Alkali Refined Linseed Oil, commonly called "ARLO" for short, has been a classic ingredient in inks for centuries. Extracted from the seed of the flax plant, this oil is filtered and then "washed" with alkaline water to remove acid impurities. The resulting product is a golden, rich & sweet-smelling oil that is composed primarily of linolenic acid. It is the presence of linolenic acid with its ability to polymerize readily in the presence of metallic driers such as cobalt or manganese that is of great value to inkmakers.

When ARLO is combined with a metallic drier and exposed to oxygen in the air it will start to "oxidize", and a tough, flexible "skin" will start to form where the ARLO is exposed to the air. Since ARLO is prone to oxidation, care must be taken when handling ARLO, because items such as rags soaked with ARLO can auto-oxidize and catch on fire!

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ARLO has 100% bio/renewables content.

Although ARLO readily dries and is considered a "drying oil", it does not form a "skin" nearly as readily as Tung (Chinawood) Oil. ARLO can be used for a great many things. No lithographic inkmaker should be without a drum of ARLO on the premises. ARLO can be used for reducing tack and viscosity, increasing flow of overly "short" inks, and to enhance the film integrity of inks that contain metallic driers that can react with ARLO. ARLO is 100% bio-based and is a renewable resource.