(Baonghean.vn)- "The blade must be made from the steel of the car's claw to stay sharp for a long time...". That is the experience of Mr. Le Van Ky (Quan Minh hamlet, Nghia Tan commune, Nghia Dan district, Nghe An), one of the very few people who specialize in forging rubber tapping knives.
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| Having been working in the rubber tapping knife forging profession for nearly 20 years, Mr. Le Van Ky said that although it is called a forging profession, making rubber tapping knives is different, that is, not all types of steel can be used to make blades, but "it must be steel for the car's claw parts, especially the IFA car line", because this type of steel is flexible and durable... |
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| To have IFA car claws, Mr. Ky had to buy them from auto repair garages and scrap collection points. Then he had to work hard to make these claws into blades, a process that required the worker to use his hands' strength. |
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| And the next step is to use a grinder to get the right shape of the rubber scraper. |
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| Next is sharpening. This step requires the craftsman to have real "skills" to recognize the knife has reached the right sharpness through each sharpening. |
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| After completing the blade part, the process of making the handle is done. To have a sturdy handle, the wood selection must be very elaborate, it must be chosen so that it is not affected by termites, so the wood chosen for the handle is mostly xoan wood. According to Mr. Ky, this is a light wood, when the handle is inserted tightly. |
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| The process of inserting the handle also requires a trick. A small hole is drilled at the tip of the handle, but the tail of the blade must be heated on a charcoal stove for a certain period of time before inserting... |
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| Next, you must quickly place the handle in the correct position so that the heat of the steel is enough to burn the wood and cut it just right. |
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| There are two types of rubber tapping knives, including push knives and pull knives. |
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| Mr. Le Van Ky said that on average, he replaces 3-4 blades every day, priced at 80,000 VND/blade, and sells 1-2 new ones, priced at 200,000 VND/blade. In a month, he earns over 10 million VND. |
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| According to the comments of rubber tappers in the area, the reason Mr. Ky's rubber tapping knife is "in high demand" is because the knife is made from steel from car claws, so it stays sharper for longer during use, the knife tip is precise, ensuring it does not damage the tree trunk, the amount of latex tapped is greater, saving labor, bringing high economic efficiency. |
Dang Nguyen
