Koftgari, How is it done?

Jeff Pringle · 17th March 2007, 06:26 AM

There are a few ways to execute the technique, some traditions use a steel needle or scriber to crosshatch the ground. You can also erase extra crosshatching by burnishing, in the link it looks like they are using a punch to do most of the smoothing out.
There is not a whole lot of info on the technique out there, compared to other traditional crafts.

Pukka Bundook · 17th March 2007, 03:06 PM

Thanks for the further information Jeff.

I'd love to have a bash at this, but my main weapon at the moment is ignorance!
From the link you provided, I see that the shapes were cut out and applied, but can imagine that on very fine, repetetive designs, this would most likely not be possible, and was wondering if a film of silver/gold was applied more-or-less over the whole area, then either;
(A) a shaped punch used to "set" the pattern, the remainder being removed afterwards, or;
(B)the whole area being set, then the graver used to remove the overlay where it wasn't required.

The latter would make recovery of the excess overlay material difficult though.

What got me wondering about this, is I have a tulwar that was decorated with tiny crosses, originally over the entire hilt, and can't for the life of me see how these wee crosses could have been cut out, and applied with such uniform regularity.
In this hilt's case, where the silver was, and has worn off, the base - metal is higher, than between the crosses, as though a graver may have been used, Or an acid etch, to give depth to the finished product.

Any thoughts?

Thank you again for all your help Jeff.
Richard.

Jeff Pringle · 17th March 2007, 03:51 PM

You are welcome, Richard -
I've seen repetitive floral designs done with fine wire, doubled back on itself to make leaves & flowers, but I'm sure someone, somewhere has done the overlay and removal as you have outlined it, it's a flexible technique.

On the silver crosses, it sounds like it might be one of the other ways of overlay that Jens mentioned, if there is no evidence of cross hatching where the silver has worn off - but without a reasonably good photo, I can't speculate further. Can you get a close-up photo to post?

Jens Nordlunde · 17th March 2007, 04:49 PM

Before I start I would like to make it clear, that at least in some of the old books, koftgari is used for what we to day call inlay, as well as for what we call koftgari and for what some authors call inferior koftgari. Although it is not always noted, the surface was always cleaned with limejuice before the gold was applied, and with inlay the channel was left rough to make the gold stick better.

Inlay. The pattern was traced on the steel and engraved with a fine pointed instrument called cherma. Deep channels with undercut margins produced the finest quality of work which was expensive but durable. The metal was heated before the wire was hammered into the channel, forcing the wire into the space where it was required to spread. With the job completed, the surface was polished with agate rubber, mohari and cleaned with limejuice. Sometimes the inlay was filed down to be at surface level before being polished.

Koftgari. The surface was crosshatched with a knife or needle and the patters drawn over it with a hard steel needle, silai. The wire was hammered onto the surface, following the pattern, polished and cleaned with limejuice. In most of these cases the wire was too thin to be filed down further, but sometimes a thicker wire was used, letting the pattern stand in relief.

Mulamma – koftgari imitation, or gold plating on steel. The surface to be gilded was crosshatched or filed and the pattern drawn with a silai over it. Gold leaf almost microscopic thin was then applied and rubbed with an agate, bone or ivory burnisher. It was heated and rubbed again so that the soft gold was evenly spread and fixed to the surface, and the work was cleaned with limejuice.
Gilding was also done by applying and pressing a thin paste of gold and mercury on the steel surface. The application was heated to drive off the mercury leaving the gold fixed to the surface.

Islamic Arms and Armour of Muslim India by Dr. Syed Zafar Haider).

Pukka Bundook · 18th March 2007, 03:49 AM

Jeff,
Here is a close up of the little crosses, and one at a more moderate distance.
It sure looks rough from close up!

Jens,
Thank you for the over-view of different techniques.
I can see how possibly thin wire could be hammered onto the roughened base-metal, laying strands both ways to produce crosses.
I think if it were me though, I'd go insane before the first project was finished!

Now inlay, That I can understand!
It's no use, I'll have to have a bash as time allows...

Jens Nordlunde · 18th March 2007, 01:28 PM

I think the crosses are made in koftgari and the scratching, with the time, covered by rust and dust.
There is one more decoration which belongs in this category, and that is the dotted decoration. Dots are made close to each other in the pattern wished, and gold wire is hammered into the dots. The picture is not very good, but I think you can get the idea.

Jeff Pringle · 19th March 2007, 04:21 AM

Looks koftgari to me, too - and perhaps some black paint / pitch / enamel to help rust and dust fill in between the Xs?
Usually there is more than one direction of scratches, which is obscure on this, a couple hints but less obvious than usual. I'm having trouble deciding if the silver was applied in wire or foil form, right now it looks like small snips of wire due to the uniform line thickness and sharp inside corners on the Xs, but I might come up with a good theory for foil later on...

18th March 2007, 03:49 AM	#5
Pukka Bundook Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 803	Jeff, Here is a close up of the little crosses, and one at a more moderate distance. It sure looks rough from close up! Jens, Thank you for the over-view of different techniques. I can see how possibly thin wire could be hammered onto the roughened base-metal, laying strands both ways to produce crosses. I think if it were me though, I'd go insane before the first project was finished! Now inlay, That I can understand! It's no use, I'll have to have a bash as time allows... Attached Images

18th March 2007, 01:28 PM	#6
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	I think the crosses are made in koftgari and the scratching, with the time, covered by rust and dust. There is one more decoration which belongs in this category, and that is the dotted decoration. Dots are made close to each other in the pattern wished, and gold wire is hammered into the dots. The picture is not very good, but I think you can get the idea. Attached Images

17th March 2007, 06:26 AM	#1
Jeff Pringle Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 189	There are a few ways to execute the technique, some traditions use a steel needle or scriber to crosshatch the ground. You can also erase extra crosshatching by burnishing, in the link it looks like they are using a punch to do most of the smoothing out. There is not a whole lot of info on the technique out there, compared to other traditional crafts.

17th March 2007, 03:06 PM	#2
Pukka Bundook Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 803	Thanks for the further information Jeff. I'd love to have a bash at this, but my main weapon at the moment is ignorance! From the link you provided, I see that the shapes were cut out and applied, but can imagine that on very fine, repetetive designs, this would most likely not be possible, and was wondering if a film of silver/gold was applied more-or-less over the whole area, then either; (A) a shaped punch used to "set" the pattern, the remainder being removed afterwards, or; (B)the whole area being set, then the graver used to remove the overlay where it wasn't required. The latter would make recovery of the excess overlay material difficult though. What got me wondering about this, is I have a tulwar that was decorated with tiny crosses, originally over the entire hilt, and can't for the life of me see how these wee crosses could have been cut out, and applied with such uniform regularity. In this hilt's case, where the silver was, and has worn off, the base - metal is higher, than between the crosses, as though a graver may have been used, Or an acid etch, to give depth to the finished product. Any thoughts? Thank you again for all your help Jeff. Richard.

17th March 2007, 03:51 PM	#3
Jeff Pringle Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 189	You are welcome, Richard - I've seen repetitive floral designs done with fine wire, doubled back on itself to make leaves & flowers, but I'm sure someone, somewhere has done the overlay and removal as you have outlined it, it's a flexible technique. On the silver crosses, it sounds like it might be one of the other ways of overlay that Jens mentioned, if there is no evidence of cross hatching where the silver has worn off - but without a reasonably good photo, I can't speculate further. Can you get a close-up photo to post?

17th March 2007, 04:49 PM	#4
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Before I start I would like to make it clear, that at least in some of the old books, koftgari is used for what we to day call inlay, as well as for what we call koftgari and for what some authors call inferior koftgari. Although it is not always noted, the surface was always cleaned with limejuice before the gold was applied, and with inlay the channel was left rough to make the gold stick better. Inlay. The pattern was traced on the steel and engraved with a fine pointed instrument called cherma. Deep channels with undercut margins produced the finest quality of work which was expensive but durable. The metal was heated before the wire was hammered into the channel, forcing the wire into the space where it was required to spread. With the job completed, the surface was polished with agate rubber, mohari and cleaned with limejuice. Sometimes the inlay was filed down to be at surface level before being polished. Koftgari. The surface was crosshatched with a knife or needle and the patters drawn over it with a hard steel needle, silai. The wire was hammered onto the surface, following the pattern, polished and cleaned with limejuice. In most of these cases the wire was too thin to be filed down further, but sometimes a thicker wire was used, letting the pattern stand in relief. Mulamma – koftgari imitation, or gold plating on steel. The surface to be gilded was crosshatched or filed and the pattern drawn with a silai over it. Gold leaf almost microscopic thin was then applied and rubbed with an agate, bone or ivory burnisher. It was heated and rubbed again so that the soft gold was evenly spread and fixed to the surface, and the work was cleaned with limejuice. Gilding was also done by applying and pressing a thin paste of gold and mercury on the steel surface. The application was heated to drive off the mercury leaving the gold fixed to the surface. Islamic Arms and Armour of Muslim India by Dr. Syed Zafar Haider).

19th March 2007, 04:21 AM	#7
Jeff Pringle Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 189	Looks koftgari to me, too - and perhaps some black paint / pitch / enamel to help rust and dust fill in between the Xs? Usually there is more than one direction of scratches, which is obscure on this, a couple hints but less obvious than usual. I'm having trouble deciding if the silver was applied in wire or foil form, right now it looks like small snips of wire due to the uniform line thickness and sharp inside corners on the Xs, but I might come up with a good theory for foil later on...