Keum Boo and burnising marks showing up on photos

[andrea756101]

Hi there! I use 24 carat gold on silver and burnish it with an agate burnisher. To the naked eye, you don't notice the burnishing marks.

However, when it is photographed on white background as a cut-out under lots of lights, the burnishing lines are picked up and reflect the light differently.

Am I pressing too hard with the burnisher? Can the lines be removed with pumice powder? Hot pickle has not removed them.

I was thinking about putting the pieces into the polishing barrel to burnish the whole textured surface. Is this ok?


What is the rule with keum boo pieces into the tumbling barrel?

Or should I be polishing the lines out with my flex shaft? Many thanks!!

[CJ57]

Can’t answer on the tumblers but you could try a metal burnisher. It depends what the piece is but my metal one is finer and smoother than the agate. If I remember you are also supposed to give it a very light sand but that depends on the thickness you’ve put on and how well it has taken. I’ve never had burnishing lines but then sometimes I overlay to get the effect I want

[Dennis]

Andrea, in keum boo the burnishing lines will show in photographs, although they can be modified by the type of burnisher used, as Caroline has said, and the length and direction of the strokes.

You can also distract from them by having a texture underneath.

If you want a more even effect, get a gold plating pen. Welcome to the forum. Dennis.

[andrea756101]

Thank you for your replies! I will check out different burnishers, and look at the gold plating pens

:)

[china]

Keum Boo it a art in itself although I was taught years ago by a Korean Master in Korea, I am only just starting to make use of the skills, (learning again) first off don't make the mistake of using gold leaf, you need gold foil which is thicker, plus the temperature needs to be just right it then blends onto the Silver correctly, I use a highly polished steel burnisher, I have not noticed any burnishing marks so far, but then most of what I have completed is textured, I will have ago at some smooth items and see what transpires.
I would be wary about putting it in a tumbler.

[CJ57]

It’s definitely an art Bob and plating would remove that particular process. It’s really challenging but then I don’t have a hot plate and either use a plate on the gas hob with all the problems of a draught taking the gold off somewhere or I heat gently over my micro torch judging where I am heat wise before adding the gold
I bought a couple of agate burnishers when I started but find them unwieldy and always too big. I’ve got a much better finish with my steel jewellers burnisher that I’ve had for 40odd years. If I’m burnishing within a dome then I use a doming punch or a chasing tool. Never going to be a Korean master but my customers like what I do with it

[china]

Yes the person I learnt from in Korea was up in mountains somewhere he was 92 years old and fitter than most 20 year olds his heat source was a flat rock heated in the fire, I was there for a TKD tournament ( yeh I used to be fit ) and my friend knew I had a interest in Jewellery and she took me to meat him. One thing I seem to be finding is Argentium does not like it, ( or I maybe I am doing it wrong ) seems to disappear into the surface.

[CJ57]

Yes the person I learnt from in Korea was up in mountains somewhere he was 92 years old and fitter than most 20 year olds his heat source was a flat rock heated in the fire, I was there for a TKD tournament ( yeh I used to be fit ) and my friend knew I had a interest in Jewellery and she took me to meat him. One thing I seem to be finding is Argentium does not like it, ( or I maybe I am doing it wrong ) seems to disappear into the surface.

I had very precise designs in mind and they went out the window almost literally quite quickly! When I started looking at the work of the masters I knew then I’d never get anywhere near so I do my interpretation

[Sheen]

Andrea, in keum boo the burnishing lines will show in photographs, although they can be modified by the type of burnisher used, as Caroline has said, and the length and direction of the strokes.

You can also distract from them by having a texture underneath.

If you want a more even effect, get a gold plating pen. Welcome to the forum. Dennis.

Aren't gold plating pens really expensive?

[Dennis]

Aren't gold plating pens really expensive?

https://www.goldn.co.uk/product/battery-powered-plating-pen/. Dennis.

[ps_bond]

Aren't gold plating pens really expensive?

They can be inexpensive, but the plating solution isn't.

[andrea756101]

Keum Boo it a art in itself although I was taught years ago by a Korean Master in Korea, I am only just starting to make use of the skills, (learning again) first off don't make the mistake of using gold leaf, you need gold foil which is thicker, plus the temperature needs to be just right it then blends onto the Silver correctly, I use a highly polished steel burnisher, I have not noticed any burnishing marks so far, but then most of what I have completed is textured, I will have ago at some smooth items and see what transpires.
I would be wary about putting it in a tumbler.

Thank you, I've been using this gold foil which I like 'Extra thick superior quality 24 carat Eco conflict free gold foil for Keum-Boo.' From Metal Clay . co .uk

Maybe I am pressing too hard with the burnisher. I will try to press more lightly.

[andrea756101]

It’s definitely an art Bob and plating would remove that particular process. It’s really challenging but then I don’t have a hot plate and either use a plate on the gas hob with all the problems of a draught taking the gold off somewhere or I heat gently over my micro torch judging where I am heat wise before adding the gold
I bought a couple of agate burnishers when I started but find them unwieldy and always too big. I’ve got a much better finish with my steel jewellers burnisher that I’ve had for 40odd years. If I’m burnishing within a dome then I use a doming punch or a chasing tool. Never going to be a Korean master but my customers like what I do with it

Thank you! I will try with my metal burnisher instead of the agate. I love the process of Keum Boo. It is a longer process with the depletion guilding. Maybe I will have a look at the gold plating pen for future designs.

[CJ57]

Thank you! I will try with my metal burnisher instead of the agate. I love the process of Keum Boo. It is a longer process with the depletion guilding. Maybe I will have a look at the gold plating pen for future designs.

I either use fine silver or work areas of fine silver into the design that I intend to keum boo. I find it much easier and less time consuming than depletion gilding