Blue Putty??

dancec

Grumbler
Joined
Jun 8, 2024
Posts
15
Loc
Detroit, MI
Business
Freelance
Help!
I am having a heck of a time finding blue/navy corner putty, or any color (that isn't neutral) for that matter.
My workplace sells SO MANY COLORED FRAMES, but does not allow us to purchase colored wax, for whatever reason. With no decent way to fill the corners, I keep having to do reorder after reorder. I was just going to get it myself and keep it in my personal collection, but I'm having a tough time even tracking it down.
Any suggestions?
 
Last edited:
Are you allowed to use Prismacolors, or pigmented pens?
If so, and if your corner joins are tight, you could run one along the place where wood
meets finish, just before joining.
 
Help!
I am having a heck of a time finding blue/navy corner putty, or any color (that isn't neutral) for that matter.
My workplace sells SO MANY COLORED FRAMES, but does not allow us to purchase colored wax, for whatever reason. With no decent way to fill the corners, I keep having to do reorder after reorder. I was just going to get it myself and keep it in my personal collection, but I'm having a tough time even tracking it down.
Any suggestions?
I have dark blue Amaco putty that is fairly easy to blend with any other to make near exact colour matched filler.

It appears that they no longer produce as many colours as they used to.

I found this thread that may be useful :

I switched to buying joined frames a few years ago.
While they are almost always perfect corners, occasionaly some corners are filled with putty.
Very rarely, but once in a while I will use my putty to fill a minor gap that was missed by the joiner.

I am baffled why anyone would be ok with wasting materials , money and time reordering an entire frame when the cost of any kind of filler/touch up product costs pennies per frame. 🤷‍♂️
 
I am baffled why anyone would be ok with wasting materials , money and time reordering an entire frame when the cost of any kind of filler/touch up product costs pennies per frame. 🤷‍♂️
Guessing that OP works for a corporate shop, the bean counters have probably done the math and figured stocking low use items, and paying someone to doctor up a bad chop, which might otherwise be replaced at no additional cost, is on the bad side of the time/cost conundrum.
I know the desire to make the most of everything, and developing the skills to fix stuff, but what should be very low frequency issues shouldn't be the determining factor in business policies.
That said, if you own the business, you are free to sell your time as cheaply as you want.
Been there, done that. I have at least a dozen jars of filler putties in various shades of gold and silver. I used to buy stuff like that for myself for holiday gifts and birthdays.
 
Are you allowed to use Prismacolors, or pigmented pens?
If so, and if your corner joins are tight, you could run one along the place where wood
meets finish, just before joining.
I would love to be able to do this but unfortunately everything is cut and joined for us by the vendor. I've tried a few different mediums to the face with no luck since I can't get in the gap.
 
I have dark blue Amaco putty that is fairly easy to blend with any other to make near exact colour matched filler.

It appears that they no longer produce as many colours as they used to.

I found this thread that may be useful :

I switched to buying joined frames a few years ago.
While they are almost always perfect corners, occasionaly some corners are filled with putty.
Very rarely, but once in a while I will use my putty to fill a minor gap that was missed by the joiner.

I am baffled why anyone would be ok with wasting materials , money and time reordering an entire frame when the cost of any kind of filler/touch up product costs pennies per frame. 🤷‍♂️
That's what I'm saying, I can't believe how difficult it is to find. I previously worked for a gallery and we had every color imaginable in a putty. Granted the owner bought them from a retiring gentleman that was closing his shop YEARS ago.
I may try the CJ paste if I can talk my boss into letting me purchase it. He's been frustrated with the amount of reorders also so hopefully he'll go for it.
 
It's not surprising that the supply is diminishing.
When my shop started in 1973 (I bought it in late '78) a complete selection of color putties were purchased.
I think it was 2-3 years ago that the most frequently used color, black, had to be replaced. So, in 45 years of owning the business I have had to replace one tin.
Other color tins barely have the surface scratched, and a friend closing her shop gave me her collection, which is kinda cool since the colors from the older ones don't match the newer ones.
I now have tins marked "New Yellow" and "Old Yellow", etc...
That said, with the use of better equipment and better joining technologies, the collection I have might be good for several lifetimes.
 
As I said, I rarely use the putties anymore, but I did have to buy a new tin of gray a few years ago and found it was much darker than the previous gray, which was useful in mixing.
:cool: Rick
 
When I had a bright aqua color that I needed and couldn't mix it to the shade I needed with the old tins of putty, I got a pack of modeling clay in an array of colors that are easily formed and mixed well . Just like the putty, they don't dry up and the colors are brighter than old traditional putties. I still have the putties from 40 plus years ago too! All should last another 40 years! The clay I bought at the local craft store for about $8.00, was well worth it.
 

Attachments

  • 20241112_103114.webp
    20241112_103114.webp
    127.8 KB · Views: 6
I recently signed up with a new (to me) distributor.
They sent some CJ Paste sample tubes.
While I don't need to do filling very often any longer, it's nice to try different products.
I'm looking forward to trying them out.
They don't come in bright colours but I wonder if there is a way to mix in dye or ink?
 
Back
Top