Bow Care

With proper bow care, your new bow should last a lifetime and beyond.

• After playing, wipe away any rosin dust from the stick using a dry, soft cloth. If rosin dust is left, its build-up can be difficult to remove without affecting the finish on the bow.
• Always be sure to release the hair tension after playing. If the bow is stored under tension, the camber (curve of the bow stick) can be affected. Restoring the camber is a risky and delicate procedure, however this is a service that I offer.
• The adjuster should always be easy to turn in order to tension the bow. If you find it becomes more difficult to turn, please don’t use any force as this can lead to damage. Please contact me if you have any issues with the tension adjustment.
• Store your bow in a safe, dry place. Avoid placing the bow on a bed or chair or anywhere it could get bumped or fall. Breakages are often caused by people sitting on bows or by being trapped when closing a case. Moisture is detrimental to many parts of the bow, swelling the hair, tarnishing the silver and rusting the adjuster screw leading to split buttons and seizure.
• Avoid extremes of temperature and humidity as these can affect the camber, the hair tension and the performance of the rosin. Hair is hygroscopic, absorbing and releasing moisture depending upon the environment. A dry environment will shorten the hair, possibly enough to apply tension to the stick.
• Get the bow rehaired if the hair is loose, brittle or worn. Hair wears with use over time, losing its ability to grip the instrument strings. Individual hairs may also break, and a loss of hair will affect the performance of the bow.
• Handle the bow gently and avoid touching the hair with your fingers as this will transfer oils to the hair, affecting its performance.
• Inspect the whole bow periodically for any damage or wear or anything that may require repair. The stick often wears near the frog where the player’s fingers are in contact. Such wear can be filled invisibly, protecting the stick from further wear.
• The bow face and nose (the very tip of the bow head) protect the wood of the head from damage. If these are damaged or missing, they no longer provide protection. Please contact me if this happens.
• Be careful not to knock your bow against anything. String players have been known to applaud the conductor by knocking the bow against the music stand. This is very detrimental to the bow.