Tamil Nadu - Chennai

They lament that their profession has lost its cutting edge

— Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam

Their work has its share of dangers, but those who sharpen knives brave all odds.

CHENNAI: They have become less visible on some streets, but in others, they peddle their ware, sometimes walking along more than a dozen streets in as many hours. They make blunt knives or scissors fit enough for reuse by patiently sharpening the edges.

Mabu Sharif has been serving T. Nagar residents for the past 27 years, the sharpening machine slung across his shoulders. He makes around Rs. 300 on a good day, but sometimes it is hard to get customers and he may move from one street to another without anyone seeking his service.

“If every house can give me business worth Rs. 20, I will be happy,” says the 40-year-old, who has two sons and a daughter. “We have lost out to electronic gadgets used in households for cutting and mincing,” he rues.

Like him, scores of men wander through the city. They board the suburban train at Tiruvalangadu, about 50km from Chennai, around 4 a.m. every day and arrive in the city two hours later. They go home after dusk and hopefully with a decent earning.

In some thickly-populated localities such as West Mambalam and Triplicane, a couple of enterprising men have set up shop in derelict buildings. But, by and large in households it is the street-walking knife sharpener who is sought.

About 150 families in Harichandrapuram, 2.5 km from Tiruvalangadu, have taken to knife sharpening for a livelihood. Most of the older men began by breaking stones in quarries in Andhra Pradesh or Karnataka and moved to the city when the quarries ran dry.

“We learnt from those who were already in the business,” recalls 60-year-old M. Mahaboob, who travels to Kancheepuram every day. “Soon, the youngsters followed our example. Two of my four sons and four of my brothers are in this profession.”

When Mohammed Nabi (48) came to Harichandrapuram four years ago, he set up a knife-making unit with an investment of Rs. 1 lakh. The knife sharpeners in the area are his salesmen.

“They sell all that we make. There is a good market for our knives,” he says. His three sons, now in their early twenties, who worked with him in a stone quarry in Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh, help him. Nabi has repaid his loan now.

Eye injuries are common problem in this profession. The injuries are caused by sparks that fly when they sharpen the knives.

Despite the danger, none of them wear glasses as they feel it reduces visibility.

“At least one of us will be injured in the eye every month,” says Nabi.

The family seeks medical treatment in private hospitals at Arakkonam and spends at least Rs. 150 each time but it is back to business after treatment.

“These are not fire sparks but particles that come from the stone used for sharpening or the metal. If the particle stays in the white part of the eye, we wash it off with water but if it gets stuck in the pupil, we go to the doctor,” Mahaboob explains.

Sharif, whose vision in one eye is impaired, is awaiting cataract surgery at Government Eye Hospital. “The doctor has told me I will have to wear glasses…so I will be protected,” he says.

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