The master of the world’s smallest knives lost his eyes because of love.

Şirin baba, who made a name for himself by producing the smallest knives in the world, lost his eyesight due to his passion for his profession and can no longer produce knives. Erdogan Guzel, the beloved knife master of Sivas, had to give up making the world’s smallest knives due to health problems. Known as ‘Şirin Baba,’ Guzel had been making great efforts to keep the dying art of knife making alive since 1996. Especially renowned for his 7-millimeter tiny knives, Guzel had introduced both Sivas and Turkish handicrafts to the world with his works. However, the master artist, who lost a large part of his eyesight due to a yellow spot in his eyes, will no longer be able to perform delicate tasks like before. ‘I am trying to keep this value of Sivas alive.’ Guzel, who has been promoting this dying profession on international platforms for 20 years, said, ‘I am known as ‘Şirin baba’ throughout Turkey. I have been manufacturing knives since 1996. I have been taking this dying profession to international platforms for 20 years. Like Evliya Çelebi, a French traveler talks about how Sivas scalpels and knives entered Europe illegally. Knife making is now a forgotten profession. I am trying to keep this value of Sivas alive. I go to schools as a speaker. Students from vocational schools come to me for information.’ No chance to make tiny knives anymore. Guzel, who says he made tiny knives just to raise awareness in this dying profession, stated, ‘I made a 7-millimeter knife. Now I have a yellow spot in my eyes. I have lost half of my eyesight. I make 2-3 centimeter knives. But I no longer have the chance to make tiny knives at this level. There is no treatment for the yellow spot in the world. My eyesight is impaired. I have two tubes in my heart. I had a traffic accident. I have 32 drill holes in my left leg. Despite all my health problems, I am still trying to do something.’