¿Gold writing on horn scales?

[Toff]

How would I renew the gold color writings in old horn scales
I am fortunate enough to have some nice old blades in good condition. The scales have hot pressed gold sayings in the complete, somewhat dry, horn scales. The gold is almost non-existent but the design depression is there and deep enough to redo. I would plan to restore the scales and repin. Is there a best liquid metal -leaf product?
Thanks to all!
~Richard
PS, I am still getting my act together for when snow flies!

 

[Undream]

Interesting thought..

What if you mixed in a gold dust or gold color into a slow setting epoxy, and then applied in all the depressed areas of the scale...and then after setting, sanded any excess off, flush with the rest of the scale.. could work.

 

[Aquanin]

Maybe just get some gold model paint. Paint the entire scale...let dry and start sanding. If you are careful, I bet it will only remove the paint from the non-inlayed area. Just an idea, never tried it.

 

[Ray-man]

If you still have the depression still in-tact, you would need to very carefully recess the edges of the sides. Usually this is accomplished with gravers. After the sides are recessed you would take you would then take gold wire, which you can purchase at a jewelry making supply house, lay it in the trough you just made and tap it lightly with a flat jewelers hammer to flatten it out and force it into the recessed edge.

That's all there is to it!

Ray

 

[Toff]

Thanks Folks, I think that the solution may be a combination of all the above. I am fortunate that the stamping was into flat scales. That means that I should be able to sand/precision scrape off any overages and still have enough gold filler. As an example of the problem, the inlaid writing on the flat scales of a Wostenholm Pipe or some of the other early Sheffields.

I shall continue to watch this thread as someone may have a "Patent", super trade secret, method."
Thanks again!
~Richard

 

[azmark]

Rub n Buff. I experimented with engraved horn that has some gold coming off and it worked. Just don't know how well it well hold but the razor is going to be more of a collectors piece.

 

[BillEllis]

Gold hobby paint applied by small art brush, trying not to get too much on the areas around the lettering. Let it sit until it starts to get pretty tacky. Take a piece of hard leather and glue it onto a flat wood stick that's about 1 inch wide, 4 inches long, and a quarter inch thick. Fold a piece of computer paper around the leather, turn it upside down and "saw" the unwanted paint off the high areas. Replenish the paper as necessary. Did I say flat piece of wood? Alrighty, then.

 

[Toff]

Thanks folks! In the above method the "strike off" is a very good idea.
Winter is coming and the shop is being readied.
~Richard