Tumpat: With Aidiladha approaching, 37-year-old Mohammad Zunurain Daud is working around the clock to fulfil orders for pisau lapah (butcher knives) to be used during the Qurban ritual. Better known among his customers as Zul, the traditional knifemaker said demand for butcher knives typically rises two to threefold about a month before Aidiladha, making it a seasonal goldmine for him.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Zul usually receives 20 to 30 orders for knives in a regular month, but demand can surge to over 150 blades in the lead-up to Qurban, a significant ritual performed by Muslims during Aidiladha. These knives are in high demand from customers not only across Malaysia but also in Singapore and Thailand. Zul mentioned that he has had to turn down last-minute orders for fear of not being able to complete them in time.
Zul said each butcher knife is sold for RM100 to RM160, depending on the type of steel used, while slaughter knives can fetch up to RM300 each. Zul, who has been honing his craft in knifemaking since 2014, was inspired by his late grandfather, Ahmad Bakar, 80, who sharpened knives for personal use. Learning primarily from YouTube and skilled bladesmiths, Zul took nearly a month to produce his first knife.
What sets Zul apart from other knifemakers is his commitment to traditional methods, using charcoal instead of gas for forging, despite the higher cost. He uses about 30 kilogrammes of charcoal daily to produce three to five knives. Each blade requires around 200 grammes of steel and takes two to three hours to complete. Zul prefers specific materials like spring steel, bearing steel, and planer blades to ensure quality.
Discussing the challenges and risks of the trade, Zul pointed out that the tempering process, known as sepuh, is crucial and risky. This process hardens the steel to achieve optimal sharpness and durability. Any miscalculation during this stage could cause the blade to crack, rendering it unusable.
After selecting the appropriate steel size, the steel is heated using charcoal and then hammered or machine-ground into the desired shape. Once the shape is achieved, the blade is sharpened using three types of whetstones graded 80, 600, and 1,200, each providing different levels of grit for a razor-sharp edge. Zul has been involved in the craft for nearly 11 years and maintains an online presence as Zull Bsb on Facebook and Zullbsb Knifemaker on TikTok.