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Water Size
Water size (for burnished gilding) is parchment size ground with yellow ochre. 3573. To Prevent the Adhesion of Gold Leaf. Painters and decorators will find the following plan a good one to simplify a most troublesome part of their work: A small piece of ball liquorice, dissolved in water, applied with a flat camel's-hair brush to the place intended to be left ungilt, will prevent the leaf adhering. The solution must be weak. Made thick and gummy, it is very useful to protect ornamental parts of work that is to be repainted.
3574. To Gild the Edges of Books and Paper. The gold applied to the edges of books, &c., is in the same state as for various ornamental purposes, namely, an extremely thin leaf. Before the case or cover of the book is quite finished, the volume is struck forcibly against the back, so as to make the fore-edge flat instead of concave. It is then placed in a press, with the exposed edge uppermost. The edge is scraped smooth paint; this to be laid on evenly, and allowed with a piece of steel, and is coated with a to dry thoroughly, then repeat it for 5 or even mixture of red chalk and water. The gold is more coats, till it is perceived that the grain blown out from small books, and spread on a or roughness of the object to be gilt is entire- leather cushion, where it is cut to the proper ly hidden. When the last coat is dry it must size by a smooth-edged knife. A camel's-hair be rubbed perfectly smooth, first with pumice pencil is dipped into white of egg mixed with stone, and finished with a piece of woolen water, and with this the partially dry edge of cloth and finely pounded pumice; and lastly, the book is moistened; the gold is then taken : 1 GILDING, SILVERING, ETC. up on a tip brush, and applied to the moist- | sufficiently dry, the gold leaf is applied and ened edge, to which it instantly adheres. pressed on with a wad or soft brush. After
When all the three edges have been gilt in a few days for hardening, a coat of spirit varthis way, and allowed to remain a very few nish is applied, and the surface passed cautiousminutes, take a burnisher formed of a very ly and evenly over a chafing dish of charcoal. smooth piece of hard stone (usually blood- For indoor work, it is finished off with a coat stone), and rub the gold very forcibly, of pale oil varnish. which gives the gold a high degree of polish. 3582. Το Gild Polished Metal. Pol