Bettebarnett
New Member
- Joined
- May 2, 2019
- Messages
- 3
Have you guys been talking behind my back? I’m actually cracking up here because I just did a Google search on Keum Boo on Steel and lo and behold the engravers cafe popped up with this forum!
I’m so excited that there is an interest in this topic as I am passionate about it. I am more than happy to answer any questions at all and to dispel some myths.
First of all, heat fusing (melting) gold to steel and Keum Boo on steel (mechanical bonding) are two different animals.
Fusing requires considerable heat —tho not nearly as much as Chris Nelson taught. Flux is used to help prevent oxidation before the gold fused. I’ve tested out different fluxes and most work ok...some better than others. No solder is used. (Ugh you don’t want to mix solder in with your gorgeous gold!)
KB requires considerably less heat and works beautifully on steel. No depletion gilding required (woo hoo!) I think Charles Lewton Brain’s theory about foil being permeable makes sense.
Certainly gold can be fused (melted) onto low carbon steel or iron. I have successfully done Keum Boo on mild steel many times and teach it in workshops (with some modifications from silver). I have not tried these techniques on any steel other than low carbon although I’m eager to experiment. And I have not tried KB on iron. (I must do that to because that might shed some light on the role of carbon in the steel and whether KB would work on other types of steel. )
I’m always experimenting with steel and gold. Anyway I’m happy to share what I know. Chris Nelson taught me so much. More than that, he instilled in me a passion for steel and gold. I am dedicated to advancing the work so it is continues to become more mainstream. A shameless plug: I am teaching workshops throughout the US. Schedule is on my website.
I’m so excited that there is an interest in this topic as I am passionate about it. I am more than happy to answer any questions at all and to dispel some myths.
First of all, heat fusing (melting) gold to steel and Keum Boo on steel (mechanical bonding) are two different animals.
Fusing requires considerable heat —tho not nearly as much as Chris Nelson taught. Flux is used to help prevent oxidation before the gold fused. I’ve tested out different fluxes and most work ok...some better than others. No solder is used. (Ugh you don’t want to mix solder in with your gorgeous gold!)
KB requires considerably less heat and works beautifully on steel. No depletion gilding required (woo hoo!) I think Charles Lewton Brain’s theory about foil being permeable makes sense.
Certainly gold can be fused (melted) onto low carbon steel or iron. I have successfully done Keum Boo on mild steel many times and teach it in workshops (with some modifications from silver). I have not tried these techniques on any steel other than low carbon although I’m eager to experiment. And I have not tried KB on iron. (I must do that to because that might shed some light on the role of carbon in the steel and whether KB would work on other types of steel. )
I’m always experimenting with steel and gold. Anyway I’m happy to share what I know. Chris Nelson taught me so much. More than that, he instilled in me a passion for steel and gold. I am dedicated to advancing the work so it is continues to become more mainstream. A shameless plug: I am teaching workshops throughout the US. Schedule is on my website.
