Gold Leaf

[Rob Eberhard Young]

I was in a hobby store yesterday and just happened to walk by some gold leaf. I wondered whether anyone has ever tried using it in a channel inlay. I mean packing it in a channel, then using thin CA with capillary action to fill in around it, then "melt" it when turning like with any embossing material. If it will work it seems like that woulld look really cool - especially for a nice wide ring effect. Then even some of the Variegated composition stuff adds extra color, etc. I also wonder how the real edible leaf works vs. the fake stuff or if there is any difference. Anyone work with this stuff - other than the guys who made a blanks out of it from sticking it to a brass tube and resin molding it?

 

[GouletPens]

Gold leaf is really used for gilding, I'm not sure how what you're describing would work. The edible stuff is used for decorations on wedding cakes and food items where you want gold but it will be ingested. Not necessary for a pen. As far as what it sounds like you're trying to do, a liquid type gold would be much easier to work with. Something like Rub N Buff, or Liquid Leaf. If you're covering it with CA anyway, it would give you that gold effect without the hassle of the leaf.

 

[Constant Laubscher]

I have done a flag pen like that and it looked great.
I unfortunately did not take a photo before it was given away.
I agree you can get that same effect by using a gold filler and it would be just like filling it with any other color.
I would still finish with Ca over it to seal it in.

 

[hilltopper46]

Yes - a number of folks have used this material. Do a search on 'gold leaf'

Here are only three of a number of results

http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=43136&highlight=gold+leaf

http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=40958&highlight=gold+leaf

http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=40137&highlight=gold+leaf

 

[Rob Eberhard Young]

Thanks. As I said I had seen the ones that had been cast but was thinking about inlay. I agree with Brian now in that I think the liqiud gold/CA would make the best run at it - although I have to say with the right pen design, the casting could look really nice assuming the hardware, etc. was just right...

 

[mick]

FWIW I think the gold leaf gives a much different looks than the liquid gold fill.
Rob the best thing you can do would be to try it out. I don't mean this in a bad way. but just saying that for 12 bucks you get that huge bag of varigated metal flake and then have the opportunity to try many ways of doing the inlays.
I've applied it to the tubes and cast in a clear resin. I've also took plain wood, in my case maple and turned it down just under size and applied the gold to the wood and then CA finished. There are even more ways I'm sure. I guess what I'm saying is once you've go it in your hand the ideas will start flowing and you'll be come up with all kinds of ways to do it.

 

[broitblat]

Rob,

I've done a couple using mixed metal leaf rather than straight gold, but I like the results:

Is this what you had in mind?
-Barry

 

[GouletPens]

It depends also on whether you're going for a 'crinkled' look or a smooth look on the gold part. If you want a crinkled look then you can just jam in some varigated leaf and fill it with glue....or cast it in resin. If you're going for a smooth look it's a little more work. The liquid leaf might work better for you, or you can go for the real deal. I've done some gilding and man it's a whole new bag, baby. Just do a little research on water gilding and tell me you're up for some serious work!!!! It does look nice though!