. For other woods I like Deft Neutral Oil.

I will also use BLO on a relief carving before I use Artists oil paints on the relief. The reason being that it causes the oil paint to slide right over the wood nicly.

[Cottonwood]

I use BLO after painting with diluted acrylics. It fires up the color and eliminates the chaulky look of the diluted acrylics.