Gold Filled charms: how are they made??

[seb]

Hello all,

I was looking at some gold filled blank discs and I don't understand: if gold filled is brass sandwiched between 2 layers of gold, how does one create discs, charms or medallions out of gold filled sheet without exposing the brass. Isn't it going to tarnish very fast?
Am I missing something here?

Thank you
Seb

[mizgeorge]

I think they're plated after being cut.

However, I'm always astonished at people selling them as blanks for stamping or cutting as this will leave cut edges and the plating will chip.

[seb]

Plated after being cut? Since the big argument is that contrary to plating, gold-filled never wears off, wouldn't replating defeat the whole purpose?
And so you think the layers of gold would chip? But since they say the gold represents 1/20th or 1/40th of the total weight, these layers should actually be quite thick. (which is also who I can't understand how it can be so cheap!)

[seb]

You were right Mizgeorge!
I asked Rio Grande and they said that you're supposed to plate over!
So the whole argument that gold filled will never wear off like plated does isn't very straightforward don't you think?

[Kwant]

Am I the only one to think gold filled charms are tatt and albeit I am no master like some of the folks we have on this forum, I do not give such stuff a second thought? I mean is it not better to make all your "tatt" from scratch?