Keum-boo Jewelry Tutorial

Learn about Keum-boo, the traditional Korean technique used in jewelry making for bonding thin gold foil onto fine silver. Mark Nelson walks us through the process and shows us the various applications for this technique in this Beads, Baubles & Jewels segment.
Shop some of the suggested products based on those seen in this video:
23.5K Yellow Gold Foil for Keum-Boo ow.ly/UrM350FAdgi
.999 Fine Silver 6" Sheet, 1/4-Hard, Brushed Finish ow.ly/Xzi250FAdAg
Precision Straight-Tip Scissors ow.ly/YYqm50FAdBe
Matte Black Anti-Magnetic Pattern Tweezers, Set of 6 ow.ly/SAC950FAdCS
Capitol Commercial Single-Burner Electric Hot Plate ow.ly/Y6k650FAdDU
Durston Steel Bench Block, 4" x 4" ow.ly/NuPZ50FAdFK
Agate Burnisher, Ball-Style Tip ow.ly/ZVLr50FAdGq
Agate Burnisher, Knife-Style Tip ow.ly/5Pjm50FAdHq
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[@kurtstory9466]

Having tried the Keum-boo technique myself, I’ve found that it doesn’t need fine silver or the thicker gold foil used in this video. It will work well with sterling silver or even sterling-filled sheet and normal 24K gold leaf. However, if you want to cut out very distinct shapes in gold, it’s best to use the thicker (and far more expensive) gold foil. To give you an idea of the costs involved, gold foil sold by Rio Grande is approx. $8/square inch. Off Amazon, 24K gold leaf costs me $0.15/ square inch. Working with normal gold leaf is harder to make distinct shapes, so it’s best to create gold highlights that are more random and irregular. On applying gold: you may notice in the video how the agate burnishers leave marks on the silver, which requires polishing out to remove from the final piece. Too much polishing in the end may remove gold, so it’s better to avoid making too many marks. I found if you use the blunter side of the burnisher, it makes less marks in the silver. At the proper temperature, all it takes is some pressure to bond the gold to the silver-I avoid over-burnishing.

[@RockasailorCouture]

would LOVE your link for the gold on Amazon

[@kurtstory9466]

Here is the product link. Since I posted the comment, I have created a dozen more pieces with it. I find it works very well, but it requires patience and finding the right touch to attach the gold. Unlike in the video, you don't need heavy burnishing to attach gold leaf. When the temperature is just right, you simply need to apply light pressure with your burnisher--I find long handled agate burnishers work very well. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ILWQBYC/

[@RockasailorCouture]

Kurt Story thanks so much

[@nuvi01]

thank you for your help. Is the Gold leaf is the simple 24k gold leaf? and cheaper gold leaf, the one that is actually not real gold, really satay gold for a long time?

[@Gripco1]

Kurt Story but sterling only if you bring the fine silver in the sterling silver to the surface with depletion guilding. Or can you elaborate.

[@jewelvibebabo]

Many thanks Kurt.Very helpful.Always great to hear from someone who is not so experienced that they have forgotten early difficulties.Well done.

[@RioGrande1944]

@SandraLondon63 Thanks for watching, Sandra!

[@VloggerBubu]

How much temperature do we need ?

[@tobykrell7762]

And so great that I can ask my questions and get your cheerful knowledgable advice.🤗

[@RioGrande1944]

@river2520 Thanks, we hope to see you there! For those that don't know, we're having a series of classes, demos and tours this January called Rio In Motion. You can visit the Rio Grande site for more info.

[@flyingcheff]

What if I wanted to add this process to a bezel set stone piece? Can do? Keum Boo?

[@SandraLondon63]

Really wonderful video!!! Thanks a million for showing us..

[@briantunzi2462]

You guys always have good info !

[@paulinerosenberg4879]

Brian Tunzi yu yet e to u

[@RioTechs]

Hi Lorri. it does matter, thanks for catching that. I should have said gold foil. The leaf is too thin to apply, if you are able to apply it then it often just disappears into the silver as your trying to bond it. I hope this helps clarify. Mark N Tech

[@shannondempsey3105]

I have 2 questions. Is it ok to form the piece after you put the gold on it? An example would be if you making a cuff bracelet. My other question is if I wanted to oxidize the silver say with liver of sulfur would it affect the gold?

[@RioGrande1944]

Hi Shannon, Since the gold is fused to the silver when done correctly, you can form the piece to a certain extent after applying keum-boo. Since the gold that is used for keum-boo is 23.5K, there will be little effect from liver of sulfur. It may slightly darken the gold, but it will come off easily. Hope that helps!

[@jaykay415]

I would love to see that "happy accident" when the gold is heated too high, and melts right into the silver...it sounded kind of interesting!

[@martuzka]

Sería muy interesante si tuviéramos subtítulos en español. Gracias por compartir sus trabajos.

[@LorriCarnevale]

You said gold leaf is that correct or is it gold foil and does it matter?

[@kurtstory9466]

The product used in the video is much thicker than standard gold leaf. It's more accurately called a foil.

[@pijnto]

The traditional method is to use gold foil not Gold lea,f gold leaf in considered Keum boo practitioners as too thin

[@KremenaVenkova]

thank you...

[@jialing5331]

May I know where I could buy the heater, how many W(1500w?) is it~thank you~

[@RioGrande1944]

Hello, and thanks for asking. Unfortunately, no longer carry the hot plate seen in this older video. The hotplate that we currently carry is available at www.riogrande.com, item #335006. Hope this helps, and have a good day.

[@bakinka2727]

How would you do it on enamel? What temp and how long? Will it burn out? Or use thicker foil? Thanks

[@300dxl]

it´s only for sterling or pure silver? you can use it in less quality silver?

[@briantunzi2462]

Well Done RIO " ! "/

[@RioGrande1944]

Thank you, Brian!

[@jannepotter509]

What type of burner is this?

[@aichahassen6477]

He is geneous

[@aichahassen6477]

I like you

[@LeslieKailVillarreal]

what is your plate made of? Red brass? can you use yellow brass?

[@RioTechs]

Hi Leslie, I and most others use red brass. Honestly though i'm not really sure why other than it's a little easier to use than yellow ( easier to form around the coils). I haven't heard of anyone using yellow brass. My only advice is that since we don't know much about using it it in this scenario, try a few test pieces 1st before committing to the final piece. I hope this is of at least a little help, thanks again for watching. Mark N Tech

[@LeslieKailVillarreal]

THANK YOU!

[@HeylaniCreates]

Great video! :) love seeing Mark's vids! wondering if Argentium would work...or is there a way to bring Argentium tp a point where it will work?? as well, if there rose gold foil? or only yellow? thanks kindly!

[@RioTechs]

+HeylaniCreates , thanks for watching. Keumboo works great with Argentium. In fact it's a little easier to do than on regular sterling as you don't need to raise the fine silver ( depletion gild). Other than that it's the same technique. I've never heard of rose gold foil. It might be do to the fact that it's a lower karat allow and it harder to get it to foil thickness. Plus keum boo requires you use a high karat gold in order to get it to fuse to the silver, like 22-24k. Rose gold keumboo would look amazing though wouldn't it. I hope this helps. thank you Mark N Tech

[@gdimfer]

Anecdotally, it may be possible to depletion gild lower karat gold so that it could then be used for keum boo and therefore you'd be able to use rose gold or any other flavor. Found mention of this on Ganoskin in reference to Richard Mafong's work.

[@tobykrell7762]

Question re depletion gilding- other videos say it is necessary to add a step and burnish with a brass brush in between pickle annealing cycles. You dont show that. Any comment; clarification? Many thanks.

[@RioGrande1944]

Hi Toby, Thank you for asking. While it’s not 100% necessary to burnish with a brass brush during depletion gilding, it does produce a more substantial layer on the surface if you do. Hope this helps.

[@tobykrell7762]

Rio Grande -to keum boo on reticulated silver would I repeat the depletion guilding process or am I ready to go with gold leaf after reticulating? Thanks again.

[@RioGrande1944]

Great questions. You can go right into keum boo. Once the piece is reticulated, the depletion gilding process does not need to be repeated.

[@naveenkumar-lc5hs]

Hi team , this was a good video, could u help with name of tools which use to application or gold foil, and the klin

[@nancyl.5126]

naveen kuma

[@loganwilson3040]

Can u take a steriling pmc ring then take gold Keum-Boo and put it over the sterling ring

[@RioGrande1944]

Hi Logan, Great question! You can. You follow the same steps after firing the pmc. Another option is Aura22. Since it’s painted on it might be easier, but maybe of interest to you, also! www.riogrande.com/product/aura-22-gold-solution/600800 Thanks for watching!

[@tishsmiddy71]

No bounding agent ?

[@RioGrande1944]

Hello! Just heat and pressure.

[@patrickeatspants]

this is neato.

[@JavenarchX]

umm... yeah thats chemically.. der

[@arnoldk7293]

Adding gold to silver jewelry it's like putting 4k rims on 500$ car... or pave platinum ring with zirconia.. nonsense

[@kayoh6923]

If you do it yourself its inexpensive & Everyone can NOT afford gold jewellery That's why I am doing it