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Once you have a few block prints under your belt, you might be interested in upgrading your tools and supplies to higher-quality versions. I’ve made the transition from beginner to professional linocut supplies, and have been mostly working with the higher-end supplies and tools ever since. In this blog post, I’ll share my opinion on the best linocut tools and supplies with you.
Now one caveat before I go further. You don’t actually need any of these higher quality supplies to be able to create, and even sell, great linocut prints. But I do find I have more control over the final product with most of them. So let’s get into the supplies.
Watch me share my professional linocut supplies in a video on my YouTube channel.
Items to carve your block

Lino block
When I’m aiming for a higher-quality carving, I reach for one of two different types of lino blocks, depending on what I’m planning to print onto.
- Soft lino blocks. When I’m printing onto fabric, I choose a soft lino block. I highly recommend Nasco softkut block printing material. It’s a softer rubbery material that’s easy to carve yet allows for fairly fine details to be carved. It is also a stronger material that holds up to many printings and cleanings. This type of lino block can be challenging to find in stores. Make sure that you are buying the ¼” version. They have a thinner version that is made of a different material.
- Traditional lino blocks. These are tougher to carve, but hold detail really well. It also stands up excellently to many print and cleaning sessions. I use this material when I’m printing onto paper. Just know that the warmer the room is, the easier it’ll be to carve. The Speedball linoleum is pretty common in art supply shops, and fairly inexpensive.
Carving tools
When I upgraded to better quality carving tools, it really improved my experience carving linocuts. There are many different options available, and generally you can purchase them separately, so you can build the tool kit that suits you. Another major advantage of the tools is you can sharpen higher end tools, so you won’t need to have replacement blades ready.
I have invested in a combination of Pfeil and Flexcut tools. I started with a set of Pfeil tools that included a mix of blades that I expected would cover most of my needs. I later added a set of Flexcut micro palm tools so that I had more options to carve fine details, plus another Pfeil tool for carving away large areas.
I have chosen tools that have their own handles built-in. Flexcut offers some tools where you have one handle and swap out the blade, but I prefer to just be able to set down one tool and pick up the other without having to stop to change my blade.
Sharpening block
Once you upgrade your tools, you’ll need a honing or sharpening block so that you can keep them in good condition. I use the Flexcut slipstrop which works to hone a wide variety of blade shapes.
Bench hook
I highly recommend buying a bench hook. It allows you to keep yourself safe while making it easier to carve at the same time. They are pretty easy to make yourself. I don’t have the tools for that sort of project, so I eventually found a wooden bench hook that would work well and was sturdy. Whether you’re making or buying one, make sure it has a side bar, so you can brace your lino block against the corner.
Learn more about lino safety in my blog post on how to stay safe while lino printing.
Items to print your block

So you’ve carved your block and now you’re excited to see how it prints. This stage always feels so magical.
Ink
When I moved more into the professional realm of linocuts, I stopped using water-based inks and started using oil-based ink. I found that the water-based ink printed okay, but oil inks generally provide better coverage and depth of colour.
I decided to go with Caligo Safe Wash Relief Ink. It has a major advantage that it is washable with soap and water, so I get the benefits of oil inks yet the ease of cleaning from a water-based ink. When you make the switch, just be aware that oil inks take quite a while to dry. Days compared to hours or even minutes with a water-based ink.
Paper
For prints that I’m selling, I use BFK Rives paper, or occasionally Arnhem 1618 paper. I purchase both in large 22” x 30” sheets and cut it down to the sizes I use. BFK Rives is excellent quality, which you might expect from a printmaker paper from Arches. Arnhem is made by Speedball, and is a bit more affordable, yet still great quality.
Brayer
I haven’t made much effort to upgrade my brayers because I’ve been pretty happy with the Speedball soft brayers. I have one other brayer, but it doesn’t have a name on it so I don’t know the brand. I purchased it at Intaglio Printmaker when I dropped into their store while visiting London a few years ago. They call this brayer a Japanese Soft Rubber Roller.
I personally prefer soft brayers, because they seem to apply the ink more evenly. When I’ve tried hard brayers, I’ve always had issues with low spots that don’t pick up ink right out of the box.
Baren
I love my glass baren! It’s a really nice weight, and the handle fits well in my hand, so it’s easier to apply my own weight into the baren, allowing for better ink transfer. It’s also easy to clean. I’ve had problems with ink sticking to the cheaper plastic barens that I could never clean and would transfer to the paper I’m trying to print onto. I’ve never had that issue with the glass baren.
It’s also absolutely beautiful. Admittedly, they are pricey, so not necessarily a must but a glass baren has made the printing process easier and more consistent.
I purchased mine from Iron Frog Press.
Press
If you’re really aiming for a professional setup, having an at-home printing press is useful when you do larger print runs. Using a baren to print by hand can be tiring when you’re doing several different prints in one day, or large numbers of a single print. A printing press is very expensive. They can run you from nearly $1000 Canadian to a few thousand. I was fortunate to find one used in my city, which was in perfect condition.
It’s really helped me speed up the printing process, as someone who works full-time and manages a printmaking business and blog on the side. Don’t expect it to spit out prints quickly. You’re still printing by hand, but I have far more successful prints and fewer that I need to scrap.My press is a Richeson Baby Press. It’s a small but excellent quality press that covers my needs.