Make your own reed pen for Arabic calligraphy

Demonstrated by my teacher Moustafa Hassan at Rumi's Cave in London
Video by Robi Chowdhury
I know a few of my friends have wanted to know how to make their own reed pens to use for Arabic calligraphy. Ultimately, it's down to the way you hold the pen and the size of your hand.
Here's a clip from my class last night. Our teacher Moustafa Hassan is showing us how to cut our reed pens.
You can get reed or use bamboo sticks which can be found in most DIY stores. The inside has to be hollow though. The blade used in the video is a stanley knife or a carpet knife. Mind your fingers :)
You can see Moustafa's work at www.moustafahassan.co.uk

[@jarolpark2109]

6:25 damn DJ khaled all over the internet now

[@mohdshahmirul7053]

Hahaha lol

[@cocofresh6974]

hahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahaha

[@UnofficialYouTuber]

Masha Allah! I love Arabic calligraphy.

[@ArtbyKhater]

This is very helpful. His way of explaining is easy and efficient, I enjoyed this tutorial. Allah bless you. Cheers from Egypt and thanks for sharing! ^__^

[@theresedignard7445]

Thank you for sharing the skills of this Master Calligrapher. He is a great teacher. This will take my reed pens to new level. I understand better about the flexibility issue. Ever grateful.

[@chococheese8942]

"Pretty smoosss " hehehe

[@strippedgoose]

7:26 goosssbumpss!

[@jkrupp]

I don't understand arab language, but I like arab calligraphy a lot. It's beautiful.

[@turquisestones]

WOW!!! My mind got blow away as soon as he started writing. Finally, I kind of realized how and why all these ancient manuscripts looks so beautiful! I wonder if Peshita was written with the same kid of reed pen.

[@robsterfilms]

For anyone that is interested, my teacher Moustafa Hassan (from the video) is running another calligraphy workshop at the end of this month for one day (on the 22nd of February). It's an intensive course on naskh. You can find out more by visiting facebook.com/events/785836194828681/ - Please do let him know that you found out by watching this video :)

[@shineshahnaaz94]

Wow.. Mashallah. Amazing.. N very helpful..

[@RUOKDesign]

This video was really helpfull and interesting! Thank you for uploading this!

[@mohammadhanafy9413]

I'd like to thank you so much for uploading this clip. It is not only because I lernt from it but also because I am mesmerised to see this man. In fact I knew this man and his Brothers. His brother Mohammad taught me el naskh when I was a little kid of 7 years old and his brother Ahmad Moustafa you have to check his work and philosophy. Last thing he did is the book named The Cosmic Script.

[@mohammadhanafy9413]

please send him my best greetings. Mohammad Sammy Hanafy from Cairo Zamalek Egypt.

[@ghazelrashid3522]

Very informative. JazakAllah Khairan

[@mfakhriabdillah]

thats cool. Love it!

[@UrwahK]

WOWWW the way he does it so easily....

[@luzbuitrago2637]

Thank you for share, very intersting

[@Mimi-ip1ix]

Thank you very much for sharing.

[@mlucber]

MUCHAS GRACIAS POR TU GENEROSIDAD VIVO ALEJADA DE LOS CENTROS DE UNA CULTURA QUE AMO Y HE APRENDIDO ALGO DE CALIGRAFÌA MIRANDO VARIAS VECES ESTE VIDEO DESCONOZCO TU IDIOMA PERO SOS MUY BUEN MAESTRO QUE DIOS TE BENDIGA

[@MrSergioBY]

Is it possible to regrind standard nib for fountain pen for Arabic hand writing?

[@jamesaritchie1]

Wonderful. Far and away the best, most informative video on the subject I have even seen. I'm interested in every for of writing method and writing instrument, be it reed pens, feather quills, metal and glass dip pens, fountain pens, modern gel pens, pencils, or you name it. Reed pens are my latest interest, and I've made several, but good information by quality, knowledgeable craftsmen is difficult to find. But this was wonderful. One reason I became so interested in reed pens, other than my natural desire for all things writing, was when I first heard that the Prophet Muhammad stated, "The first creature god made was the pen". That fascinated me. So anyone who follow Mohammed is supposed to treat a pen as a living, and sacred, being. Pens are not thrown away when they can no longer be used, they are quietly stored away.

[@AliShah-er7iu]

Great video, I've being practicing today, but I feel that the qalam isn't holding the ink as it should, by the time I get to the bottom of a 10 inch line, the ink has faded more than it should. Could it be down to the bamboo that I have used absorbing it? Has anyone had this problem before?

[@robsterfilms]

I know :) He's pretty good! Thanks for subscribing btw!

[@diamondking1396]

I just of a heard of a reed pen from a website that said the Egyptians would use this pen to write with and the main question I had was how do I put the ink on and then I saw dis vid so now I can be certain that you half to dip it 😁

[@kokajr]

How would I clean the reed pen?

[@agoogleuser6679]

Thank you for a very informative video. What kind of ink do you recommend and can you please help me figure out what type of ink (thin or thick? pigment or dye? resin thickeners? additives to help make it better?) I can't find much information about the qualities that are good in ink. Mostly I write small not large letters but sometimes I like to do something decorative. Thank you so much!

[@moosasanani]

Beautiful

[@fahim618]

Its a good video to make qalam thanks for the video. What type of paper should I use for calligraphy?

[@alitabassum5990]

is there any specific sort of tree you should use ?

[@zafarale]

What wood is he using and where to find it in uk

[@RaniaShehab]

oh my god ! he is amazing ! thank god i speak arabic :D ! and i understood him ! but still i wanna know if that is bambo ! and how do i find it in the states if u know !

[@Giggidyflanders]

I don't have access to a bamboo stick. Can a regular stick from a tree be used?

[@jiujitsuhuntsman]

Assalamu alaykum brother JazakAllah Khair for the upload, mashAllah, where abouts do these classes take place in London if you don't mind me asking inshAllah. I'm a calligrapher and learnt in Syria with calligraphers who are family friends but think it would be nice to do some murakabaat & mufradaat with professionals here in London. JazakAllah Khair again for the upload

[@bangladeshi1458]

Got a good pen easy to make.

[@strippedgoose]

MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE!! VIDEOS!

[@maxbotta3497]

I'm not allowed to have knives . Because just reasons 😐

[@abu3qab]

Max Botta Unlucky. Knifes are fun to play wiz.

[@kokajr]

Was that bamboo?

[@Th3wobbler]

Salaam i know i sound like an idiot saying this but, what wood did he use?

[@SatterKhan]

what was that wood name

[@aslampakistanisultan184]

Nice 🙂👍👍

[@Percetakankaromah429]

Bagus banget tulisannya

[@BruceLee-rn6nj]

Write here a name of this ink wich one he used.please

[@medachraf1096]

any kind of ink

[@yatah]

DJ Khaled!! @6:26

[@rohiart424]

good

[@Adyjetu]

is the professor who demonstrated pen making, an Persian??

[@mohammadhanafy9413]

Egyptian.

[@fahad_hassan_92]

Another One

[@robsterfilms]

I've just brought a brand new set of calligraphy pens. Highly recommend the store. Check out www.maryamovais.com (tell her that you found out via this video!)

[@khalilyousfi367]

Robi Chowdhury what ink do you use

[@Mizhab000]

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Ooooooooooooooo O Ooooooooo Oooooooo Ooooooo

[@kabeera_hijaabscollection3700]

Dgxm Z

[@LuisFlores-cx8py]

Stop pressing so hard you need to write smooth

[@bigd187g]

إنجليزي ده يامرسي ؟؟ أجل تقولهم تقص بنظافه وعلى ميه بيضاء هههه للأسف لغتك كويسه اخي بس تستخدم الأسلوب العربي في الكلام بكلمات انجليش وهذا قمة الكاااااااي العظيم ...باقي تعلمهم الله ينور ياإسطه

[@fokak0]

راجل ناجح فى مجاله و هو فاهمهم و هما فاهمين و للعلم مش مطلوب منه انه يتكلم بنفس اللهجه الخاصه بيهم لانها ليست لغته

[@bigd187g]

Most Wanted اهاا اوك اتكى عليه

[@fokak0]

bigd187g الله يسامحك

[@bigd187g]

امين

[@kabeera_hijaabscollection3700]

Dgxm Z