Posted by Larry White on November 13, 2003
In following a thread written on this bulletin board some time ago, I came in contact with Sarah King. She was a customer of Esoteric Sign Supply and bought Angel Gilding components from Rick Glawson. She suddenly found herself needing another source of supply. Evidently, between her knowledge with the help of her husband, who has a background in chemistry, recreated one of the formulas (1930's flavor) outlined in Robare Novou's book and successfully created a working Angel Gilding formula. She was glad I contacted her in that she wanted someone else to give it a try. She sent me some sample product and I wasted about 15-20 seconds in breaking open the box and giving it a try. I am happy to report that it worked quite well on my first attempt. I gilded some flat glass and some glue chipped glass. The resulting gild was very close in color to 23K water gild. I could Angel gild this sample of glue chipped glass from start to finish in about an hour. To leaf it, it would take a day and a half. The Angel gild is a fraction of the cost of leafing over glue chip (especially if you're doing 2 water gilds then a surface gild. If you're interested, contact Sarah King of Stainned Glass Ltd. at (708) 383-3340
...on to the next thing... -LW
Robare M. Novou
Larry WhiteLarry, did you back up what you show in your post with silver?
I sometimes think that Solution Gilding works best on Chipped glass as opposed to regular flat glass.
RMN
Robare M. NovouYes, I backed it up with silver, then backed it all up with asphaltum varnish. Chipped glass definately masks any defects in the gild and it seem to like to deposit to the raw uncontaminated chipped glass. It didn't want to seem to deposit all the way up to the edge of the glass. Even though, I was pretty impressed with how Sarah's solutions worked. I guess I was more prepared for failure than success on my first attempt. I'm a bit more maticulious, organized and patient than when I tried it in the past. Sarah seems to think she might be able to improve the product too. Wouldn't that be nice if it developed into a process as reliable as silvering. We could do some hecka nice letterheads pieces at the meets!
Robin SharrardLarry, so many variables in this process, so many formulas, sahra and I are still testing different formulas, chemicals, dilution ratios and proportions. We have a lot of material to cover.
We have just scratched the surface.
We are very close to a much better product.
Ricks version was very good, he set the bar, just wish he would have written it down in detail.
RMN
Robare M. NovouThanks Larry! Contacted Sarah this afternoon and she is putting a kit together to send out to me next week.
Wow Larry, Nice Piece! When Sarah told me that she had made and applied gold chloride according to the book, I made a trip down to see her and her husband. She indeed was gilding by solution, the very solution she made, she even gave me a sample to take back with me and try out...I have to get some fresh tin solution and give it a try.
So far of all the books Ive sold, only sarah has ventured forth and not only produced it, but upgraded the way its made, to a safer process.
Its great to see that this technique has not passed away, keep up the good work sarah!!!
And yes, she does plan on selling it in kit form to those of you who do not want to make it on your own, so get your orders ready!!
RMN
Denver Chapter of the Letterheads