Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1904-06-02
BEATING GOLD LEAF
THE WAY THE SQUARES OF METAL
ARE WORKED UNDER THE HAMMER.

Gradually Reduced In Thickness I'm
til the Sheets Are Transparent and
So Fine That 100000 of Them In a
Pile Would Measure but an Inch.
A local sign writer was in the win
dow of large f street establishment
putting goi1 leaf on the outlines of let
ters he had made with a stencil. The
curiosity of a reporter was aroused as
to how these tiny sheets of gold We're
reduced to such minute thinness. A
visit to the establishment of one Of
,Washington's largest sign writer's and
talk with the proprietor brought forth
the following:
Il learned the gold beater's trade in
Rochester some years ago. Imagine a
slab of gold measuring eight inches in
width, ten inches in length and half an
inch in thickness being reduced to
$500 sheets of gold, each five inches
square and almost transparent, and
you get vague idea of the queer in
dustry known as gold beating.
"Imagine a square of gold three-hun-
dredths Of an inch in thickness, and
you will appreciate the Drawn and
brain making for the result, and then
reflect that the word beating means
just 'beating'-for no power other than
the strength Of mans arm is used in
J the process-and you will have been
mentally initiated into the mysteries
of a silent art
''Few persons are familiar with the
work for several reasons: First, there
are less than twenty-five gold beating
| establishments in the country: second,
| 1t is an exclusive industry, and few,
either manufacturers or laborers, are
admitted to it's secrets, and, third, the
trade is limited. Therefore it is a most
interesting study.
| 'The gold beater buys direct from the
government assay office, where the
gold is weighed, stamped and guaran-
teed. A fraction too much of alloy
would cause it to pulverize or part into
fragments. Twenty-three carat gold
is used exclusively. Usually the gold
comes in nuggets weighing fifty-fve
pennyweights and valued at $50 each.
4 after the gold has been received it
Is placed in a crucible and made ready
for the beating about to follow. 1t is
nodded into shape which will fit into
| the only power machine in the place,
/ which congresses the gold into a rib
bon ten yards in length, one inch in
width and one thirty-second inch in
thickness. Out of this ribbon are cut
22O squares of equal size.
The work Of reducing is begun. To
each workman is given twenty-five
| squares, and these he places between
the leaves of a book. This book is a
| 'kutch' paper and is sealed with pat
ent envelope device which prevents the
loss of particles Of gold, precaution
made necessary by the many turnings
and hoppings of the book in the proc.
ess. A sixteen pound hammer is used
and the beater is compelled to work un.
interruptedly for twenty minutes to
gain the desired measurement.
"Wielding a sixteen pound hammer
for a few seconds only is eXhaustine
work for the unipitiated, but the beat
ers hammer away as if it was boys
play. They must grasp the end Of the
hammer farthest from the head, which
increases it's weight, but the benches
they use are SO constructed that they
cause a small rebound of the hammer
when the 'kutch' book is opened
twenty five sheets are taken out, and
each sheet Of gold is cut into -four
pieces. Its thickness has been reduc
ed in the operation from one thirty
second Of an inch to one one-hun
dredth of an inch twenty-five Of these
squares are put into book called the
'shodder.' The 'shodder' is not pa
per, but skin, and it is said that Ger
tain intestinal parts Of 500 oxen are
required to make package or book
Of twenty-five papers. The 'shodder
is made in England by q secret proc
ess. 1t is the most exclusive industry
in the world
Like the 'kutchs book, the 'shoder
book is sealed and handed to the art
list, who is required to pound it ninety
minutes with twelve pound hammer
This reduces the thickness, and whe1
it is taken out Of the book each lea.
Of gold is again cut into cne incl
squares. This time the gold is 81
fragile that metal knife blade, NJ
matter how sharp, would break th'
edges; SO knife with double blade
is used, requiring only two strokes t.
cut square.
Nov comes the last beating. Eacl
square is again put into a book callet
mold. Forty minutes beating i
required to give this the proper size
: When the leaves Of gold are removet
they are transparent, but perfect ii
shape and unbroken. 1t would requir
100000 Of them to make one inch j
thickness.
''The last operation is to send then
b the booking room, where women re
move the gold leaves and place ther
In wax paper books ready for sale
: The leaves are SO delicate that the
can be handled only with bambo
4 sticks. So adhesive is the gold that