Gilding Tools

Master the Art of Gilding with Precision Tools

Discover the finest selection of gilding knives, pads, horsehair cloths, brushes, and more.

The right tools make all the difference in achieving flawless gilding results. Our carefully curated collection features time-tested, high-quality tools crafted in the USA and Europe—trusted by gilders for centuries.

Whether you're a gilder, artist, framer, iconographer, restoration specialist, or conservator, you need tools that are reliable, expertly crafted, and consistently high in quality. Elevate your craft with the best.

Gilding Knives

Single and double edge gilder's knives

Gilder's Pads

Soft pads for cutting gold leaf

Gilding Brushes

Tips, Mops, Badger, Stipple, Sable, Quills

Gilding Kits

Basic and Professional Gilding Kits

Gilder's Wheel for ribbon leaf application

Gilding Wheels

For applying Ribbon leaf on rolls

Fine Rottenstone

Rottenstone polishing powder

More Traditional Water Gilding products

Pumice Powder

Pumice polishing powder

Cheesecloth

Cheesecloth polishing cloth

Horse Hair cloth

Horse hair polishing cloth

Cotton Gloves

Cotton gloves for gold leafing

Gilder's Knife

Gilder’s Knife — A precision cutting tool used to trim and size metal leaf on a gilder’s cushion prior to application. Available in single-edge or double-edge configurations, with flat or rounded tips to suit different cutting styles and preferences.

The thin, sharp blade allows clean, controlled cuts without tearing delicate leaf, making it essential for working with loose gold, silver, and metal leaf. Flat-tip knives are often favored for straight cuts and squared edges, while round-tip knives provide smooth, sweeping motions for curved or irregular shapes.

An indispensable tool for traditional water gilding, oil gilding, and restoration work, the gilder’s knife helps ensure accuracy, efficiency, and minimal waste during the gilding process.

MAGK/S $ 35.00 GILDERS KNIFE Single Edge, 5.9"	Round tip
MAGK/DS $ 35.00 GILDERS KNIFE Double Edge, 5.9"	Round tip

Gilder's Pad

Gilding Pad (Gilder’s Cushion) — A traditional suede-covered work surface used for handling and cutting loose gold, silver, and metal leaf prior to application. Designed to provide a soft, stable base that prevents tearing or static movement while working with delicate leaf.

Available in a variety of sizes to suit different project scales, gilding pads may be equipped with or without a protective shield. Pads with shields help reduce air movement and protect loose leaf from drafts, making them especially useful in studio or on-site environments.

Used in conjunction with a gilder’s knife and gilder’s tip, the gilding pad is an essential tool for traditional water gilding, oil gilding, and professional restoration work, allowing precise cutting, minimal waste, and confident leaf handling.

GP/K $ 50.00 Plain 6 x 6" American W/O Shield - BLACK Suede	W/O Shield
GP/S $ 110.00 Standard 6 x 10"American W/Paper Shield - BLACK Suede	3 Paper Shield
GP/D $ 74.00 Deluxe 7 x 9½" Italian W/O Shield - TAN Suede	w/o Shield

Gilding pad for cutting gold and Silver leaf

Magnetic Gilder's Pad

MAGNETIC GILDERS PAD, 11" x 7" with suede and magnetic sheild. Made in Italy.

The Magnetic Gilders Pad represents a professional-grade tool essential for any serious gold leafing practitioner. This Italian-crafted pad measures 11" x 7" and features a premium suede surface designed to hold loose leaf gold with precision and control.

The integrated magnetic shield technology prevents static interference and keeps delicate gold leaves from shifting during application, ensuring clean, accurate placement every time. Constructed with meticulous attention to detail, this pad accommodates various gold leaf sizes and formats. The magnetic component works in tandem with the suede base to create an optimal working surface that minimizes waste and maximizes efficiency. Whether you're gilding fine art, decorative objects, or architectural elements, this tool provides the stability and reliability that professional artisans demand

GP/MAG $ 87.00
GILDERS PAD, 11" x 7" with suede and magnetic shield

With Shield

Gilder's Gloves

Cotton Gilder’s Gloves are designed to protect delicate metal leaf during handling and application. They prevent oils, moisture, and contaminants from the hands from transferring onto the surface, helping prevent oxidation and maintain the brilliance and integrity of genuine gold leaf, silver leaf, and other metal leaf materials.

Especially important when working with tarnish-prone metals such as imitation gold and copper leaf, cotton gloves reduce oxidation and unwanted marks while allowing clean, controlled handling of tools, books, and finished surfaces.

Lightweight, breathable, and comfortable for extended use, cotton gilder’s gloves are an essential accessory for professional gilders, restorers, and conservation work where cleanliness and surface protection are critical.

CGG $ 13.50
Cotton Gilders Gloves - 100% Cotton - 6 pairs (12 individual gloves)

Gloves

Gilding Wheel for ribbon leaf application

Gilder's Wheel

A gilder's best friend for large surfaces. The Gilder' wheel facilitates the application of genuine or metal leaf on rolls, also know as Ribbon leaf

MAGWML/152 $ 210.00
The Gilder' wheel - 6" - Made in Italy - facilitates the application of genuine or metal leaf on rolls, also know as Ribbon leaf

6" Gilder's Wheel

Horsehair Cloth

Horsehair Polishing Cloth. A traditional, mildly abrasive polishing cloth made from natural horsehair, specifically designed for preparing bole clay during the water gilding process.

Used prior to laying genuine gold leaf, the horsehair cloth gently polishes and compresses the bole surface, removing minor imperfections while creating a smooth, uniform foundation. This step is critical for achieving clean adhesion and a refined burnished finish in Traditional Water Gilding.

The controlled abrasiveness of horsehair allows for effective surface refinement without damaging the delicate bole layers beneath. Measuring approximately 10" × 15", this cloth is well suited for both small detail areas and larger gilded surfaces.

An essential preparatory tool for professional gilders and restoration specialists, the horsehair polishing cloth helps ensure optimal results before the application of genuine gold leaf.

HHC $ 8.00
Horse hair polishing cloth - 10" x 15"

Cloth

Rottenstone

Rottenstone is an ultra-fine natural abrasive traditionally used for polishing, toning, and finishing varnished surfaces. In gilding, it is often applied as an “antiquing” or “aging” dust to subtly replicate the soft accumulation of time, such as the gentle patina found on picture frames or mirrors that have aged naturally in historic interiors.

In decorative finishing and restoration work, rottenstone is especially valued for producing a delicate, worn appearance on gold leaf and metal leaf surfaces. Its extremely fine particle size allows for nuanced surface adjustment and mellowing of brilliance without aggressive abrasion.

Rottenstone is commonly used after an initial polishing with a coarser abrasive such as pumice powder, resulting in a smoother, more refined surface with a controlled, slightly glossy sheen. This graduated approach offers greater flexibility in shaping the final character of the finish.

Beyond gilding, rottenstone is also effective for lightly sanding varnished surfaces, reducing minor imperfections, and buffing stains or marks in wood finishes—making it a versatile material for conservation, restoration, and fine finishing applications.

RS/500 $ 18.50 Rottenstone - polishing powder - 17.6oz	500 gram
RS/K $ 30.00 Rottenstone - polishing powder - 32.5oz	1 Kilo	<

Pumice Powder

Pumice Powder – Extra Fine is a traditional abrasive used in gilding, restoration, and decorative finishing to gently abrade and refine surfaces. In gilding applications, it is commonly used to rub gilded areas to create a softly worn, antiqued appearance without aggressively cutting through the leaf.

Pumice powder may be used dry or mixed with water, oil, or solvent to form a polishing paste. When applied with a soft cloth or pad, it allows controlled smoothing and polishing of varnished, painted, or gilded surfaces prior to final finishing.

A versatile and time-tested material, extra-fine pumice powder is valued by professional gilders, restorers, and conservators for its balance of effectiveness and control in both surface preparation and aging techniques.

PX/100 $ 14.00 Pumice powder - Extra Fine - 100 gram	100 gram
PX/500 $ 22.00 Pumice powder - Extra Fine - 500 gram	500 gram
PX/K $ 34.00 Pumice powder - Extra Fine - 1 Kilo	1 Kilo

Cheese Cloth

Cheesecloth is a versatile, lint-free cotton fabric widely used in professional gilding for both surface cleanup and protection of finished work. Supplied in a convenient 20" × 12" box containing 100 yards, it provides ample material for studio and jobsite use.

After leaf has been applied, cheesecloth is ideal for gently removing skewings, loose fragments, and excess metal leaf without scratching or disturbing the freshly gilded surface. Its soft, open weave allows controlled cleaning, making it especially useful when working with delicate gold leaf, silver leaf, and metal leaf.

Cheesecloth is also commonly used during finishing and protection stages. It can be employed to softly buff surfaces, apply or remove polishing compounds such as pumice or rottenstone, and assist in spreading sealers or toning materials evenly when a light touch is required.

For protecting completed gilded objects and surfaces, cheesecloth may be used as a breathable wrapping layer, helping shield finished work from dust, abrasion, and handling during curing, transport, or storage.

An essential, multi-purpose studio material, cheesecloth is trusted by gilders, restorers, and conservators for its gentle handling characteristics and adaptability across all stages of the gilding process.

CCR $ 192.00
CHEESECLOTH - 20 X 12" BOX of 100 yards

Cheesecloth

Learn More

Gold Leaf for Beginners »
How to Gold Leaf »
Oil Gilding Guide »

Need a Specific Material?

Genuine Gold Leaf »
Metal and Composition Leaf »
Size and Adhesives »

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