Keum-boo with a regular kiln

[northerncindy]

I made several pendants with a PMC instructor a couple years ago when I was learning to use keum-boo. I gave one to a friend who recently told me the gold is wearing off and wondered if I could fix it. My guess is that I did something wrong when I first made it. I still have gold foil, but don't really want to buy the equipment right now - but would love to fix this for her. Is there a way to use my regular jewelry kiln to heat up the pendant and then put more gold foil on?13348

[Dennis]

The gold foil is very thin, and subject to rubbing away over time. Key to adding more will be cleanliness.

Here is a page of videos to refresh your memory. https://www.google.com/search?channel=trow5&client=firefox-b-d&q=Videos+on+keum+boo

For an adjustable hot plate, you can use a simple iron, or travel iron, with its temperature knob set to medium, turned upside down and clamped in a vice, or between two bricks for safety.

Practice with scrap first, to find the best temperature.

Welcome to the forum, Dennis.

[CJ57]

I have an old iron plate I use on the hob but have been known to hold it over a very low flame on a mini torch removing it when hot enough. The key is burnishing it to the silver. You know when you’ve done it properly if it doesn’t come off with the instructed rub over with wet and dry before pickling or even just a duster. I must admit I do more than one layer to get the effect I want. Your friend may have polished it too vigorously and as Dennis says it has worn away. Given the cost of the gold just now my recent keum boo isn’t accessible for cleaning