Hair a Violin Bow
The proper playing of a violin depends on the skill of the musician, but the quality of the violin bow is crucial as well. The hair of the violin bow has to be responsive to the movements of the violinist's arm and wrist as he draws the violin bow across the strings. Horse hair is the go-to material used in nearly all violin bows. It has strong and silky characteristics that make it ideal for sliding across the strings with enough friction to bring out the natural tone of the instrument.
Instructions
1. Cut away the existing hair with scissors near the head and the nut of the bow and discard. Starting at the head of the bow, lift up the remaining tuft of hair and pick out the wedge that holds the end of the hair bundle, with a knife or screwdriver, being careful not to damage the wedge. Remove the tuft of hair and discard. At the nut of the bow, slide off the metal band and remove the wedge inside and the retainer slide on top, as well as the wedge inside the nut. Remove the tuft of hair and discard. Completely remove the screw from the end of the bow and remove the nut.
2. Take the horse hair bundle and break off the sealing wax from one end. This will reveal the loose ends of the hair and the silk tie that holds them together. Hold the very end of the loose horse hair bundle over the open flame with one hand while placing a small piece of bow resin onto the hair ends in the flame, being careful not to heat the silk ties. This will create a knot that is sealed with the resin. Once this has cooled, place the knotted end in the box of the bow head and replace the wedge. The hair bundle should now come away from the head in a flat ribbon. Comb the hair with the fine-tooth comb and roll it up. Place the rolled hair in a bowl of warm water for one to two minutes. Remove from the water and comb through again.
3. Hold the other end of the loose hair over the opening in the nut. Gauge the correct length according to personal preference, ideally with the tautness in the middle range when the nut is in the middle of its slide position. Cut the loose ends off the hair bundle, allowing one inch for wrapping around the wedge. Tie off with the silk thread and create a knot as before. Slide the metal retaining band onto the hair over the knot. Wrap the end of the hair bundle around the wedge and replace in the nut. Replace the slide retainer and slip the metal band over this, replacing the wedge. Re-insert the screw and tighten the hair to a slack position.
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