The old man with silver hair still calmly carries his barrels of gears on his old bike along the streets. Among accidental passerby, few know that he is 80 years old already, who has more than 20 years with a very strange profession in Hanoi: sharpening knives.
Odd occupation
A small wooden box, several old pieces of cloths folded carefully, some grinding stones are cherished as precious items by Mr. Ho Van Ton (from Hoang Hoa Tham Street, Hanoi).
Mr. Ho Van Ton on the street.
This "kit" has followed his feet over the last two decades with the job which has almost disappeared in Hanoi - knife sharpening.
Stopping in front of a tailor’s shop on Nghia Tan Street, Mr. Ton placed his old bike onto a tree, locked it carefully. Then he called at the shop as a regular client, no need to speak. Someone in the shop greeted him and brought out some sewing scissors.
"Please sharpen them for me. Where did you go? I did not see you for a long time!" – A woman greeted him in a friendly way. He smiled and gently opened his "kit."
"This job is not difficult nor easy, but you must be patient, focused, devote your mind to it. Do not hurry! " He just explained while sharpening a scissors.
After the decisive and quick strokes, the scissors blades got shiny. It was not done yet. He transferred to the 2nd grinding stones, and also with patience like doing a precious item.
Done there, he moved to the 3rd grinding stones, and then tried cutting. The cut was very sharp but he still shook his head: Not yet!
It turns out that the sharpening of knives, scissors is also very elaborate. Only do the eyes of a senior sharpener know if it is good or not.
According to Mr. Ton, it is most difficult to sharpen the top of sewing scissors because only with a very sharp top, tailors can make "smooth" hand cuts.
"I joined the army at the age of 18. I had five years in the battle of Dien Bien Phu and then Quang Ninh. In the army, I learnt this job from a comrade. When I learned it, I did never think that I could live with it," he said.
In the old days, knife and scissors sharpening was a prevalent job, especially in the countryside. But now, the job has almost lost. Ton becomes a wandering knife sharper who feels lost in the middle of town.
He said this job is not hard-working, but requires the worker to be meticulous and dedicated. Knives and scissors sharpened by Mr. Ton are very sharp and durable so many customers favor his talent. He has regular customers in many streets of Hanoi like Hoang Hoa Tham, Nghia Tan, Buoi, Cau Giay, etc.
"I'm getting old. I cannot pedal far away," he said. For each pair of scissors or knife, he collects only several thousand dong.
"The highest fee that I collect is only VND10,000 – 15,000 ($0.5-0.7), but it is my effort. Money is not much, but I’m happy because at least I’m still useful and people still need and remember me," he said.
Live to love the life
Mr. Ton said that in his younger days, he was a light technician working at the Hanoi feature film studio.
Labor gives him more joy of life and healthy at the age of 80.
"After leaving the army, I worked as a guard at the feature film department. Then, gradually, I became a light technician of film-making crew," said Ton.
He loved cinema, but there is no "grace" as an actor. However, the desire of being an artist soaked into his blood. He passionately told about the memories associated with famous actors, famous films like “Under the Flag of Victory”, “Ms. Tu Hau”, and inadvertent time when he watch movies with General Vo Nguyen Giap.
Caption: They are all the past, but to him they are still fresh, valuable.
"I had no education because my family was poor and I had many brothers and sisters. In the army, I learned how to read and write in 6 months, enough for reading newspapers. Going with film crews, I had opportunities to come into contact with art, literature, science, and the media," he said.
Also from here, he had passion to learn folklore, read the newspapers, books, learn scientific knowledge. All of them, though having not given him a fully material life but made him more optimistic.
In 1990, Ton retired. He fretted between the decision to return home or to stay in Hanoi. Finally, he decided to stay in Hanoi, and had the idea to travel along streets as a knife sharpener. The craft job that he learned in the army has been alive with him in real life.
"I was sad in the beginning but thanks to this job, I have time to listen to radio, read newspapers, books, and to be exposed to many types of people... I’ve got used to it," he said.
Mr. Ton said he did not know whether what he was doing should be called a "job" because it is too small and aimlessly.
And although he has been rolling with it for more than 20 years in Hanoi, he still said that it is a habit, a hobby of his old age, rather than a way to earn a living.
Because, even if he does not do this job, he can still live well in a small house in Hoang Hoa Tham Street, Hanoi, or return to his 77-year-old wife in Tu Son district, Bac Ninh province. However, he did not want to return home, because he cannot withstand to stay at one place.
"Go to work, exposure to the sun, the wind, I feel healthy. Sometimes I was sick I stayed at home for a time but it was very bored. I had to go to the road immediately when I recovered."
Ton’s children understand their father, so they do not prohibit him from doing this job. Ton has seven grandchildren and all of his children have grown up and have good lives, and he is completely independent in finance.
Everyday cycling on the street, pondering about his life, about man, Ton still enjoy his wandering life with his "romantic blood." It is also the hobby of an old man, that not everyone can have it.
Vietnamnet/ Quynh Anh
