Important: Safety Warning
This page contains a formula or preparation using substances now known to be dangerously toxic, such as arsenic, mercury, lead, or cyanide compounds. Exposure to these substances can cause severe poisoning, permanent injury, or death.
In addition, this page describes trade processes that use dangerously toxic materials such as cyanide solutions, mercury amalgams, or strong acids. These processes require training, equipment, and precautions far beyond what the text describes.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
Home › Gilding, Silvering, Etc › To Gild Steel
To Gild Steel
Pour some of a solution of cyanide of potassium, CO parts, the ethereal solution of gold into a wine-glass, in pure water, 80 parts; shake well, and set and dip into it the blade of a new penknife, by for 15 minutes, then filter. This liquid is lancet, or razor; withdraw the instrument, thickened with a powder composed of preand allow the ether to evaporate; the blade pared chalk, 100 parts; cream of tartar, 5 will then be found covered with a beautiful parts. coat of gold. The blade may be moistened with a clean rag, or a small piece of very dry sponge dipped into the ether, and the same electroplating. Many a piece of beautiful effect will be produced. (See No. 3585.) 3587. Elkington's Patent, or Anglo- German Gilding. The articles, after being perfectly cleaned from scale or grease, and receiving a proper face, are to be suspended on wires, dipped into the gilding liquid (see