How to String a Bow for a Fiddle

Tools for rehairing a bow.

Rehairing (sometimes erroneously referred to as "restringing") a bow is part of normal maintenance for string players. Professional musicians usually have their bows rehaired every four to six months by a bow repair and rehairing expert. Most violin shops have bow experts on hand to take care of rehairing and repairs; learning to rehair properly can take several months of training and lots of practice.

Things You'll Need

• Bow
• Horse hair, preferably Mongolian stallion hair, prepared for use in bows
• Bow jig
• Knife
• Metal comb
• Nylon thread
• Pick
• Hair gauge
• Cleaner or polish
• Wood for ferrule and wedge
• Rosin

Instructions

1. 

   Wash, comb and dry the new hair you will use.

2. Cut the old hair at the ferrule. Use the pick to carefully remove the wedge at the tip of the bow. Discard the old hair and the old wedge if it is cracked, split, chipped or otherwise in poor condition.

3. 

   Remove the frog from the bow and take off the ferrule. Push the mother-of-pearl center of the frog forward and slide open the frog. Use the pick to dislodge the remaining horsehair. Remove the block from the frog.

4. Clean the stick of the bow with the polish, removing rosin and other accumulated dirt. Clean any silver wiring with silver polish, making sure not to get any on the wood.

5. Choose a hank of horsehair the right size for the bow---a violin bow needs fewer strands, a bass bow needs more---and comb through it with the metal comb. Remove any short or broken strands. Measure the hair with the hair gauge.

6. Tie a know at the end of the hank using the nylon thread. The knot will have to fit into the tip of the bow, so tie with this in mind.

7. 

   Carve a new block from the wood to fit in the tip of the bow. Place the knot of hair into the tip and wedge the block in tightly, with the hair coming over it and down towards the frog.

8. 

   Put the bow in the bow jig. Comb out the hair again, making sure that there are no crossed hairs.

9. Replace the frog on the bow and push it to its most forward position. Pull the hair down over the frog and mark on the hair where it will cross the ferrule. Mark again about a half inch further down, near the inside of the frog.

10. Tie a knot between the two marks so that most of the hair makes up the knot.

11. Put the ferrule onto the hair and place the ferrule and slide on the frog. Put the frog back onto the stick and tighten the screw.

12. Tighten the bow a little bit every 45 minutes to an hour as the hair dries. When the hair is dry, carve and new wedge and place it in the frog.

13. Rosin the bow thoroughly. Tap the rosin into the hair by tapping the tip of the bow against your hand or spread the rosin by fanning the hair at the bottom with your thumb. Avoid touching the hair in any other place.

Tips & Warnings

• Take a class on bow rehairing and repair, if possible. Work slowly. Use clean materials.

Resources

• Bow maker Don Reinfeld answers questions about bow maintenance and repair
• The University of New Hampshire Summer 2009 Violin Craftsmanship Institute
• Rolin Music sells bow rehairing tools