Gilder's Knife
Gilder’s knife: sharp blade on a wooden handle, to cut leaf precisely on the cushion.
Type
Tool
Gilding tools and supplies
Tools, sizes and finishes for gilding.
Gilder's Cushion
Gilder’s cushion: rigid wooden base, convex suede surface — the cutting board for precious leaf.
Type
Tool
Squirrel Gilder’s Tips
Squirrel- or badger-hair brushes, to lift and lay the leaf on irregular surfaces.
Type
Tool
Sizes
40 mm60 mm80 mm100 mm150 mm
Agate Burnishers
Agate burnishers with brass ferrule and wooden handle: they compress and polish gold onto the bole.
Type
Tool
Sizes
n° 11n° 12n° 15n° 17n° 18n° 20n° 22n° 25n° 30n° 34n° 40
Bitumen
Dark patina to age and veil the applied leaf.
Type
Finish
Sizes
500 g
Water-based Size
Water-based vinyl-acetate size, for interiors on medium-porosity surfaces.
Type
Adhesive
Sizes
0.1 l0.25 l0.5 l1 l5 l25 l
Alcohol-based Size
Hydro-alcoholic acrylic size, fast tack (30 min), for smooth, compact surfaces.
Type
Adhesive
Sizes
1 l5 l25 l
Solvent-based Size
Oil-based size, 3-hour drying, for interiors and exteriors on any support.
Type
Adhesive
Sizes
1 l
Dewaxed Shellac
Shellac, the classic finish in alcohol solution: protects the leaf from oxidation.
Type
Finish
Sizes
1000 g
Water-based Finishes
Water-based alternative to shellac, easy to apply.
Type
Finish
Sizes
0.1 l0.25 l0.5 l1 l5 l25 l
Bole
Armenian bole: red clay ground that makes leaf adhere and shine in water gilding.
Type
Base
Sizes
1 kg
Carded Cotton
Carded cotton with natural waxes, non-absorbent: to dab, lay and polish the leaf.
Type
Tool
Sizes
0.1 kg0.5 kg1 kg
Rabbit-skin Glue
Rabbit-skin glue in granules: with water and gesso it prepares the ground for water gilding.
Type
Base
Sizes
1 kg
Bologna Gesso
Bologna gesso: the smooth, compact ground layer for traditional gilding.
Type
Base
Sizes
1 kg
Acrylic Ground
Modern acrylic ground: seals porous materials and creates a smooth, even surface.
Type
Base
Sizes
1 kg