3571. Oil Size for Gilding

3571.    Oil Size for Gilding. Grind calcined red ochre with the best and oldest drying oil, and mix with it a little oil of turpentine when used. When the work is to bo gilded, first give it a coat of parchment size; then apply the above size where requisite, either in patterns or letters, and let it remain, till, by touching it with the finger, it feels just sticky; then apply the gold leaf, and dab it on with a piece of cotton; in about an hour wash off the superfluous gold with sponge and water, and when dry, varnish it with copal varnish.

3572. Water Size

3572.      Water Size. Water size (for burnished gilding) is parchment size ground with yellow ochre.

3573. To Prevent the Adhesion of Gold Leaf

3573.      To Prevent the Adhesion of Gold Leaf. Painters and decorators will find the following plan a good one to simplify a most troublesome part of their work: A small piece of ball liquorice, dissolved in water, applied with a flat camel's-hair brush to the place intended to be left ungilt, will prevent the leaf adhering. The solution must be weak. Made thick and gummy, it is very useful to protect ornamental parts of work that is to bo repainted.

3574. To Gild the Edges of Books and Paper

3574.    To Gild the Edges of Books and Paper. The gold applied to the edges of books, etc., is in the same state as for various ornamental purposes, namely, an extremely thin leaf. Before the case or cover of the book is quite finished, the volume is struck forcibly against the back, so as to make the fore-edge flat instead of concave. It is then placed in a press, with the exposed edge uppermost. The edge is scraped smooth with a piece of steel, and is coated with a mixture of red chalk and water. The gold is blown out from small books, and spread on a leather cushion, where it is cut to the proper size by a smooth-edged knife. A camel's-hair pencil is dipped into white of egg mixed with water, and with this the partially dry edge of the book is moistened ; the gold is then taken up on a tip brush, and applied to the moistened edge, to which it instantly adheres. When all the three edges have been gilt in this way, and allowed to remain a very few minutes, take a burnisher formed of a very smooth piece of hard stone (usually bloodstone), and rub the gold very forcibly, which gives the gold a high degree of polish.

3575. Gilding on Glass

3575.    Gilding on Glass. Mix powdered gold (see No. 2517 (To Pulverize Gold and Silver Leaf)) with thick gum-arabic and powdered borax. "With this trace the design on the glass, and then bake it in a hot oven. Thus the gum is burnt, and the borax is vitrified, at the same time the gold is fixed on the glass.

Monograms and names may thus be gilded on glass or china.

3576. To Gild with Dutch Metal

3576.     To Gild with Dutch Metal. The imitation of gold or silver leaf known as Dutch metal is much used for common purposes. The article to be gilded is prepared with a coating of oil size, on which the metal is laid. The sizing is not allowed to dry quite so long as for gold or silver leaf; the metal being laid on as soon as the size has set sufficiently not to smear. Metal is not handled with a gilding cushion and tip; but the books, with the metal in them, are cut into pieces of the requisite shape, with a pair of shears or scissors, and the metal leaf laid on the sizing direct from the portions of the book; after which it is pressed close by means of a roller covered with flannel, and finally brushed over the same as gold leaf, being careful to brush with and not against the overlap. White Dutch metal, nicely managed, and flowed over with shellac spirit varnish (colored with gamboge), makes a very good, cheap, and durable substitute for gold leaf.