The 'unique' mobile knife sharpening cart in Vinh City.

A profession where you risk getting cut.

The simple tool cart where he sharpens knives. Photo: Diep Thanh

It's easy to spot "knife sharpeners" along the roads ofVinh CityWith his peculiar old bicycle, he leisurely rode along the streets, stopping at every market he passed and becoming a familiar face to many food vendors. Thanks to this, he had customers every day, no matter where he went. Or, if he didn't encounter customers along the way, he had many regular customers who proactively called him on the phone.

On his knife sharpener's cart stood a long bench, designed by himself for convenient knife and scissor sharpening. The handlebars and basket were laden with essential items such as a speaker, water, and a carrying bag… All were old and rudimentary. The most "modern" part of the cart was probably the handheld sharpener – the first tool he used in his sharpening process.

To begin his work, he lowered a bench about 30cm high, and took out rectangular grinding stones of varying grit from a makeshift plastic basket attached to the back of the bench. He also unloaded a large water container from his vehicle and filled a somewhat dirty plastic basin – water is an indispensable "material" throughout the grinding process. Once everything was ready, he found a power source to plug in his grinding machine. While busily preparing, he chatted: "I studied civil engineering before. There was a period when the construction industry faced many difficulties, and there were no jobs, so I applied for a private job and then quit completely. When I retired, my health wasn't good enough, so I switched to this profession. For the first two years, I did the grinding manually by hand using stones from the market. Later, with the grinding machine, I became more flexible in my methods, choosing to travel to many places instead of sitting in one place; it was more enjoyable and I got more customers."

Before being hand-sharpened, the knives are wet and then sharpened using a machine. Photo: Diep Thanh

Wetting the knife and sharpening it with a machine are the first basic steps. The sharpening blades are selected according to the condition of the knife or scissors. For steel or rusty metal, a brush is used first; for stainless steel with less rust, a steel sharpening stone is used directly. Operating the machine requires the craftsman to be extremely careful and steady-handed. "After so many years in this profession, even with carefulness, there are still risks of occupational accidents. The last time, I almost had half of my thumb cut off by the machine. Luckily, I was able to get to the hospital in time to have it reattached," he said. Wherever the sharpening machine moves, sparks fly.

On average, sharpening a knife or scissors costs between 5,000 and 15,000 VND, but the "knife sharpener" does a very thorough and careful job. Photo: Diep Thanh

After the rough processing is done by machine, the knife sharpener moves on to the finishing stage.handmadeBy hand and with stones. Rectangular sharpening stones are fixed to a bench, making knife sharpening easier. The sharpener's technique is demonstrated through the angle of the knife, the choice of sharpening stone grit, and the pressure applied. The sharper the knife, the finer the sharpening stone. Throughout the sharpening process, including changing and cleaning the stones, the sharpener frequently tests the knife's sharpness by lightly touching the blade with his thumb. His thumb is covered in horizontal scratches – the marks left by sharpening razor-sharp knives.

While working, he proudly showed everyone his special whetstones. Pointing to two whetstones, one half red and the other half white, he said: "Each of these is worth 500,000 dong. They are Japanese whetstones that I ordered online. Japan even has whetstones worth millions of dong. There are many types of whetstones and mudstones in the market, but most are ordinary ones, not very durable, suitable for home use, but not for professional work."

The heart of a knife sharpener

On average, it takes him about 5 minutes to sharpen each knife. For more difficult cases, it takes longer. Fourteen years in the profession have made his scarred hands professional in sharpening, his eyes expert in selecting quality knives and scissors, and he doesn't hesitate to share his knowledge with others. He guides people on how to classify and identify high-quality knives, teaches housewives how to ask for a good knife, and frankly advises customers against sharpening low-quality knives. "I can sharpen everything, but I always advise customers against sharpening counterfeit, low-quality knives and scissors. Because their materials are very thin, they rust easily, chip, and don't last long; it's best to throw them away rather than sharpen them," he explains.

Although there are many tools, they are arranged scientifically, making the grinding process very convenient. Photo: Diep Thanh

The quality control process for the sharpened knives, as practiced by the "knife sharpener," involves cutting a thin sheet of plastic with a knife or scissors. "Cutting paper isn't as difficult as cutting plastic," he says with a smile, his face beaming with satisfaction as he observes the sharp cut of the scissors on the plastic after numerous trials. He adds, "I could finish my work more quickly, but that would mean losing credibility. Customers trust me, so I have to be fully committed to my work and ensure they don't feel their money is wasted."

"ValuecoinThe "price" he mentioned here is 5-15 thousand dong to sharpen a knife or scissors. His words touched many hearts, and his dedication to his craft endeared him to many. In the golden age of manufacturing, when people preferred buying new rather than repairing old, hopefully, "the knife sharpener" will still have many customers every day.

The chair records the knife sharpening appointment schedule and the customer's phone number. Photo: Diep Thanh

Diep Thanh