Double Gilding

[camprosie]

This question is posted from an inquiry that came into the Society of Gilders info e-mail   Posted by Executive Secretary for Ian   Thank you for your help in answering his question. 

Could you please help me with a query in respect of water gilding specifically double gilding.
The liquor I am using for single gilding is 100ml water. 25ml isopropyl and about 5ml of 1:11 RSG size. This seems to work fine.
For the second gilding should I use the same size or is it modified. Variously I have read the second size is "special", some say no alcohol, some say no glue.
I have not been able to find the answer anywhere online - can you please assist.
With thanks and regards. Ian.

[peter]

Ian, good morning.. 

Double gilding is pretty straight forward. Some say that the double gilding should or could be done with just water. when I need to double gild I always make a clean gilders liquor. I was originally taught to water gild with various strengths or RSG. My process has evolved to the place where I only use a 1:10 ratio for my glue and all applications use the same stock and strength glue. Regarding the use of alcohol in gilders liquor, especially gilding in the Northeastern part of the US, where my studio humidity is 20% during the winter, I forgo the use of Alcohol altogether. I have found that with the low relative humidity, alcohol aggressively hastens the dry time of the water gilding. It produces all types of ill effects as you could imagine. Alcohol is primarily used to allow the water to flow more evenly and reduce pooling and puddling of the gilders liquor. I am fortunate here that the my water does not seem to puddle and flows evenly. Also, the other comment that I would offer to you is that you should never use more than 10% alcohol in your gilders liquor.

So I  make my gilders liquor with about 300 ml of water and  RSG about the size of a hazelnut (cold from the fridge)

Hope that you find this helpful

Peter

[michael gilbert]

Ian,
I tend to use a very small ( 2% to 3% )amount of alcohol in my liquor all through the year. I use alcohol because it breaks the surface tension of the liquor, making the liquor flow better, and not hold air bubbles under the leaf. When you gild the first time you are applying a thin layer of glue, and there is already glue in the bole. Regilding will work without another application of glue, because the leaf is thin enough to be effected by the previously applied glue. Be very careful not to allow liquor to flow over areas that will not be regilded, a blemish will occur. Tilting the frame, or object on blocks to control the flow of liquor will help.     Michael Gilbert