Gold & Kintsugi

Pure gold powder, ready to be applied over red urushi

In Europe we are familiar with discussing what carat the gold might be in, say, a ring – 24ct, 18, 16, 12 or 9ct gold.  And this is true too for the powder used in kintsugi.  What is less well known outside of Japan is that the powder used in kintsugi comes in different grades as well.

The art of preparing gold powder for kintsugi is becoming increasingly rare. In Japan it is done by hand and is of the highest quality. Here are 3 of the most common types of gold powder used in kintsugi.

Keshi-fun (消粉):

• Keshi-fun is made up of the finest particles of gold of all.
• They are thin and have a paper-like shape. I am told that keshi-fun is made by ‘grinding’ 1 g of gold and then breaking it into fine 0.3μ thin gold leaves.
• Because Keshi-fun is made up of the smallest particles it is the easiest to apply and is very fine and delicate.

Maru-fun (丸粉)

• Maru-fun is made up of the largest gold particles. They are spherical. Maru-fun is made by filing bare metal and scrubbing it into tiny balls.
• I am led to understand that each gold particle has a diameter of between 5μ (0.005mm) to 0.3mm. The powder is categorised into 17 stages per its size; size 1, with a diameter of 5μ, is the smallest and size 17, with a diameter of 0.3 mm, is the largest.
• It is more difficult to apply but it is hardier once applied.
• Following application, once cured, you can burnish Maru-fun, and you can apply an urushi sealant, which is not possible with the more delicate keshi-fun.
• If you apply the urushi sealant, it gives protection to the finish, but also darkens the gold slightly, giving it a more antique look.

Nobe-fun (延粉), also called Hiragoku-fun (平極粉)

• Nobe-fun is a gold powder that stands halfway between keshi-fun and maru-fun. Its particles have an oval shape and a thickness of around 6μ.

I found this interesting blog about the difference between Keshi-fun and Maru-fun – click here.

I source most of my gold powder from Shizendou in Japan and would recommend them – however, if you live outside of Japan, be aware of customs charges.

In the UK, I have bought gold powder from Gold Leaf Supplies and I have been happy with the results. No custom charges, but VAT is added to the price.  Their gold comes from Germany and, rather than being produced by hand, it is fabricated by machine.  The closest approximation is Maru-fun, which makes it more difficult to apply than Keshi-fun.   I have used their 23.75 carat gold and their 16 carat gold and both have given me very good results.

Both Shizendou and Gold Leaf Supplies sell silver powder and a variety of brass powders.

• Silver and brass are not expensive.
• Brass comes in numerous shades and it is fun to experiment and thus discover the different tones so that you can choose the right one for each piece you repair.
• Other metal powders are available.
• Gold and silver are food safe, brass is not.