Re-Gilding Badges

[Cardiffbloke]

I wonder if anyone has the info I'm looking for.
I sent Warren Butcher a batch of repairs which included some re-gilding of Officers items. He tells me he does not do gilding or re-gilding.
Does anyone know anyone that does?
I don't want 'leafing' it would have to be firegilt (something i am told is still done secretly by some) or electro gilding.... any ideas?
Regards H

Have you tried 'Platers' or 'Electro Plating' in Yellow Pages ? I live in North East England and we have a firm on the Tyne who will do silver and silver-gilt plating. Silver-gilt is one of the best forms of gilding for an authentic finish. Just a thought. Regards - and good luck. David

[GregN]

I've watched the process here in Canada done by a badge maker in Vancouver.
1. take a brass badge and clean it of all grease and dirt
2. polish it on a felt wheel to make the highlights stand out
3. dip it in a gold plating solution
4. polish it again to bring out the highlights
5. spray it with a sealant to protect the finished product

The chemicals involved are fairly toxic but nothing to the earlier practice of using desolved mercury and gold. In the early days there I'm sure many workers died from breathing all the fumes from the gilting process. I've heard that in India and Pakistan the old methods are still used but no one knows for sure.

Cheers,

Greg

[badgecollector]

hi H
i believe true traditional fire gilt plating isnt practiced anymore, atleast in the western world. the process involved arsenic and you can imagine what the vapours did to the applier. i hope this is correct and someone else out there can confirm this
bc