Dating back to the days of
the pharaohs, 5000 years ago, men have hammered strips of gold into thin sheets
of gold leaf in a manufacturing process known as gold beating. While the tools
have changed through the centuries, the basic process remains the same. In the
days of the ancient Egyptians, gold beaters used stones. Later metal hammers
with convex heads were introduced.
In ancient times, the Romans beat gold to the width and length of four fingers. This dimension is very close to the dimensions of gold leaf sheets produced today, which is 3-3/8″ × 3-3/8″ (8.6 cm × 8.6 cm).
the pharaohs, 5000 years ago, men have hammered strips of gold into thin sheets
of gold leaf in a manufacturing process known as gold beating. While the tools
have changed through the centuries, the basic process remains the same. In the
days of the ancient Egyptians, gold beaters used stones. Later metal hammers
with convex heads were introduced.
In ancient times, the Romans beat gold to the width and length of four fingers. This dimension is very close to the dimensions of gold leaf sheets produced today, which is 3-3/8″ × 3-3/8″ (8.6 cm × 8.6 cm).
Types of Gold Leaf
Gold leaf is a
very thin sheet of real gold, hundreds of times thinner than a sheet of paper.
The gold used to make gold leaf is mixed with other metals, either to change
some of its physical properties or to alter its colors. 24 karat gold leaf is
about 99.9% pure gold. The remaining .1% is typically silver and copper. (A
karat is the unit of measure used to describe the purity of the gold. One karat
equals 1/24 of the gold content.)
very thin sheet of real gold, hundreds of times thinner than a sheet of paper.
The gold used to make gold leaf is mixed with other metals, either to change
some of its physical properties or to alter its colors. 24 karat gold leaf is
about 99.9% pure gold. The remaining .1% is typically silver and copper. (A
karat is the unit of measure used to describe the purity of the gold. One karat
equals 1/24 of the gold content.)
If you know any
experienced gilders you probably have heard them use terms such as moon gold,
lemon gold, and white gold. These are
very specific terms, describing specific colors of real gold leaf of different
karats. Moon gold is 22k, comprised of 92% gold. Lemon gold is 18k, or 75%
gold. White gold is generally 12k consisting of 50% gold and 50% silver. These are just some of the many different gold
leaf products available to gilders.
experienced gilders you probably have heard them use terms such as moon gold,
lemon gold, and white gold. These are
very specific terms, describing specific colors of real gold leaf of different
karats. Moon gold is 22k, comprised of 92% gold. Lemon gold is 18k, or 75%
gold. White gold is generally 12k consisting of 50% gold and 50% silver. These are just some of the many different gold
leaf products available to gilders.
Another gold leaf
term that you may have heard is glass gold. This type of high quality gold leaf
product exhibits fewer surface imperfections and pinholes and is used for glass
gilding. Double gold leaf is a heavier product, being about 10% to 20% thicker
than standard gold leaf.
term that you may have heard is glass gold. This type of high quality gold leaf
product exhibits fewer surface imperfections and pinholes and is used for glass
gilding. Double gold leaf is a heavier product, being about 10% to 20% thicker
than standard gold leaf.
The Gold Beating Process
The gold beating process changed very little over thousands of years. Whether gold beating is done by hand or by machine, the sheet is formed using some type of hammer and anvil. In Europe, the anvil was traditionally a block of granite or marble. The Egyptians beat gold into thin sheets using stones. These stones were replaced with cast iron hammers. In some countries in the Far East gold beating is done with wooden mallets. In the modern shop, gold beating is mechanically done with a tilt hammer. Ox intestine and parchment have also been replaced by mylar.
During the Industrial Revolution, gold beating machines
were invented to mimic the gold beaters pattern of hammer strokes. As the machine pounds away the operator must rotate the packet. For some
manufacturers, however, the final steps in making gold leaf still require
beating by hand.
Whether gold beating is done by hand or by machine, the sheet is formed using some type of hammer and anvil. In Europe, the anvil was traditionally a block of granite or marble.
As craftsmen improved their
techniques of goldbeating, gold leaf became thinner and thinner. Today a sheet
of gold leaf is about .1 µ to
.5µ, which is 120 times thinner than the human hair. It is so thin that if you
could hold it up to a light it would appear transparent. Of course, if you held
real gold leaf in your hands, it would likely fall apart.
techniques of goldbeating, gold leaf became thinner and thinner. Today a sheet
of gold leaf is about .1 µ to
.5µ, which is 120 times thinner than the human hair. It is so thin that if you
could hold it up to a light it would appear transparent. Of course, if you held
real gold leaf in your hands, it would likely fall apart.
To achieve this thickness
requires multiple steps and great skill. To master this skill typically takes at least
ten years of apprenticeship. In the United States very few of these craftsmen still
remain today. It is literally a dying art.
To make gold leaf, a thin
bar of the malleable metal is rolled to a ribbon of metal about 25µ or
approximately 1 mil. This is the thickness of aluminum foil. The ribbon of gold
is cut into small squares about 1.3” x 1.3”. These squares of gold are placed
between sheets made of the intestinal membrane of an ox and beaten.
This gold
beating process again reduces the thickness of the gold and at the same time
increases the size of the sheet to a four inch square. This square sheet is cut
into four pieces and subsequently placed between sheets of parchment and
beaten again.
bar of the malleable metal is rolled to a ribbon of metal about 25µ or
approximately 1 mil. This is the thickness of aluminum foil. The ribbon of gold
is cut into small squares about 1.3” x 1.3”. These squares of gold are placed
between sheets made of the intestinal membrane of an ox and beaten.
This gold
beating process again reduces the thickness of the gold and at the same time
increases the size of the sheet to a four inch square. This square sheet is cut
into four pieces and subsequently placed between sheets of parchment and
beaten again.
As a gold beater hammers the
cutch, which is the packet that holds the sheets of gold, his hammer strokes
follow a very precise pattern. In hammering the packet of gold, the gold beater
also rotates it. This process ensures that the gold is stretched equally in
every direction, also ensuring that the gold leaf is a uniform thickness.
cutch, which is the packet that holds the sheets of gold, his hammer strokes
follow a very precise pattern. In hammering the packet of gold, the gold beater
also rotates it. This process ensures that the gold is stretched equally in
every direction, also ensuring that the gold leaf is a uniform thickness.
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Gold leaf comes in books of 25 sheets. Thin backing paper separates
one loose leaf from another. Pictured here is patent leaf, which is gold leaf material that is stuck to the backing paper. |
Gold leaf comes in
two forms: loose gold leaf and patent gold leaf. Loose leaf means that the gold
leaf is interleaved between very thin sheets of rouged tissue paper. This
rouged paper has been dusted with ferrous oxide dust, which prevents the leaf
from sticking to it. To transfer the gold leaf, the gilder uses a gilder’s tip
brush.
two forms: loose gold leaf and patent gold leaf. Loose leaf means that the gold
leaf is interleaved between very thin sheets of rouged tissue paper. This
rouged paper has been dusted with ferrous oxide dust, which prevents the leaf
from sticking to it. To transfer the gold leaf, the gilder uses a gilder’s tip
brush.
Patent leaf has
been pressed onto one side of the tissue paper that separates the individual
leaves of gold. With the gold being lightly adhered to the paper, the gilder
can easily transfer the gold leaf to the sized application surface. The gold usually stays stuck to the sheet
unless the paper dries out. Too much moisture in the paper is also a problem.
High humidity can increase the bond the gold to the paper, making transfer
difficult. To prevent these problems, some gilders store their books of patent
leaf in a plastic container in their refrigerator.
been pressed onto one side of the tissue paper that separates the individual
leaves of gold. With the gold being lightly adhered to the paper, the gilder
can easily transfer the gold leaf to the sized application surface. The gold usually stays stuck to the sheet
unless the paper dries out. Too much moisture in the paper is also a problem.
High humidity can increase the bond the gold to the paper, making transfer
difficult. To prevent these problems, some gilders store their books of patent
leaf in a plastic container in their refrigerator.
About Gold Leaf
and Metal Leaf. Gold leaf is available at some sign supply distributors. A book
of gold leaf contains 25 leaves, each of which is 3-3/8” x 3-3/8”. Each book contains enough gold leaf for you
to gild approximately two square feet.
Separating the leaves of loose gold leaf are sheets of tissue
paper. Patent leaf is gold leaf, which
is bonded to the tissue paper.
and Metal Leaf. Gold leaf is available at some sign supply distributors. A book
of gold leaf contains 25 leaves, each of which is 3-3/8” x 3-3/8”. Each book contains enough gold leaf for you
to gild approximately two square feet.
Separating the leaves of loose gold leaf are sheets of tissue
paper. Patent leaf is gold leaf, which
is bonded to the tissue paper.
“Patent leaf is
easy for the beginner to use,” says Joe Balabusczko, who, for much of his
career as a sign painter in Chicago, specialized in gilding. “Patent leaf is no
substitute for loose leaf.” Balabusczko explains that you can work much faster
with loose leaf. What’s more, you can only use loose leaf for glass gilding and
traditional water gilding applications. Experienced gilders also believe that
you can achieve a more brilliant gild with loose leaf. The reason that patent
leaf does not produce as glossy of a finish is that the surface of the gold
picks up the impression of the paper. Nevertheless, if you haven’t worked with
gold leaf before and you are working in a flat, smooth substrate, patent leaf
is much easier for the newbie to work with than loose leaf.
easy for the beginner to use,” says Joe Balabusczko, who, for much of his
career as a sign painter in Chicago, specialized in gilding. “Patent leaf is no
substitute for loose leaf.” Balabusczko explains that you can work much faster
with loose leaf. What’s more, you can only use loose leaf for glass gilding and
traditional water gilding applications. Experienced gilders also believe that
you can achieve a more brilliant gild with loose leaf. The reason that patent
leaf does not produce as glossy of a finish is that the surface of the gold
picks up the impression of the paper. Nevertheless, if you haven’t worked with
gold leaf before and you are working in a flat, smooth substrate, patent leaf
is much easier for the newbie to work with than loose leaf.
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|
Goldleaf photo
attribution. By Juangonzalez64 at English Wikipedia (Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons.) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. Juangonzalez64 grants anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions. |
At the beginning of the 20th
century, most of the gold leaf was used to in the sign industry to gild glass
windows and doors and to surface gild a variety of letters. Today, very little
gold leaf is used for signage and has been replaced by vinyl graphics. Most of
the gold leaf sold today is used to decorate
picture frames, statues, domes of buildings and artwork.
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Glass gold is a high quality gold leaf product, which exhibits fewer surface imperfections and pinholes. Double gold leaf is a heavier product, being about 10% to 20% thicker than standard gold leaf.
All that Glitters |
Of course, all
that glitters is not gold. Real gold leaf is not to be confused with imitation
gold leaf, which is called Dutch Gold, Schlagmetal or composition leaf. While
imitation Dutch gold looks like the real thing, it is instead brass, comprised
of 85% copper and 15% zinc. The shortcoming of this metal leaf is that it
discolors.
that glitters is not gold. Real gold leaf is not to be confused with imitation
gold leaf, which is called Dutch Gold, Schlagmetal or composition leaf. While
imitation Dutch gold looks like the real thing, it is instead brass, comprised
of 85% copper and 15% zinc. The shortcoming of this metal leaf is that it
discolors.
About Jim Hingst: Sign business authority on vehicle wraps, vinyl graphics, screen printing, marketing, sales, gold leaf, woodcarving and painting.
After fourteen years as Business Development Manager at RTape, Jim Hingst retired. He was involved in many facets of the company’s business, including marketing, sales, product development and technical service.
Hingst began his career 42 years ago in the graphic arts field creating and producing advertising and promotional materials for a large test equipment manufacturer. Working for offset printers, large format screen printers, vinyl film manufacturers, and application tape companies, his experience included estimating, production planning, purchasing and production art, as well as sales and marketing. In his capacity as a salesman, Hingst was recognized with numerous sales achievement awards.
Drawing on his experience in production and as graphics installation subcontractor, Hingst provided the industry with practical advice, publishing more than 190 articles for publications, such as Signs Canada, SignCraft, Signs of the Times, Screen Printing, Sign and Digital Graphics and Sign Builder Illustrated. He also posted more than 500 stories on his blog (hingstssignpost.blogspot.com). In 2007 Hingst’s book, Vinyl Sign Techniques, was published. Vinyl Sign Techniques is available at sign supply distributors and at Amazon.
© 2019 Jim Hingst, All Rights Reserved.