Hello everyone.

I have designed a gilders tip for placing full leaves onto glass, wood frames etc. The design is made for full leaves. I know its possible to lay full leaves with a normal tip but its sometimes inconsistant and the occasional leaf sometimes crumples up.(for most people) I have watched many gilders in this country and the States lay leaf perfectly and then something goes wrong .For the beginner a traditional tip takes a bit of getting used too, this design works first time. My 5 and 8 year old girls Lauren and Millie gilded a these glass panels 2ftx2ft with gold leaves in full with only a few minor mistakes. this was my test for the tip.They were not able to do it with a normal tip. If anyone is interested in purchasing one of these please send me an email to......... chapman_and_smith@btinternet.com. In the next month they will be forsale from Handover Brushes in London. The Handle is Brass and the plate is Anodised alluminium ,on the rear it has a screw threaded top. I have encased a liner for keeping it all in place inside a foil printed box.
The box compartment can be taken out for you to place your book of gold inside. By cutting off the book binding with a new blade and then removing each sheet of rouge paper with a small piece of double sided tape attached to the end of a pencil, speeds up the whole process of laying goldleaf.
Dave

Dave: Well, this is a revolting development indeed! Mere sprites doing in moments what has confounded me for decades. And in their pajamas, yet!

The concept is absolutely elegant--and the high-finish components and deluxe packaging are really a bonus. Can't wait to give it a try. Congratulations!

Mark

Hey Dave, nice tip!

Cute lasses too! When will they be making a training video to really show how well they work?

They're being compensated for their time right? Have the model releases and all?

Danny

you are one amazing guy mr. smith !! ...thank you for being you and sharing that with us !.. that device is simply amazing ! ........at the last deadman i watched david t. lay whole leaves. i emulated and now feel comfortable with the whole. ...distance is key ! .....just slip it off very close to the glass...but i would love to see this "tip" in action. your presentation is great !

Thankyou so much for your comments here. The idea is not to replace the traditional tip as you will still need that for smaller gold pieces and like some people will already be happy with laying full leaves with the traditional method. I was shown how to gild full leaves in this country by putting two tips together ,but due to the gap in the centre where the hair was higher than the lower tip the golds back would break in two occasionally. I always struggled with laying full leaves,it used to bug me big time. The pics of my girls show them laying the leaf, I guided Lauren to where to place the leaf and she put each one on her self after I had brushed on the size. My idea came from me having a workshop here with two local signwriters. Jake Ansell who now works for Russell Kelly in Canada was on my course here,he was doing great with laying full leaves straight from the book like you mentioned Vance about Dave T. Jake had laid about 5 full leaves staright one after the other very quickly and then disaster for the next 3 until he got his swing again, I said to him there must be a more easier way of laying the gold than having to put up with this. Possibly transfer tape like we use for vinyl (kidding)This is what sprung to mind at that moment . Attached the proto type that I made that day when Jake was there. Mark thanks for your comment on the tip ,please forward your address to my email I will send you one over.
I leave for the States tonight and will be bringing 24 fully made Smith Tips with me.
Thanks
Dave

Dave,

1st, I LOVE the logo!

2nd, I don't do glass work but having observed it and I can see how useful this puppy will be. Just one question tho. How do you charge the tip??

I just have this vision of me hitting my head repeatedly with that aluminum plate and brass handle.

Joe,

Great idea and execution. Have you considered synthetic hairs which hold a charge longer?

So easy a child can do it I may as well retire.

Let us know when you have stateside distribution.

Fantastic- Now I too can lay whole leaves in my Pyjamas!

Brilliant Idea Dave- as you say- two tips together can be hit and miss.

Are you bringing some to Wales with you in August?- if so ,put me down for one.

What a great idea and what a quality label!

Put me down for one. Where do I send the money....and how much?

I am bring 24 of these to the States tommorrow. I have 200 made back here so distribution will be easy once I return from the States.
I still need to work out a shipping cost which will be included within the final price These Tips have a bit of weight to them due to the handle being brass which makes controling them for manipulation and placing the leaf easy and precise. When I return on the 2nd of August I will have a final costing for them, which I can asure you all will be very fair. The postage will be a signed for packet Hopefully that way they can be insured. I will be using Paypal and Bankers drafts.
Thanks for all the emails and orders so far.
Dave

Now how did those cute girls get it that way? You see, this ole tip of mine is just like old barn hay, there not a thing you can gild with it. Guess I'll just have to try me one of them new fangled tips!

-WB

I have to say, when following Dave's unique and innovative project from the "Get Go", I knew instantly that I was witnessing a new milestone in Gilder Tip technology.

Think about it...for over a century this tip design hasn't even changed! Now with Dave's new tip, the reluctant novice will brave these new open waters of gilding ...without hesitating.

Not only did Dave come up with a superb idea here, but actually put more thought into the real end-product...his concern for a quality product is obvious here.
This, in my opinion, will change the face of gilding tips as we know them. I think even the traditionalists will see that this a much needed tool, not to mention the time saved in using it. After all, "Time is Money" right?

Disclaimer
*I am in no way affiliated with or have been compensated by the "Smith Tip Company" :wink:

Disclaimer?

That's Godby, as in the glass sign here??:

http://www.handletteringforum.com/forum ... php?t=1954

If not, I'll take that sample, thank you very much!

So much for an unbiased opinion....

Danny

aw danny thats a bit unfair.


Just by Dave's very existance we are all richly rewarded indeed- This is one Genius who is NOT selfish--Bringing us this tip is just the icing on the cake.

.
.
.
.( Can I pick up my cheque now Dave?)

Unfair?

I was razzing Gary. Someone has to do it.

Besides, mines already here...... one of each.

You guys are just spoiled. But then I guess you deserve it.

All I got was an email with a picture....but a lovely picture it was, David. Thank you.

Has the Englishman arrived from across the pond? Have fun everyone.

Don't worry Dan...I saw the razzing and it was deserved. However...after spending so much time learning how to lay a full leaf the hard way I'll be darned if I'm gonna give it up without a struggle. I guess I'll just have to get one of these gizzmo's myself and watch all those years of hard work go down to the experience of one of his kids!...and good looking kids they are!

Tony on Larry's computer....

well then...

after taking a few classes in verre eglomise', and watching the instructors use two tips overlapped with a handle, that being a champagne cork, glued on, I couldn't wait to give this a try...and I'm proud to say I purchased (the first?) 'Smith Tip' right here in the town of Machine, and it works extremely well.

No charge for the product review, Smitty, excellent tool.

Aho.

This tip is a good one!
It sure works slick....there is a lot of leaf being laid with it here and everyone seems to like it!

Well folks, I got the opportunity to use Dave's new Smith Tip, and I must report that I'm quite amazed!

It's like a tight rope walker being given a 12" plank to walk!

Smooth, even, full leaf gilds, without any stress (or waste). The full leaves can easily and systematically be place with minimum overlap. Heck, you don't even need patience anymore for leafing. And you don't have to hold your breath! Dave even extracted the "Just lucky, I guess" factor out of gilding.

I wish I had this tip when I started gilding, I could've saved a lot of money on leaf.

I don't know the price of this gem, but what you'll save in time and leaf will be made up in the first job.

Bill Blake gives the Smith Tip his full recommendation!

-One Mr. Bill Blake

we walk among GAINTS folks....how fortunate we are to learn from the teachers....thank you all !

Having had the opportunity to receive a demonstration of the Smith tip from Dave himself it didn't take a second to realize the monetary savings impact this little tip device provides. Just trying to gild at the meet with an ordinary gilders tip while attendees were walking by my easel was greatly improved with the Smith tip. The turbulence of air that their passing created had little effect on the leaf applied with Dave's creation. While laying full leaves, it was immediately apparent that I there would be a lot less patching required. Just like a regular gilders tip it requires some practice, but even an experienced gilder will notice immediate increased performance in his work, as if you were having one of those especially good gilding days! I expect that I will get improved mileage out of my books of gold. I also feel inspired to leaf much larger areas.
Thanks Dave!

Pat

"Where are the holidays?" That summarizes my main problem with Dave's new tip.
Everyone loves a holiday and I'm accustomed to having plenty of them when I water gild on glass. But after my first use of the tip, the need for a second gild was greatly diminished. I searched in vain and thankly found a few holes here and there but I have a feeling that the more I use it, the frequency of these holidays will be fewer and farther between.
Also, this is problematic for strict traditionalists who want to be able to say "That's the way it's always been done." Or better yet "Nah, you'll need to just sweep the shop and steal glances at how it is done until someday, once you prove yourself, you may be initiated into the art of glass gilding. But even then, you will need to lay at least a pack of gold - that's 500 leaves - as your 'tuition' before you can begin to consider yourself to be a gilder."
But a 5 year-old being able to do it?
Well, I guess that's the price of progress:
Less holidays and fewer traditions.
It didn't take much convincing for me to buy one of these little gems.
Thanks, Dave.
Dan
P.S. 'Course the Smith Tip isn't hired exclusive. The traditional tip still has plenty of uses when I do a job on-site. Pack 'em up & use 'em. Bofe of 'em.

I really am overwelmed with all your comments on my design of this new gilding tip.
It was quite a challenge trying to put a quality overall package together .I will have a price on this tommorrow including shipping to other countries, I also have many companies interested and ready to take it on for distribution. My initial thoughts on cost will probably be $70.00 including postage insured worldwide, but I will need to confirm this on Thursday. The basic thought process was the cost of saving on gold and to apply a goldleaf wrinkle free. The weight of the handle puts pressure on the gold and lifts it in one piece, a bit simialar to using a printing stamp.
I sold a total of 26 Tips at the Deadman meet, and everyone of you including Erin, Tony Segal's daughter were laying full leaves.( she made a great job) I think it was Russ who took a photo of Erin appling full leaves. Another signartist at the Deadman was Larrys school friend Jeff who was doing a grand job with laying full leaves. I will respond to the many emails you have all sent me tommorrow. I will be using Paypal to sell these from here. Or if it is not possible for some a US cheque converted to British Currency will also be ok, there may be a small handling fee which would be confirmed.
One question which was asked by Joe ,was how to charge the tip. It works great by applying a small amount of vaseline to your forearm or whatever your prefered charging methods, through your hair or why not try a cut piece of carpet at the same size as the box , you could probably embed enough vaseline to this to last ages .One charge usually does it for applying 15 or so leaves.
If anyone has any other thoughts or suggestions I am open to your ideas.
I would also like to thank Larry for letting me launch this design at one of the best Letterhead meets I have been to,he really knows how to put a meet together. Thanks Larry!

Once again thanks for all your support.
Dave

Italian Indian applying gold - (Tony Segale's daughter). Her second time laying leaf.

Note the full sheets, no holidays.

Tony's daughter found the tip simple to use ,she made a great job of this glass panel.

The cost of the tip will be $65.00 plus postage .The postage is insured and will need to be signed for once arriving at its destination .I had the post office weigh the package and quote the cost for shipping this morning. Many thanks for your interest in my product as mentioned previously, please contact me via my email. chapman_and_smith@btinternet.com
It's 11.00 in the evening here ,I will respond to all the emails and orders tommorrow

Thanks for your support
Dave

I still haven't had a chance to go through my pictures. I might have some shots of the new gilders tip in use.

Once I got mine charged properly it worked like a champ. I was even using it to lay half and quarter leaves. It keeps the leaf nice and parallel to the glass.

The beaten leaves beneath the rouge paper have spoken thru the fire.
The beaten leaves have lain along time lookin up at the glass.
Some believe they should be projected forward without a tip.
But I believe you should use a Smith Tip, leaping forward to the glass.
Did you gild with the sweetwater which gilded you?

stupid gilded white man.

What a great response I have had with this new tip design. I very much appreciate all the feedback from everyone . I have had orders from all over including New Zealand and Australia.
I made an add here yesterday for the Smith Tip, and would like to ask this community of artists what you think with using this wording in ribbon area-reading (CHILDS PLAY ) to promote my Tip. Open to suggestions and I won't be offended guys!
Dave



The Handover add will be made slightly bigger.

Dave,

a few ad bylines to consider...

"Even Dead Men can Gild with it" ...we know this is true, but some might not understand
"Child's Play" ...fits with the pictures of your beautiful daughter, but some might take it as a negative description of the skill of our craft

now.. "How Angels Gild" ..has a positive tone, and fits pretty good with the photos.

Just my two pence.

Aho.