metal-leaf tooling (techniques)

Tooling using tools cast or cut with a decorative motif, that are usually hand-held and heated, are pressed onto a metal leaf over a thermo-plastic adhesive such as egg glaire which leaves the pattern in the metal leaf impressed into a surface. The term 'metal-leaf tooling' can be used for any tooling using a metal leaf made from an alloy or a combination of different metals, but of which the exact composition is unknown. An unknown metal leaf can be described by its colour, such as gold-coloured metal leaf, silver-coloured metal leaf.