"XX Deep Swift Gold Leaf GLASS 23K" Is this intended only for glass? Is this type OK for using on wood signs? Thanks
Posted by Susan Banasky (Member # 1164) on :
My 'Gold leaf Techniques' book by Kent Smith reads... 'XX Gold (23 Karat) Also known as 'deep' gold. This is the most important variety of gold leaf: it is the principal typed used for glass gilding, and almost the only type used on signboards, trucks and general surface gilding....' (Sorry this was typed without permission...I hope that was okay Kent) I hope that helps.
Posted by Dave Sherby (Member # 698) on :
If it's gold intended for glass, it's probably loose leaf. You can transfer loose leaf to wax paper lay a tissue from patent leaf and and roll it down with a brayer to make it like patent leaf. Just like patent, you'll loose a little brilliance, but if it's a good deal I'd go for it.
Posted by John Arnott (Member # 215) on :
Swift xx glass gold is not great for glass! It's good for surface guilding. That stuff is too cheap for glass work, it breaks up too much when trying to lay it with a guilders tip. That was my first mistake when learning to guild glass.
Posted by Ron Percell (Member # 399) on :
Yes it's OK for wood and glass.
Johns also correct in say ing it can be difficult when using a gilders tip.
Try to have your surface painted imatation gold, this makes a good base to apply your gold size, if you have any cracks in your gild, the gold paint will help hide the flaws.
Good Luck, Ron
CLEAR COATING SIDETRACK: If the project is installed under 8' you'll need to clear coat it, in order to protect it from being contaminated and tarnishing.
I prefer either a traditional Spar Varnish in 2 coats one day apart, or 1 coat of Polyurethane 24hrs after the gild to let the Gold Size Close, then followed by 2 additional coats 8 hours between to allow for curing between a total of 3 coats.
For a long time folks have been saying that 2 coats of polyurethane are adequate, but I've seen 2 coats fail where as 3 succeed, and protect brass leaf well for years.
Remember, after all the clearcoating is finished, there should be a high gloss coat.
Posted by Wayne Webb (Member # 1124) on :
Thanks guys. Is $20/book for patent and $22/book for glass xx a good price? It's all 23k "Swift" brand.
Posted by Joe Cieslowski (Member # 2429) on :
I'd buy it in a heartbeat at that price!!!!
Where are you getting it?
joe,
Makin chips and Havin Fun!
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
That was a decent price price by the book several years ago. By the pack, I could get it about four dollars cheaper back then. My cost on Gold has just about doubled in the last year, not so much due to the rising cost of Gold but to the sinking dollar. I'm with Joe, it's a good deal.
Posted by stein Saether (Member # 430) on :
If gold is to thick its harder to get a perfect mirror finnish when gelatin reversese side mirrorring glass gilding. Edges of gold is more visible with thicker gold.
But thin gold breaks easily, lotsa patching makes mirror cloudy and foggy.
When watergilding i use no tip or brush whatsoever, I just let the edge of the gold touch the water, then let it fall with a direction.
Todays gold isnt handhammered, its made in a hammering machine, seems to me flakes isnt as good hammered together as they was, and therefor leaves breaks more easily.
So I use doublegold for watergilding too, just got to work it harder to avoid the egdelines.
Price of gold can be considerably lowered buy buying in very large quantities.
[ May 29, 2008, 07:57 PM: Message edited by: stein Saether ]
Posted by Kent Smith (Member # 251) on :
I was never much a fan of Swift as it tended to be more brittle than Hastings. Dad always reserved Hastings for glass and Swift for surface or matte centers. It was and still is better than many of the lesser brands being made today. Glass gold is selected as the better leaf with fewer pinholes and blemishes from the cutch. It is intended to be used on glass because it requires less patching. Surface loose leaf is what is left after the glass gold is selected but both can be certainly used for surface gilding.
Susan...quotes with credit are always appreciated and thanks for the plug.
Under $30 a book is a real bargain in today's economy. I always buy in packs or multiple packs to ensure good color matching and as a hedge against rising prices. However when I run out, it can be a shock to buy in an up market.
While most leaf is rolled in a mill and initially beaten by a hammering machine, all gold is finished by hand beating and hand selecting. While rumors abound about total mechanized beating, no one in any country is actually doing the whole mechanized process. There basically is just not enough sales volume to justify that level of mechanization.
Choosing your gold by manufacturer based upon their alloy protocol could solve leaf breaking. Some manufacturers have upwards to 40 different alloy combinations, each with it's own color and malleability. The closer one can get to pure 24K without the greenish color, the less breakage you will have. It is true the more you pay, typically the better the gold. With better gold, the fewer patches you will have.
