The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-02-23
gtience and Art.
Manufacture of Gold Leaf.

The process of gold beating is exceed
ingly interesting in its various details, and
is one which requires the exercise of much
judgment, physical force and mechanical
skill. The process is as follows The
coin is first reduced in thickness by being
rolled through what is known as q "mill, |"
a machine consisting of iron rollers opera
ted by steam power, After being rolled,
it is annealed by being subjected to intense
heat, which softens the metal. 1t is next
cut and placed in jars containing nitro
muriatic acid, which dissolves the gold,
and reduces it to mass resembling In
dian pudding, both in color and form.
This solution is next placed in jar with
copperas, which separates the gold from
the other components of the mass.
The next process is to properly alloy
the now pure gold, after which it is placed
in crucibles and melted, from which it is
poured into iron moulds called ingots,
which measure ten inches in length, by
one inch in breadth and thickness. When
cooled, it is taken out in the shape of bars.
These bars are then rolled into what are
called "ribbon," usually measuring about
eighty yards in length, and the thickness of
ordinary paper, and retaining their origi-
nal width. These "ribbons" are then cut
into pieces an inch and quarter square,
and placed in what is called "cutch,''
which consists of pack of French paper
leaves resembling parchment, each leaf
three inches square, and the pack measur-
ing from three quarters to an inch in
thickness. They are then beaten for half
an hour upon granite block, with ham
mers weighing from twelve to fifteen
pounds, after which they are taken out
and placed in another pack of leaves called
"shoder." These leaves are four and
half inches square, and the gold in the
"shoder" is beaten for four hours with
hammers weighing about nine pounds.
After being beaten in this manner, the
gold leaves are taken out of the "shoders"
and placed in what are called "moulds."
These "moulds" consist of packs of leaves
similar to the other packs, and made of
the stomach of an OK. After being made
ready in the "moulds, - the gold is beaten
four hours more with hammers weighing
six or seven pounds each.
1t will be noticed that the thinner the
leaf becomes, the lighter the hammers
used, and it is also necessary in beating
the gold, especially in striking the "mould,"
that the blow should be given with the
full fat of the hammer and directly in the
centre of the "mould." Should the beater
strike with the edge of the hammer, there
is every chance that the leaf will be broken
and the pack spoiled. The leaf, after be-
ing taken out Of the "mould," is cut into
squares of three and three-eighths inches,
and placed in "books" of common paper.
Each''book" consists of twenty-five leaves,
and there are twenty "books" in what is
known as "pack."
Gold foil is made in simila2 manner
to gold leaf, except that the sheets are
thick and are annealed separately, while
the chief distinction is that is has, if
genuine article, no alloy whatever. The
article known as "German gilt is not
made from gold at all. The wood upon
which it is to placed is first made exceed
ingly smooth, and then painted with a
preparation which being covered with sill
yer leaf, has the property of producing a
gold like appearance.