A couple of questions to all you dough nuts.

Normally, I avoid oil -- sprayed or brushed -- because I have this belief from somewhere that surface oil softens crust.  That said, I'm also riddled with self-doubt because if Peter Reinhart abuses spray oil, it's gotta be a good thing, right?

Well, a couple of specific questions about use of oil.

1.  Do you oil your primary fermentation bowl?  ...to make it easier to get the first rise onto the counter for pre-shaping?

2.  Those of you that line your proofing shapes with cloth -- canvas, linen, dish towels -- do you oil the cloth, or flour it after oiling it?  I have several linen dish towels that I use to line my proofing bowls, and I rub rice flour into them.  Works great, but I get rice flour everywhere!  It struck me to try misting the cloths with oil before spreading flour/rice flour on them.  Thoughts?

Thanks, as always, for advice or new ideas.

--Grrr.

I'd like to have perfect buns, but I prefer loafing.