HAs anyone ever achieved a matte look in their gold-filled jewelry and had the matte gold color last without turning a brassy color?  I find as soon as someone wears the jewelry, it turns.(with 14/20)  I use the typical things you would use to get your silver looking matte-and get great results-- but i get terrible results with gold filled using the same techniques? I would attach a picture to what i am talking about but i can't figure out how to do that with this website :/

thank you to anyone in advance!

 The layer of gold is relatively thin on GF sheet or wire. 1/20th of the total weight is 14Kt gold. Any abrasive or corrosive methods may go right through the gold layer.  Very fine steel wool, a very fine brass bristle brush will give you a matte finish, but you have to apply it very lightly. If you are fabricating and polishing on a buffer do NOT use any tripoli or other fast cutting compound.

Gold Filled is a wonderful "compromise" product but it does require substantially different handling than does sterling.

John at Monsterslayer had a good post about working with GF in the old forums. I'll see if I can track it down in the archives. 

By the way, any pictures that  you have on your own website or on  a public hosting site like Flickr or photobucket can be posted here. You simply put the link for the picture between a pair of [ img] [ /img]. (I added an extra space inside those brackets so they would show up in the text.)

Thank you so much for your information!  I am just frustrated because some of my customers have complained about their gold turning a brassy color and it is so embarrassing!  and i am using 14/20 gold filled metal

thanks again!

 I have some that does as well - it does polish or wash off to a nice gold look ..

 Gold filled DOES get dingy and dirty looking. A quick wash in warm soapy water or mild sudsy ammonia followed by thorough rinsing in clear water  usually makes it look new again. Let it air dry on a warm towel.

So I shouldn't use Tripoli- but can i use Red Rouge on my gold filled metal?

use Red Rouge on my gold filled metal?

Yes, very gently. 

 oh, wait, I just remembered you've been talking about a matte finish on GF. If you are doing anything to roughen or satin finish the layer surface using rouge is probably going to take off some more of the already thinned out gold layer. Be very careful with any abrasive methods. 1/20th is pretty thin. In another post I think you mentioned double clad sheet, in which case each side only has one half the thickness of 1/20th sheet, effectively 1/40

Ooooh- ok Thanks Russ! so basically there is not much more you can do with a finished gold-filled piece as far as buffing and polishing.  Lately i've been using a fine buffing weel- i also have very fine and ultra fine- do you think those are too much?  Also this may be a stupid question but- if you apply too much heat to gold-filled (basic soldering)- will the layer of gold burn off??

Oh and one more thing- can you put gold filled in the tumbler? 

THANks so much!!

Chrissy

 Sorry I missed your last question. I'm surprised no one else popped in to answer. I'm sure others have experimented with GF, too.

Yes, you can easily roast the gold of of GF with too much hear. It takes a gentle hand to slder GF or to solder GF onto sterling.

Yes, you can tumble GF products. In fact I strongly suggest burnishing GF with steel shot and a soap powder intended for gold and GF. I think it is a better method than traditional polishing wheel. Rio sells a god soap powder for this  as do many othere silversmithing supply places. Search for "Silver Lustre" and similar names and look for a related burnishing compound powder intended for gold and GF.

John from Monsterslayer has posted some good ideas on GF soldering.

you've been such a great help with gold filled metal, but i have another quick question about gold filled metal.  What is the best solder to use for gold filled wire and sheet metal?  I've been using Yellow silver solder- but it sometimes leaves a dark mark where the solder was melted.  Do you have any suggestions?

thanks so much!!

chrissy