HAND CRAFTED CHESS SET (PERSIAN KHATAM KARI INLAID)

Raw materials used in making Khatam Chess Set:

 Different kinds of wood ebony, betel nut, walnut, span wood, jujub, sour orange, black populer.

 Metal wires: brass, aluminum and sometimes silver.

 Shell, butea frondosa, lacquer

 The tools and equipments in the art making signet general tools are: hammer saw, drill and drill 

 machine and main and special tools are: different kinds of saws.

 Files in different kinds, shredder, press mashine- marking or locking ruler- different kinds

 of pitchers, special glues…

The steps of making Khaatam:

First different kind of wood in different colours are prorided and then with the relevant tools they are cut each horing 30 cm length and    1-5.2 mm diameter and some triangels are prepared from them, which after filing, all the lateral are made according to the plan and as desirable and in order to finish the plan,there is a need for metal wires which some steps are taken to prepare them. Then to make Khaatam the head-artisian draws the drawings of different figures which are to be made in order to make Khaatam and these wooden triangles or metal ones are put beside each other by the hands of skilful artist and glued to each other and made firm with the use of strings of which made called paddle( expression)

After some hours the strings are filed and four paddles which hare been made are put beside each other and then are glued to each other again resulting in something called “toglo” the next steps which is popular as making flowers is initiated.

In this step, 6 wires are glued around each corner by a round metal wire which is made in six lateral figure and called shamse, and then the resulting structure is firmed by strings which a star-like plan is obtained, these plans are so repeated that the required general plan is made and put under pressure of press machine and Khaatam is made after some steps of cutting and gluing the very delicate layers to each other that all of these steps from the beginning up to the end consists of 400 operational steps.

The  Khaatam are glued based on the plan, colour, shape, dimensions and the place of application and by making different plans and making similar figures or symmetrical shapes, all the plan surface is adorned by signets which is then prepared by performing some repairments, filing, brushing and under cuttings and finally grinding and straightening of Khaatam surface, and then oiling and polishing by some special materials such as sealer and polister.

The quality of a Khaatam depends on its fine drawing and reguarity of the plan, all of which are summerized in the skills of head artisian.