Hanoi Knife Making Traditional Workshop

- The activity itself is a 5 out of 5. - You get to choose the type of knife you want to make and then off you go from forging and shaping to honing and sharpening! - It was a really fun and different activity. - You also have the option of buying a ready made knife at an excellent cost. - The reason for not giving it 5/5 was that the morning of the activity we were asked to walk 10 minutes to a meeting point (vs the hotel pick up option that we had selected). We were then advised we may need to pay additional money ($2 or $3USD) for the transport due to needing larger car needed to accommodate 4 people. It was all very confusing but became clearer when the transport was Grab vs a private transport. In the end there was no additional charge and we were returned to the same meeting point via grab. - Given the transport is just a Grab - you can easily do that yourself so I’d skip the pick up option. - Regardless we’d do it again.

This is a unique experience where you truly make a knife from start to finish. I was a bit nervous, but the family is warm and welcoming and instantly put me at ease. The whole process takes about two hours and to walk away with a knife and many memories.

My wife and I had the pleasure of experiencing authentic vietnamese knife making in hanoi. The experience was amazing and I would do it 100% again. We got picked up at our hotel in old town at roughly 08:30 and arrived at our destination roughly 09:15. There we were greeted by a cup of tea. Then we were shown some prepared knife forms. We were able to choose between japanese and traditional vietnamese knife forms. We took the sample and started by heating it up in fire and continuously hammered the material to slowly develop a edge. You get assistance all the way and they make sure to fix any mistakes you do. After we finish hammering the rough edge, we let it cool and proceed in cutting a piece of wood in the form of a handle. Afterwards we smooth the handle by using a grinding machine. This is followed by grinding the knife and rounding it so the backside does not cut while preparing the cutting edge. In the end we used a wet stone to sharpen the edge and test it by cutting a piece of paper. The material used is a recycled car part but I forgot the actual name. The people are super nice and the vibe is amazing. The while process took somewhere between 2 and 3 hours. Would do it again tomorrow. Had so much fun. Was the highlight of our hanoi trip. I did it together with my wife. Both do not have any handywork experience and we still had a blast and a good cutting knife as a endresult. As it is not a stainless steel knife if can rust if not taking care properly but you also get the necessary information on how to maintain it.

Great experience with my son and our guide “Son”. He was very informative and took plenty of photos and videos for us while we were making the knives. The family that own and run the shop were lovely and so helpful. Doesn’t matter your skill level at all. You will end up with a great little souvenir at the end of the class. Highly recommend doing this when you’re in Hanoi

The guide Khoi was very nice and helpful. He brought us to the family-operated workshop. Khoi translated for us and gave us interesting insights into the work and live of the family. During the knife-making process Khoi and the worksmen guided us and let us do each individual step for a good part on our own. In the end, each of us had a self-made knife in our pocket, learned a lot about the craft and got to know a nice family.

I was searching the internet where I could buy some knives as that’s what I’m into when I stumbled across this knife making course while visiting Hanoi. It’s nice and close only being 13km from old quarter. The overall experience was amazing and they showed the way that they do it. It’s been in there family for 4 generations so they have a wealth of knowledge. Nothing was too hard for them and they made sure that everything was perfect how I wanted it. It was extremely cheap to do also for what it is and they said they even cater for kids as young as 10 and do group bookings An amazing memory made and cannot recommend it more highly 10/10

I just did the Hanoi Knife Making Traditional Workshop and honestly, it was such a highlight. If you’re looking for something hands-on that isn't just another walking tour, this is it. The family running it and the guide were so incredibly welcoming and kind. It honestly felt more like hanging out in their home than being in a formal class. They were super patient and gave really clear instructions, which was huge because I’d never done anything like this before. What I appreciated most, though, was how safety-focused they were. Dealing with a forge and power tools can be a bit intimidating, but they were on top of everything the whole time, so I felt totally comfortable getting into it. I walked away with a really cool, hand-forged knife that I actually helped make. It’s easily the best souvenir I’ve picked up—way better than just buying something off a shelf. Definitely check them out if you're in Hanoi!

Really happy I went through with this! Also got to meet some great guys that did it solo like myself.

I had a great time at the workshop with the Mao family. I enjoyed every step of the process: from hammering the blade of my cleaver to carving the handle. While the final finishing touches were completed by my teachers, the experience was a fantastic way to understand how a knife is made. They were incredibly kind and patient throughout the session. Can’t wait to use my cleaver!

This activity was something I would never do at home, but, being in a foreign country made me want to try something unexpected. It was exciting and fun ! I enjoyed the challenge of making something from scratch. The staff (family members) were very patient and helpful !