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Uma Mageswary
Pewtersmith, Repair Department
Restoring Good Times
Royal Selangor provides a repair service for all its products large or small, old or new. Uma is part of the team that provides this service. She needs to be proficient in a variety of pewtersmithing skills like buffing, soldering or polishing.
“I was feeling lost after school and game for anything at that point. When I saw an advert for pewter smiths, I thought I’d give it a try, so I joined. That was back in 2017.” Uma reminisces.
Despite having little experience in handwork, she approached the job with great enthusiasm.
"Haliza, my supervisor is the reason why I kept improving. She patiently taught me what I needed to know, like how to knock a dented surface back into shape."
“She is also very encouraging even when I made mistakes. There was a time when I accidentally made a hole on a tankard while re-soldering the handle after polishing. I felt so frustrated with myself. Haliza calmly helped me by showing me how to rework the tankard. Moments like this help build my confidence in developing my own techniques,” Uma explains.
Her work also gives her a sense of pride.
“Our customers tend to keep their pewter items for a long time instead of throwing them away. I think it’s because these items mean a lot to them because they got them as gifts from loved ones or memorabilia from their travels here. When they are repaired, they become a part of their owners’ lives once again as treasured memories. That’s why I feel proud when I repair something until it is as good as new,” Uma comments.
“Repair” is the fourth “R” of sustainability after reduce, reuse, and recycle, which reduces impact on the environment. We are grateful for the resourcefulness of young pewtersmiths like Uma who have wholeheartedly learnt the skill to ensure that Royal Selangor products are long lasting and can be passed down from generation to generation.
“I was feeling lost after school and game for anything at that point. When I saw an advert for pewter smiths, I thought I’d give it a try, so I joined. That was back in 2017.” Uma reminisces.
Despite having little experience in handwork, she approached the job with great enthusiasm.
"Haliza, my supervisor is the reason why I kept improving. She patiently taught me what I needed to know, like how to knock a dented surface back into shape."
“She is also very encouraging even when I made mistakes. There was a time when I accidentally made a hole on a tankard while re-soldering the handle after polishing. I felt so frustrated with myself. Haliza calmly helped me by showing me how to rework the tankard. Moments like this help build my confidence in developing my own techniques,” Uma explains.
Her work also gives her a sense of pride.
“Our customers tend to keep their pewter items for a long time instead of throwing them away. I think it’s because these items mean a lot to them because they got them as gifts from loved ones or memorabilia from their travels here. When they are repaired, they become a part of their owners’ lives once again as treasured memories. That’s why I feel proud when I repair something until it is as good as new,” Uma comments.
“Repair” is the fourth “R” of sustainability after reduce, reuse, and recycle, which reduces impact on the environment. We are grateful for the resourcefulness of young pewtersmiths like Uma who have wholeheartedly learnt the skill to ensure that Royal Selangor products are long lasting and can be passed down from generation to generation.