IPOH: He spends his days crafting handmade stainless steel containers and utensils the traditional way at his family’s long-running shop here.
“I began learning the craft from my father at the age of 15. I have spent nearly my entire life working in the family trade,” said Wong Kong Sing.
Now 62, Wong persists in continuing the craft, producing handmade stainless steel containers, scoops, oil funnels, noodle strainers, and tea and milk barrels.
He runs a one-man show at the 80-year-old workshop located on Jalan Othman Talib in Ipoh Old Town.
“These days, few young people are interested to learn such skills,” he said, adding that even his own two children have pursued their own careers.
But Wong remains happy with the sound of hammering steel echoing around the shop.
“I make many things. Some customers request custom-made items,” he said.
Wong said the business, now into its third generation, produces a wide range of items including scoops, containers, tea tanks and custom-made containers commonly used by hawkers, small factories and places of worship.
Handmade products, he said, remain popular among older customers and hawkers who value durability and quality over cheaper machine-made alternatives.
“The items I make are thicker and better quality, but they are more expensive because they are handmade,” he said.
He also provides repair services for customers who bring in damaged metal containers and utensils.
Despite the continued support from loyal customers, Wong admitted that business has declined over the years due to changing consumer habits and the availability of modern, mass-produced products.
“Nowadays, many people buy machine-made items because they are cheaper,” he said.
“There are different kinds of customers now. Everything is modern,” he noted.
As for the future of his shop, he did not mince his words: “There is no one to take over.”
