Well established in the Rosemont district for several years, Sandro Vecchio is a true reference when it comes to knives. His store, La fripe des couteaux, located at the corner of Bélanger and des Érables, offers a wide selection of used blades, from all-purpose knives to luxury knives, as well as sharpening and jewelry repair services.

From jewelry to knife sharpening

Sandro’s relationship with handcrafted jewelry is not new. In the early 90’s, he followed in the footsteps of his jeweler parents and took over the family jewelry business.

However, in recent years, Sandro has no choice but to note that the market has changed. Especially among young people, buyers of expensive jewelry are becoming rarer. He has also noticed a growing interest in ecology and responsible consumption.

Faced with these new realities, Sandro decided to adapt by diversifying his offer and adopting a circular business model. He therefore launched himself into the knife trade, giving a new life to old knives that he recovers. To this day, 70% of the blades in the store are used, refurbished and resharpened and the other part of his inventory is new blades.

Today, Sandro has become a true craftsman of the blade and is renowned for his high quality products and for his unparalleled sharpening service on Japanese water stones, skills that are the fruit of years of improvement and passion for his craft.

As for the future, Sandro is quietly preparing to pass the torch to future generations. Sandro is looking for young jewelers and would like to train them and share his expertise with them. As the next generation of jewelers is not particularly abundant, finding new candidates is a challenge in itself. 

In addition, Sandro is considering expanding his store in the near future to meet the needs of his growing number of customers. 

A green economy for a better future

At Via Capitale du Mont-Royal, we support local merchants who, like Sandro Vecchio, adopt environmentally friendly practices.

For our part, we decided to train, in partnership with Écohabitation, some of our brokers to broaden their knowledge of healthy and ecological housing. 

Since 2014, these eco-brokers have been able to answer your questions about the ecological components of a property, but they also make sure to pass on their newly acquired knowledge during their ongoing training. Contact them to take advantage of their skills!

To learn more about the products and services offered by La fripe des couteaux, visit their Facebook page.