Here are the general steps to rehair a bow. Violin bows are still $ 22 if you leave them for one week. I can do them sooner if needed but I charge a little extra. This one week service allows me to spread out the amount of rehairs I do so that it's more manageable. - Inspect the stick
- Cut out the hair leaving about 4 inches at each end
- Clean the metal of the frog and the button
- Clean the winding
- Glue the thumb grip if it's loose
- Remove the tip block
- Clean the stick
- If necessary adjust how snug the frog fits on the stick
- Carefully remove the ferrule ring
- If it's too tight, keep pulling the hairs out until the wedge is loose
- Remove the slide
- If the slide is stuck, putting a little rosin dust on your thumb might give enough friction to push the slide out
- If the slide has been glued in it can be removed by injecting a little water under the slide and carefully applying a little heat.
- Lubricate the slide slot with a pencil so it's easier to remove the next time.
- Remove the block.
- Cut the block for the frog's mortise, matching the length of the block mortise minus the thickness of the hair. Most of the time if I rehaired it last time I can reuse the block.
- Select the correct amount of horse hair for the bow
- Tie the hair very tightly with very strong cotton blend thread using the correct length for the block mortise hole
- Cut the hair and tap the end into some crushed rosin
- Burn the end of the hair
- Put the hair into the block mortise hole so that it's flat and snug in the mortise
- Put crushed rosin on the end of the block.
- Push the block into the block mortise hole.
- The hair will be flipped over the block. It should fit very snugly. Give a little pull on the hair to make sure the block does not move.
- If necessary, you can make a final adjustment to the amount of hair by cutting a few hairs out next to the block
- Replace the slide into the slots on the frog.
- Replace the ferrule ring.
- Make a new wedge. Some people reuse wedges but most of the time they will not fit correctly, so I always make a new wedge
- Spread the hair across the ring and test the wedge. It should fit tightly and keep the hair evenly spaced
- Next measure how far the frog need to be back from the grip.
- Make the tip block
- Comb the hair so that the comb runs smoothly through the hair
- Wet the hair but don't let water get next to the wedge
- Comb the hair and keep an even pressure
- Hold the hair with one hand and tie the hair just after the tip block mortise.
- Once the correct hair length is set, finish tying to the knot to correct length using a very strong cotton blend thread
- Cut the hair after the cotton blend tied knot
- Tamp the end of the hair into crushed rosin and then burn the ends of the horse hair.
- The width of the tie should allow the hair to get pushed into the tip block hole but be snug.
- Comb the hair again using an even amount of pressure
- Hold the hair between your fingers keeping the hair even.
- Flip the hair over and put the tied end into the block mortise
- Put rosin on the end of the block and push it in over the hair
- The hair should be even
- Lubricate the bow screw
- Flip the hair back over and replace the frog
- Tighten up the hair a little
- At this point if needed, the hair can be adjusted slightly
- Keep the bow at a little bit of tension while the hair is drying. Do not allow water to wick into the wedge
- After about an hour adjust the tension again on the stick because as hair dries it gets a little shorter
- After the hair is dry, apply powdered rosin to violin, viola and cello bows. I don't rosin bass bows.
|
Thanks,
Craig
I left you a voicemail also.
Please advise. Thanks
Ruth
If you drop it off I can ship the bow back using USPS Priority mail.
Thank you for your help.
Greg
Thanks,
Craig