Guide to Gold Foiling on Leather - Updated 2024
Gold foiling leather with your logo or custom design is a popular way to add a touch of luxury and elegance to leather products such as wallets, journals, and even furniture. One way to achieve this effect is by using an electric branding iron or heating arbor press.
In this blog post, we will guide you through the process of gold foiling leather with a custom logo stamp.
Materials needed:
- Electric branding iron / Heating arbor press
- Custom leather stamp
- Hot Foil Sheet
- Leather piece
- Sturdy work surface
- A soft cloth
Step 1: Preparing the surface
Before starting, make sure the leather surface is clean and free of any dirt or dust. Use a soft cloth to wipe down the leather surface to ensure it is clean and smooth. Hot foiling works best with leather with a smooth surface like vegetable tanned leather.
Step 2: Heating the custom leather stamp with electric branding iron.
It's important to make sure that the branding iron is at the right temperature to transfer the gold foil onto the leather surface. We recommend an electric branding iron or heating arbor press that comes with temperature control. Plug in the branding iron with the custom made leather stamp fitted and set the temperature to 120-140°C.
Step 3: Placing the hot foil sheet
Once the electric branding iron reached the set temperature (120-140°C), it's time to apply the hot foil paper onto the surface. Carefully place the foil sheet over the surface. Make sure that the foil is evenly applied to the surface.
With an heating arbor press, foiling paper can be dispatched with a foil paper feeder that makes this process much easier.
Step 4: Using the electric branding iron
Now it's time to use the electric branding iron/heating arbor press.
Hold the branding iron with the custom leather stamp over the hot foil sheet and press down gently. Hold the branding iron in place for a few seconds to allow the heat to transfer the gold foil onto the leather surface. Be careful not to apply too much pressure or leave the branding iron in one spot for too long, as this may cause the leather to burn.
Step 5: Removing the branding iron and gold foil sheet
Once the gold foil has been transferred onto the leather surface, carefully remove the branding iron and the gold foil sheet. The gold foil should now be stuck to the leather surface.
Step 6: Finishing up
If there are any excess gold foil bits, use a soft cloth to gently remove them.
And that's it! Your leather piece is now gold foiled and ready to shine!
In conclusion, gold foiling leather with an electric branding iron is a simple yet effective way to add a touch of luxury to your leather products. With the right tools and some patience, you can create beautiful, gold-foiled leather items with your custom logo or design that are sure to impress.