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I Forge Iron

Gilders Paste


rthibeau

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I recently got some gilders paste in various colors from AS&P Distribution [[email protected]] and just used it on a few projects. It looks like shoe polish and you can rub it on with your fingers or brush it on. The colors are pretty true and the best part is when it dries (in only a few minutes) you can buff it to smooth out the finish and even get it to shine a little. It works to cover up the grinding/flap disk shine, too. Good stuff and goes a long ways.

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I heard about it on another website as a product to hide the sanding/grinding highlights on steel, so I bought some in various colors. It comes in small tins that look a lot like shoe polish and like polish, you can apply it with your fingers, a cloth, or brush. It acts more like a stain than a paint, but I think polish is closer to the way it really acts. It will cover the metal, dry, and then you can buff it out to a nice shine or leave it flat looking. The manufacturer recommends using a UV resistant clear coat after it's dried for durability and protection. It's supposed to leave a pretty good protective coating and of course whatever clear coat you use will improve that. You can put it on cold metal or metal that's not too hot to hold onto bare handed. If you spread it on the metal then wipe it off with a cloth immediately, it will fill in and color the low spots leaving the high spots untouched. I've used an old brush to really rub it into the cracks and crevices, let it dry, then buffed it and come up with a really nice sheen of whatever color it was. It comes in metallic colors as well as black, red, green, etc. It's another way to finish or color metal.

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  • 3 years later...

I am building a steel fence and want it to look old.
I've distressed some of the steel with a grinder, impact hammer chisel, and an impact drill bit.
I've put a few coats of semi-gloss black enamel on the first panel and two posts. And now I'd like to put another color on in the nooks and crannies.
I've read about the gilders paste but am concerned about how far it will go.
I have about 60' of low 2'-6" fence to do.
The 4 oz cans are $18.:o
How far would one can get me just doing the tops, posts, and tops of the rails?
I talked to an artist friend yesterday and she suggested tile grout. I acts like a paste and you can buff off excess. Epoxy grout?

15802.attach

Edited by popawheelie
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If any of you remember "Rub-n-Buff" - that's what I can mostly say the guilders paste is like - exactly that. I use it alot to highlight the textures on the forgings I have done. Yes those little tins go a long way.
Popawheelie - On a 60ft railing job - if your worried about another $18 then your beyond your budget already on that job. The use of the guilders paste will only enhance the job, your call though. - JK

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Richard et. al. if you apply the paste, and then take a propane torch to it, it looks old, or ages it, or whatever, not sure why, but through a mistake, I found out the green gilders paste, looks better heated then buffed, not sure about the other colors, but for sure give it a try on a test piece, I was very pleased with the results, changes it almost to a patina. If only all my mistakes were so fortunate!

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i did a few coat hangers that werent to be black so i cleaned up the metal and rubbed it down with gilders paste blue....not much and it gave a cool luster and a bit of blue color to the silver metal....then i spryed with clear laquer still looks great

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I havn't tried it yet but I have yet to hear any negative on it from those who have used it, other than the price but if you take into consideration how far it goes/how long it lasts, then the price isn't that bad, the small can $8 1.5oz (27ml) will cover 30sq ft and the large can $16 4.0oz (92ml) will cover 100sq ft, of coarse that will vary some with the type of finish and how it's applied.

welder19

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Here's a small grab rail I made and colored using the guilder's paste. You can see how it brings out the lines and highlights the textures. It does take some playing with to get the effect you like, but once you have it - it's easy. - JK

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  • 7 months later...

Here's a small grab rail I made and colored using the guilder's paste. You can see how it brings out the lines and highlights the textures. It does take some playing with to get the effect you like, but once you have it - it's easy. - JK


I've used the stuff on small "table top" sculpture and love the stuff. Just wondering how long it stands up to prolonged rubbing on handrails. How long (is a piece of string) before it needs reapplying?
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