as Spring arrives...a word to the wise

March 20, 2010 at 1:48 AM

How to care for your

Violin & Viola Bows

Bows are extremely fragile! A broken bow can often be repaired, but if the head or stick are broken the bow loses any inherent value. Handle your bow as if it were made of glass. The safest place to store your bow is in your violin case, properly set in the bow holder. Always be conscious of your bow when you are handling it - take care not to bang it against anything if you are to walk or move with it in your hand. Also, beware of low ceilings.
NEVER LEAVE YOUR BOW WHERE IT CAN BE STEPPED ON, SAT UPON, OR KNOCKED TO THE FLOOR!

Loosen the bow hair when the bow is not being used. Bow hair stretches and shrinks with humidity. If your bow hair shrinks while the hair isn't loosened, the head may snap off. "Tighten to play, Loosen to put away"

Have the bow rehaired at least once each year. Bow hair tends to wear out from the actions of playing. If you lose too many hairs, the uneven tension will cause the bow to warp. Also, hair stretches in the summer and shrinks in the winter. Spring and fall are the best times to re-hair a bow.

If you are not going to open your case for two weeks or longer, place cedar balls or an herbal moth repellant in the case. This will prevent carpet beetle larvae from entering the case and eating the bow hair and the case lining. If your bow hair breaks somewhere in the middle, you have carpet beetle larvae. Vacuum out your case several days in a row, then use moth repellants.

The ivory or bone tip on the bow's head plate gives it valuable protection. This should be replaced if it is broken.

The finger end of the bow stick should be covered with a winding and leather grips, which provide a balancing weight and also protection to the stick. These should be replaced if missing or worn.

DO NOT applaud by tapping your bows on the music stand in front of you: Many bows have been broken this way.