From: owner-scribes@castle.org (scribes digest) To: scribes-digest@castle.org Subject: scribes digest V8 #90 Reply-To: Sender: owner-scribes@castle.org Errors-To: owner-scribes@castle.org Precedence: bulk scribes digest Monday, December 2 2002 Volume 08 : Number 090 ======================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with unsubscribe scribes-digets in the body of the message. Leave the subject line blank. Do not include any additional text. RE: [scribes]: gilders knife? Re: [scribes]: gilders knife? RE: [scribes]: gilders knife? Re: [scribes]: gilders knife? [scribes]: Monthly Administrivia Mailing [scribes]: Information [scribes]: Re: [Mid] No more "Medieval Woman" calendar :-( [scribes]: Intro Re: [scribes]: Intro ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 30 Nov 2002 08:27:34 -0500 From: "Helen Schultz" Subject: RE: [scribes]: gilders knife? Anna: A gilder's knife had a square cutting surface, whereas I would guess a paint knife has a rounded edge so it won't cut (not being a painter, I have only a cursory knowledge of pallet knives). Aren't pallet knives (you call it a painter knife) used to push around and smooth out globs of oil paint?? Well, a gilder's knife is meant to simply cut gold leaf on a gilder's pad without having to use much of a "sawing" motion... you mostly just bring the knife down onto the gold. The edge looks something like: |_| when you look at its edge. Meisterin Katarina Helene von Schönborn, OL Shire of Narrental (Peru, Indiana) http://narrental.home.insightbb.com Middle Kingdom http://meisterin.katarina.home.insightbb.com {Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.} - -----Original Message----- What is the difference between a gilders knife and a paint knife with the same shape? Is there a diffence? Anna de Byxe =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 30 Nov 2002 12:01:22 -0500 From: Randy Asplund Subject: Re: [scribes]: gilders knife? I simply use a 1" long dull X-acto knife. It works well, and since we are usually doing small bits anyway, it cuts all I need at the moment. RanthulfR Helen Schultz wrote: > > Anna: > > A gilder's knife had a square cutting surface, whereas I would guess a > paint knife has a rounded edge so it won't cut (not being a painter, I > have only a cursory knowledge of pallet knives). Aren't pallet knives > (you call it a painter knife) used to push around and smooth out globs > of oil paint?? Well, a gilder's knife is meant to simply cut gold leaf > on a gilder's pad without having to use much of a "sawing" motion... you > mostly just bring the knife down onto the gold. The edge looks > something like: |_| when you look at its edge. > > Meisterin Katarina Helene von Schönborn, OL > Shire of Narrental (Peru, Indiana) http://narrental.home.insightbb.com > Middle Kingdom > http://meisterin.katarina.home.insightbb.com > > {Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.} > > > -----Original Message----- > > What is the difference between a gilders knife and a > paint knife with the same shape? Is there a diffence? > > Anna de Byxe > > =================================================================== > To unsubscribe from this list, send email to > with a blank Subject: line and > unsubscribe scribes > in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in > the body. - -- VISIT RandyAsplund.com To see a Universe of art ranging from Magic: The Gathering to Star Trek and Medieval Manuscripts: Original Art & Prints for sale! Randy Asplund (734) 663-0954 Science Fiction and Fantasy Illustration 2101 S. Circle Dr., Ann Arbor, MI. 48103 =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 30 Nov 2002 12:33:41 -0500 From: "Helen Schultz" Subject: RE: [scribes]: gilders knife? I also use an Xacto knife, but if mine is dull, I find it tears my loose leaf too much, so end up with a fairly sharp one. I usually leave my gold in the booklet and add a carefully placed thicker sheet behind as I work through the leaf I am currently using. Then, I usually just run the back edge of the Xacto knife across the bridge of my nose to pick up skin oils... I then touch that back edge to a small corner of the leaf and it lifts up quite easily to place over the moistened gilding base. I don't usually moisten until I have cut the piece the size I want and have lifted it from the backing sheet. This works well for me, but might not work for others. I started out using a straw as so many people recommend, but ended up with it filling up with condensation and once it dripped onto my calligraphy and made me quite upset. I now just bend down close enough to the piece to puff from the back of my throat onto the gilding base. Of course, with Patent leaf, all you have to do is cut the pieces with a clean pair of scissors and have a pair of tweezers handy. I work fine with either form of gold. Meisterin Katarina Helene von Schönborn, OL Shire of Narrental (Peru, Indiana) http://narrental.home.insightbb.com Middle Kingdom http://meisterin.katarina.home.insightbb.com {Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.} - -----Original Message----- I simply use a 1" long dull X-acto knife. It works well, and since we are usually doing small bits anyway, it cuts all I need at the moment. RanthulfR =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 30 Nov 2002 18:45:39 -0500 From: Randy Asplund Subject: Re: [scribes]: gilders knife? Yes, as M. Katarina says, the tube is right out. I never use it for the same reasons. Besides, what's wrong with using your breath up close? I mean, it isn't like the gesso will curl away if you don't eat a Certs! The knife is dull so it won't cut the suede gilder's cushion. I usually wipe the edge very lightly with the moisture from my finger after that is taken from the side of my nose or forehead. It is much safer than running a sharp edge over those places and you can control the amount better. At the ready in your other hand hold a tissue or some glassine paper (so you don't get tissue dust on the surrounding gesso), and be ready to gently press the gold down after you seat it. RanthulfR Helen Schultz wrote: > > I also use an Xacto knife, but if mine is dull, I find it tears my loose > leaf too much, so end up with a fairly sharp one. I usually leave my > gold in the booklet and add a carefully placed thicker sheet behind as I > work through the leaf I am currently using. Then, I usually just run > the back edge of the Xacto knife across the bridge of my nose to pick up > skin oils... I then touch that back edge to a small corner of the leaf > and it lifts up quite easily to place over the moistened gilding base. > I don't usually moisten until I have cut the piece the size I want and > have lifted it from the backing sheet. This works well for me, but > might not work for others. I started out using a straw as so many > people recommend, but ended up with it filling up with condensation and > once it dripped onto my calligraphy and made me quite upset. I now just > bend down close enough to the piece to puff from the back of my throat > onto the gilding base. Of course, with Patent leaf, all you have to do > is cut the pieces with a clean pair of scissors and have a pair of > tweezers handy. I work fine with either form of gold. > > Meisterin Katarina Helene von Schönborn, OL > Shire of Narrental (Peru, Indiana) http://narrental.home.insightbb.com > Middle Kingdom > http://meisterin.katarina.home.insightbb.com > > {Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.} > > > -----Original Message----- > > I simply use a 1" long dull X-acto knife. It works well, and since we > are usually doing small bits anyway, it cuts all I need at the moment. > > RanthulfR > > =================================================================== > To unsubscribe from this list, send email to > with a blank Subject: line and > unsubscribe scribes > in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in > the body. - -- VISIT RandyAsplund.com To see a Universe of art ranging from Magic: The Gathering to Star Trek and Medieval Manuscripts: Original Art & Prints for sale! Randy Asplund (734) 663-0954 Science Fiction and Fantasy Illustration 2101 S. Circle Dr., Ann Arbor, MI. 48103 =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 1 Dec 2002 00:00:01 -0800 (PST) From: Lee Damon Subject: [scribes]: Monthly Administrivia Mailing This is the monthly mailing of the administrivia information for the scribes mailing list. [Last updated on: Thu Jul 8 21:26:10 PDT 1999] This is the scribes mailing list. It is open for discussion of scribal arts including illumination, calligraphy, paper making, etc. The posting address for scribes is "scribes@castle.org". To unsubscribe, send email to "majordomo@castle.org" with "unsubscribe scribes" in the body of the message. If you want to receive a digest version of this list, unsubscribe from scribes (see the instructions, above) and subscribe to scribes-digest instead. Problems and questions should be addressed to "scribes-owner@castle.org" as the list maintainer may or may not actually read the scribes mailing list. This mailing list is not an official list of the Society for Creative Anachronism, any College of Scribes, or the Barony of Calafia. No spam is allowed on this list. Spammers will be deleted without warning. TECHNICAL NOTE: This mailing list is set up to retain the original author's email address in the From: line. Most email programs will reply directly to the author unless you select the equivalent of "reply to all". This is done to reduce the likelihood of the embarrassing "me too" that happens all too often on mailing lists these days. There are other SCA-related mailing lists hosted @castle.org. scribes@castle.org antir_apprentices@castle.org antir_scribes@castle.org cal_cooking@castle.org caid_scribes@castle.org caid_heralds@castle.org caid_bluefeather@castle.org tanwayour@castle.org You can subscribe to them the same way you subscribed to this list. If you get this far in this message, there are two requests the list maintainer would make: 1. Please send a note of introduction to the scribes list. Say who you are, where you are, and what your scribal interests are. and 2. Please sign your notes to this list with your society name and branch, along with your mundane name and location. Enjoy! Your list maintainer is: Lord Christopher Thomas mka Lee Damon Madrone, An Tir Seattle, WA =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 1 Dec 2002 10:45:06 -0600 From: "Pafra & Scott Catledge" Subject: [scribes]: Information This is a multi-part message in MIME format. - ------=_NextPart_000_0032_01C29926.B663DC80 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable As requested by the list maintainer, I am Colm Dubh, Incipient Shire of Nord du Lac, Principality of Gleann = Abhann, Meridies. My scribal interests lie in Celtic Illumination & = knotwork and in uncial and half-uncial script. I have been studying = medieval illumination for the last five months in a monthly scriptorium = led by Lady Lucia Borromeo. I am an apprentice to His Excellency Master Finn Normansson. - ------=_NextPart_000_0032_01C29926.B663DC80 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
As requested by the list maintainer,
I am Colm Dubh, Incipient Shire of Nord du Lac, = Principality=20 of Gleann Abhann, Meridies.  My scribal interests lie in Celtic=20 Illumination & knotwork and in uncial and half-uncial script.  = I have=20 been studying medieval illumination for the last five months in a = monthly=20 scriptorium led by Lady Lucia Borromeo.
I am an apprentice to His Excellency Master Finn=20 Normansson.
- ------=_NextPart_000_0032_01C29926.B663DC80-- =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 01 Dec 2002 19:24:35 -0500 From: Fionnseach du Lochielle Subject: [scribes]: Re: [Mid] No more "Medieval Woman" calendar :-( Well, this isn't a substitute for the Medieval Woman calendar, but there is a calendar that is of interest to scribes. It is the "A Medieval Year: The Book of Rural Occupations 2003 Wall Calendar" It includes a bit of information about the manuscript as well as 12 of the 13 images. If you do a simple search on the titl e"Book of Rural Occupations" you will find a number of hits from various places to purchase either the wall calendar, or a desk calendar. Oh, the manuscript in question is currently in the Pierpont Morgan. Your servant, Fionnseach Sally Burnell put into words: >Workman publishing has short sightedly decided to discontinue publication of >the popular "Medieval Woman" calendars. I don't know about the rest of you, >but I will sorely miss this most valuable resource that has brought me so >much delight each and every day of the year for well over a decade now. - -~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- ~=Sister Fionnseach du Lochielle=~ Not to have, but to give; Chronicler/Web - Shire of Dernehealde Not to take, but to receive. Combat Scribe - Barony Middle Marches Pursuivant-at-Large - Middle Kingdom Protege of Master Brusten de Bearsul, OP Student of Meisterin Helene von Schönborn, OL =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 01 Dec 2002 19:21:40 -0700 From: Gytha Subject: [scribes]: Intro Greetings to the List! I am also fulfilling the introduction requirement :) SCA-wise, I'm Lady Gytha, an 11th C. Saxon. I started playing back in Caerthe in A.S. 9, moved to Artemisia a number of years later, and am just starting up again after an extended layoff. Mundanely, I'm Tonie, who lives in southern Utah, works at a ski resort, and is addicted to computers and handspinning, not necessarily in that order. At one time I became interested in calligraphy and illumination, and purchased many of the necessary supplies, but gave up after dragging my (left) hand through the ink one too many times. I pulled all the stuff out of storage last week, and am ready to give it a go again. I have discovered that if I use a left-hand nib and turn the paper clockwise about 120 degrees, I can trace the letters neatly and keep the side of my hand out of it. However, the thought of trying to learn to write like that is pretty depressing :Ž I'm looking for SCA-acceptable substitutes for some of the more toxic substances used in period, such as orpiment, cinnabar and white lead. I am having limited success (limited by time, mostly) with dry, earth-based pigments mixed into egg tempera, and with transfer gold on acrylic gesso. I have chalk and rabbit skin glue on order. If anyone has any suggestions on either of these issues, I'd appreciate it muchly :):) In service, Gytha =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 02 Dec 2002 08:47:45 -0600 From: "Amy L. Hornburg Heilveil" Subject: Re: [scribes]: Intro At 07:21 PM 12/1/2002 -0700, Gytha wrote: >I'm looking for SCA-acceptable substitutes for some of the more toxic >substances used in period, such as orpiment, cinnabar and white lead. I >am having limited success (limited by time, mostly) with dry, earth-based >pigments mixed into egg tempera, and with transfer gold on acrylic >gesso. I have chalk and rabbit skin glue on order. There are non-toxic substitutes for most of the colors you want. The first that comes to mind is zinc oxide or titanium white for white lead. Though both are good substitutes, nothing stands up on other colors for whitework like lead white. For Orpiment, substitute permanent yellow or gamboge. For Cinnabar, I can't think of a straight substitute that isn't toxic. I use cadmiums myself but then, I'm evidently not so picky about the toxicity of the paints I use as a lot of other people. If your earth based pigments aren't mixing well, put a drop of ox gall in and mix a short time before adding your binder. A drop of honey will make your paints more flexible. BTW, many SCA scribes never mix their own paints, preferring to buy and use tube gouache or watercolor already mixed. Your comfort level is what's important. Hope this helps and welcome back to the world of scribing! Smiles, Despina =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ End of scribes digest V8 #90 ****************************