how do I un-stick a tube of oil paint?

Question

haven't used them in a couple of years, tried scraping paint off tube edges with palette knife. if I can't open them - what is the best way to salvage the expensive paint in the tube???

Thanks!

Answer 1

' alia' made some good suggestions. You might have to slice it open and then be forced to use it up. That wouldn't be the worst case scenario! Here's another hint for all you artists using tube paint... save the little elastics from the lobster claws; they are perfect to wrap around the tube cap to help you open tubes of paint when they stick. But you should be painting more that once every two years. I'm a fine one to talk!

Answer 2

Leave in hot water (hot dish wash water heat) for an hour or so. This will 'active' the oil in the paint. Dip the cap in very hot water, just not boiling, and use some pliers to move the cap. It should come off very easy or leave it some longer in the hot water.

Bigger tubes, like white, you may want to repack. Open the bottom, rework the paint and put it back in the tube. Can be done but a lot of messy work.

Answer 3

I've used two pairs of pliers before...its a lot of elbow grease, but they all eventually came off. Just make sure you put one or the pairs on the "bend" of the tube-where the plastic seems to be thickest and most rigid. I have accidentally cut into a tube before by doing this and then I just squirted the paint from there, but kept it stored in a ziploc bag so it did not dry out. If you absolutely cannot get the top off, I would clip the end off the tube-then when you use a bit, you can roll it up to help keep it from drying as well as keeping it in a ziploc. Hope that helps!

Answer 4

You might want to try running them under hot water, or maybe dabbing some paint thinner on a towel or paper towel and rubbing the area with it.