Blinds Making
Blinds Making
Master Law
About Blinds Making
Blinds are coverings that protect against weather and doubly serve as a privacy veil. Its country of origin remains a mystery till today. According to Master Law, blinds were commonly used during the Japanese occupation and British colonisation of Malaya. There are two kinds of blinds that can be found in Ipoh, namely those made from wood or bamboo strips. Bamboo blinds are more refined from its appearance but may not be as durable when exposed to extreme weather compared to their wood counterparts. Hence, bamboo blinds are more suitable for indoor use, most commonly for the kitchen area. In contrast, wooden blinds are more resistant to outdoor extremities, such as rain, strong winds, and sunlight. “Unlike bamboo, wooden blinds dissipate heat better and provide a cooling function”, says Master Kwan, who is another important but soon forgotten blinds maker in Ipoh.
Due to its functional use, many old shop lot vendors in the early days preferred to drape these blinds in front of their shop lot by the side walkways (aka Kaki Lima). The size of these blinds usually match the size of a typical front door, hence these blinds also intelligently served as an advertisement platform promoting the products or businesses of these shops. Typically, products (such as traditional Chinese medicine) or more openly, restaurant names were clearly identifiable as hand drawn pictures accompanied (most of the times) with huge traditional Chinese names (and calligraphy) were beautifully illustrated on these blinds. Thus, these exceptional works of art on these blinds nostalgically reflected the intricate and unique vibrancy of the early days in Ipoh. These scenes, once vibrantly etched along Hugh Low Street leading down to the Old Town is sadly today slowly disappearing from sight.
Interestingly, another little known functional value of these blinds unbeknownst to many is privacy. According to Master Law, blinds provide privacy, whereby outsiders have very limited optical intrusion due to the reflection from sunlight, whilst conversely allowing people on the inside more external visional freedom. In terms of design durability, the slats are assembled in such a way that broken pieces are easily replaceable. Hence, a well-maintained set of blinds can last for several decades as a result of this innovative craftsmanship. This reflects the economic value of sustainability in the craftsmanship, which is severely lacking in many of today’s products and services. Unfortunately, the fast pace of development has eroded this value, replacing the durability of these blinds with other non-sustainable, and cheap materials such as canvas. Gradually, not only is the craftsmanship facing extinction, but the social values of the product and their master creator is also at stake.
" ... I do not know when,
but I will continue to
keep my shop open until the day
I become immobile..."
- Master Law
Process of Blinds Making
STEP 1: CHOPPING BAMBOO OR TREE
The raw materials for the blinds are usually made from either bamboo or wood. While both raw materials are easily found in Malaysia, these materials however require a slightly distinct preparation process.
STEP 2: DRYING BAMBOO/WOOD BLOCK
To ensure the longevity of the bamboo, sunning them under the sun is important before sizing them to slats. Meanwhile, stock of dried wooden blocks are usually available from factories to be sized into wooden slats.
STEP 3: SLIDING BAMBOO/WOOD BLOCK
The dried bamboo/wooden blocks are sized accordingly into slats. The coarse slats are smoothen before they are ready to be tied up together as a complete blind.
STEP 4: HITCHING THE BAMBOO/WOODEN SLAT
The bamboo/wooden slats will be tied up according to the sizes. Due to its lighter weight, bamboo slats are tied together with fabric strings in contrast to using copper wire for wooden slats. This handmade process takes roughly two days to complete an entire set of blinds before it is painted.
