In addition to pens, inks and papers, we also carry a variety of crucial accessories for Arabic calligraphy.
Bamboo pen box to protect your pens while on the go. Includes large cork stopper.
Maktas
The makta is a strip of natural material - horn, bone, or ivory- used as a surface to cut your pen on. It must be both hard and supple at the same time, in order to prevent splintering and breakage within the pen's nib.
This hand-made makta is inlaid with reclaimed piano ivory (legal for trade) and mother of pearl.
Inkwells
We carry seven varieties of inkwell, from the very small to very wide.
Our likka is imported directly from Japan as raw silk and then degummed in the traditional fashion for calligraphy.
Glass 1.5 oz Inkwell and Likka (raw silk fibers placed in the inkwell to absorb ink)
Raw silk fibers placed in the inkwell to absorb ink.
- Regulates the amount of ink on the pen
- Prevents spills in the workspace
- Made from pure raw mulberry silk fibers
Extra wide inkwell for use with wide celi pens. 2.5"/64mm opening. Comes with white cap. 3 likkas are included with this inkwell.
Small sized inkwell with square base. Plastic, 1" opening, 0.5" deep. Likka included.
Small size plastic inkwell. Screw top, 1" opening, .5" high. Excellent for traveling or small desk spaces. Likka included.
Three bladed knife specifically chosen as the best knife to cut pens. Stainless.
1000 grit Japanese waterstone for keeping your knives razor sharp. 3.5"x1"x1"
Includes pen knife, bone makta, and 1000 grit Japanese sharpening stone. Everything you need to keep the pens in working order and your knife sharp.
Razor sharp knife used for corrections and cleaning ink lines, known as tashih. Comes with three replacement blades.
Check out our other knives here!
Unique tool for applying perfectly even, unwavering fine lines. Perfect for applying the white line around the finished piece, as well as colored borders around a composition. This fine line painting tool also works great for tezhib and illumination of calligraphy.
Agate Paper Burnisher
Our hand-crafted paper burnisher is the only one of its kind available in America. The 2" polished agate stone is set in ash. It is the primary tool for making paper ready for calligraphy. Without proper burnishing, ahar paper can never properly receive the pen.
Most agate burnishers are meant for gilding, and thus have a contact area of a few millimeters, and are set on a stick which restricts the amount of pressure that can be achieved, making them useless for paper preparation. For that reason we designed this two-handed setup for maximum downward pressure based on Mohamed Zakariya Hoca's paper burnisher, a design tried and true for ahar preparation.
We hand make these burnishers from scratch, grinding the polishing stone from raw materials. The stones are set in the handle with high-grade epoxy. They are then individually tested to make sure they are in perfect condition and ready to go.
2" wide burnishing surface.
Extra-fine wheat starch used both for glue-ups of calligraphy and preparing paper for ahar.
Make your own traditional lamp black ink with this easy set. Includes porcelain mortar and pestle, 4oz pure lamp black powder, and 8oz gum Arabic solution.
Wheat paste is the traditional material used gluing calligraphy to board. Papers glued with paste can be removed easily without damage, unlike other glues. No boiling required, this is a pre-cooked paste, just add water. Instructions included. 100% archival.
Polished giant cowrie shell used for paper burnishing and to remove air bubbles in the paper during the gluing process. Approx. 3" long.
Large porcupine quill used for stirring the inkwell and agitating the ink. Approx. 8" long.
Red vinyl leather writing pad. Calligraphy is written on a semi-soft surface to allow for a full range of pen motions and to provide the proper cushioning needed. 12"x12".