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Keum-boo: gold foil on silver

· 1 min read · Techniques

Illustration: Keum-boo: gold foil on silver

Keum-boo (a Korean word meaning “attached gold”) applies a very thin foil of pure gold to silver. It is a form of gilding that bonds by diffusion, with no solder.

Steps of the technique: Prepare the silver, Cut the gold, Place, Heat, Press, Polish
Summary of the steps

How it works #

  1. Fine silver (or a fine-silver surface) and 24-karat gold foil are used, both extremely clean.
  2. The piece is heated on a hot plate to a gentle temperature.
  3. The foil is pressed down with a hot burnisher. Gold and silver bond at the atomic level (diffusion).

Look #

The gold sits flush on the surface and can be combined with granulation, openwork or patina.

Materials #

Fine silver (999), 24-karat gold, a hot plate and a burnisher.

Tips #

Total cleanliness is essential: any trace of grease prevents bonding.

Step by step #

  1. Prepare the silver. Use fine silver or bring fine silver to the surface.
  2. Cut the gold. Trim the 24K gold foil.
  3. Place. Rest the gold on clean, hot silver.
  4. Heat. To around 300-400 °C on a plate.
  5. Press. With a burnisher, until it adheres.
  6. Polish. Brighten with a burnisher.

Tools and materials #

  • 24K gold foil
  • Fine silver or sterling with a fine silver surface
  • Hot plate or torch
  • Burnisher (burnisher)

Common mistakes #

  • Dirty surface or copper: it does not adhere.
  • Low-karat gold: it will not bond.
  • Overheating: the silver melts.
  • Pressing with a cold burnisher.

See also #

This entry was drafted with the help of AI and is pending review by the author.