It was a quiet afternoon when a man, about 60 years old, approached Co’s aging wooden cabinet with a malfunctioning Dupont lighter. Though worn and wobbly, the cabinet has stood its ground at the same spot for decades, marking the presence of one of the last remaining gaslighter repairmen in the city.

Before taking up this niche craft, Co had dabbled in various jobs before joining the army in 1976.

A year later, he was deployed to Cambodia, then reassigned in 1979 to help defend the coastal region of Nam Dinh in northern Vietnam.

In 1980, after completing his military service, Co returned to Ho Chi Minh City with no clear path ahead. A fellow soldier introduced him to the lighter refill trade, and he decided to give it a try.

Back in the 1980s, luxury lighters like Zippo, Dupont, and Dunhill were already in Vietnam - but they remained out of reach for most people. Disposable lighters hadn’t taken over yet, so refillable gas lighters were in high demand.

The lighter refill business was thriving then, offering stable and decent income.

While working, Co often encountered broken high-end lighters that owners wanted salvaged.

Driven by curiosity and customer requests, he began teaching himself how to fix them. That spark of problem-solving soon became a lifelong passion.

A vanishing craft kept alive

“I started this job at 27,” Co said. “Now, it’s been 45 years. Back then, I earned enough to support my wife and two kids.”

With the rise of disposable lighters, the gas refill business faded. Yet Co survived by mastering the repair of both common and luxury lighters.

“Today I earn only 200,000 to 300,000 dong a day (around $8 to $12),” he added.

His main clientele now includes lighter collectors and traders of vintage models. And thanks to his deep knowledge and skill, Co’s spot remains busy.

He’s never had formal training. Everything he knows - every technique, every tool - he developed through observation and experimentation.

Many of his tools are handcrafted inventions, tailor-made for the intricate repairs he performs.

What began as a job of simple gas refills gradually evolved into a highly specialized repair trade.

Co can now fix a wide range of lighters, from basic to the most luxurious models.

Admired by collectors and travelers

Among his loyal customers is Tran Dai Hanh, a 66-year-old collector from Chanh Hung Ward, who’s been passionate about lighters since his youth.

“Mr. Co is incredibly versatile. He can fix gas lighters, flint ones, even those that use fuel,” Hanh said.

“He works entirely by hand. Everything - spare parts, tools - he makes himself.”

“Many expensive lighters can’t be fixed by regular shops and are deemed irreparable. But Co finds a way - modifying, adapting, recreating missing parts. That’s what I respect the most,” Hanh added.

Over the years, Co has earned admiration not only from local clients but from foreign visitors as well.

One such moment came when a tourist from Taiwan spotted Co working and asked - through a translator - whether he could fix a Dupont lighter.

Co examined it briefly, then calmly said it would take 30 minutes.

The visitor, half skeptical, agreed to wait.

Exactly half an hour later, the job was done. The customer, stunned by the precision and speed, praised Co’s workmanship - and spread the word.

Since then, many overseas lighter enthusiasts have sought him out when visiting Vietnam.

Still waiting for an heir

Behind his smile, though, lies a quiet sadness.

After four and a half decades of mastering the craft, Co has yet to find someone to carry it forward.

“I’m getting old, but I’ve never thought of retiring,” he said. “I love this job too much. Even after 45 years, I still feel like I haven’t learned everything there is to know.”

“The older I get, the more I realize how deep this craft really is. There’s always something new to explore.

But I fear one day this will just become a memory in this city’s history.”

Ha Nguyen