This has probably been discussed before but does anyone have advice on the best way to clean the hair of a fiddle bow? I must have laid my bow down in the wrong place in the pub as the top end has become sticky, ie it has a patch of about six inches which produces no sound at all and new rosin will not stick. I've tried washing this part of the bow with soapy water(which I thought was correct)but it doesn't seem to help. Any more ideas please before I check with my local violin specialists and get charged the earth?
The hair cleaning kit I described in that thread was from Ardsley Musical Instrument Service, Ltd., Scarsdale, NY. I'm guessing you can find similar kits on your side of the pond.
Thanks, Will. I'm not sure how I missed that thread. I was away for a few days and just glanced through the more recent topics. It's a really strange coincidence that this subject has come up this week.
Ok, so by accident somehow when I was playing at the kitchen table... I ran my bow throught he butter dish... someone at the session suggested Vodka. It acutally worked, along with a lot of rosin and wiping the bow down with a cloth.. eventually it got butter/ better.
After reading Anny's comments, I couldn't resist posting the words of this very funny song from Orkney.
The Boy Who Put the Butter on the Old Man's Bow
"When I first tried a tune on me faither's violin
Wi' a dee a doo a durn a diddle-aye-dum-doe
All me folk were away on a summer sabbath day
When I skippet on his fiddle wi' the old man's bow.
Gi'ed a twiddle tae the string and put the fiddle to me chin,
Wi' a mind tae keep the sabbath, sae I thought I'd try a hymn,
but I got an awful skreek, no' a doo a durn a diddle
When I slippet on his fiddle wi' the old man's bow.
Noo the wee ginger cat dooket underneath the mat,
Wi' a dee a doo a durn a diddle-aye-dum-doe
And the dog raised his jowl and gi'ed such a fearful howl,
that he drownded ou' the scowling o' the old man's bow.
Then I tried to tak' me tempo frae the wag upon the wa',
but me sacky sounded awfae like the turkey in the straw,
So I tried another key, but the skreek was worse than ever,
When I slippet on his fiddle wi' the old man's bow.
Noo I ken o'er weel hoo to cure a squeakin' wheel,
Wi' a dee a doo a durn a diddle-aye-dum-doe
And I'm thinkin', says I, that there's somethin' guid and dry,
So I dou't will meet to lubricate the old man's bow
By I hunted in the glory hole that's in below the stair,
In the box ahind the tractor, but there was no' any there.
Faith, I hunted a' the house, but the oil had been a'missing,
So I rubbed a bit o' butter on the old man's bow.
Gi'ed a twiddle tae the string, put the fiddle to me chin,
Wi' a dee a doo a durn a diddle-aye-dum-doe
But alas for me chin, ye c'ad heard a drappin' pin,
For there was no' e'en a whisper frae the old man's bow.
Why I worket at the fiddle like a joiner wi' a saw,
'til the clods o' Orkney butter fairly studded off the wa'
But I could no' get a dee or a doo a durn a diddle
When I slippet on his fiddle wi' the old man's bow.
Then then kirk-folk cam' in and I smarted for me sin,
Wi' a dee a doo a durn a diddle-aye-dum-doe
For he played such a tune that I could no' set me down,
But was minded o' the butter on the old man's bow
Noo I'm finished wi' the fiddle, and theres no' the slightest doubt,
If I ever learn an instrument, it's going to be the flute
For when unco'n folk come by, and they mak the introductions
I'm the boy that put the butter on the old man's bow."
Or, at least be careful. I loosened off my bow hair and used one of these steam cleaners with a very small nozzle. Along with a small amount of washing up liquid, I was able to get rid of the grease. After, reapplying some rosin, it seems to be ok now.
I'm not sure if I did the right thing here but I was very careful and it appears to have worked. Much more effective than butter, in fact.
We as a family have my mother to thank (yet again) for this method of cleaning bow hair.
1 tighten bow hair as normal.
2 hold bow by frog over, but NOT in a bowl of warm soapy water.
3 use nailbrush or good(!)toothbrush to scrub hair over the whole length taking care NOT to allow the frog to become wet. I usually rub the really dirty part between finger and thumb.
4 here's the first really IMPORTANT PART. Rince out hair thoroughly (use outside tap or cold shower)
5 2nd IMPORTANT PART release hair as much as possible without completly releasing frog.
6 3rd IMPORTANT PART allow to dry NATURALLY ie not in sun, not above heat source. Hallway or bedroom over night.
7 use lots of rosin and get playing again.
If there are any doubts or problems e-mail me (glenribbeenbnb@oceanfree.net) or call Ireland (353) 58 54499
Peter
Peter, um, what kind of soap, exactly? (The lodge looks lovely -- it's a shame you haven't more rooms, or we could've had The Session's Irish session there next spring.)
Cleaning Bow hair
Cleaning Bow hair
This has probably been discussed before but does anyone have advice on the best way to clean the hair of a fiddle bow? I must have laid my bow down in the wrong place in the pub as the top end has become sticky, ie it has a patch of about six inches which produces no sound at all and new rosin will not stick. I've tried washing this part of the bow with soapy water(which I thought was correct)but it doesn't seem to help. Any more ideas please before I check with my local violin specialists and get charged the earth?
# Posted on July 20th 2004 by John J Returns
Re: Cleaning Bow hair
John, you must've thought this thread was about toupees: http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display.php/4055
The hair cleaning kit I described in that thread was from Ardsley Musical Instrument Service, Ltd., Scarsdale, NY. I'm guessing you can find similar kits on your side of the pond.
# Posted on July 20th 2004 by Will Harmon
Re: Cleaning Bow hair
Thanks, Will. I'm not sure how I missed that thread.
I was away for a few days and just glanced through the more recent topics. It's a really strange coincidence that this subject has come up this week.
# Posted on July 20th 2004 by John J Returns
Re: Cleaning Bow hair
Another option might be to talk to a reputable bow maker/repairer/rehairer and find out what they recommend. Good luck!
# Posted on July 20th 2004 by Will Harmon
Re: Cleaning Bow hair
Ok, so by accident somehow when I was playing at the kitchen table... I ran my bow throught he butter dish... someone at the session suggested Vodka. It acutally worked, along with a lot of rosin and wiping the bow down with a cloth.. eventually it got butter/ better.
# Posted on July 20th 2004 by ANNY
Re: Cleaning Bow hair
I've used vodka on the fingerboard, but was always warned not to get it on the rest of the fiddle, never tried it on the hair of the bow, though.
# Posted on July 20th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: Cleaning Bow hair
I use vodka on my gullet. Works great.
# Posted on July 20th 2004 by Will Harmon
Re: Cleaning Bow hair
After reading Anny's comments, I couldn't resist posting the words of this very funny song from Orkney.
The Boy Who Put the Butter on the Old Man's Bow
"When I first tried a tune on me faither's violin
Wi' a dee a doo a durn a diddle-aye-dum-doe
All me folk were away on a summer sabbath day
When I skippet on his fiddle wi' the old man's bow.
Gi'ed a twiddle tae the string and put the fiddle to me chin,
Wi' a mind tae keep the sabbath, sae I thought I'd try a hymn,
but I got an awful skreek, no' a doo a durn a diddle
When I slippet on his fiddle wi' the old man's bow.
Noo the wee ginger cat dooket underneath the mat,
Wi' a dee a doo a durn a diddle-aye-dum-doe
And the dog raised his jowl and gi'ed such a fearful howl,
that he drownded ou' the scowling o' the old man's bow.
Then I tried to tak' me tempo frae the wag upon the wa',
but me sacky sounded awfae like the turkey in the straw,
So I tried another key, but the skreek was worse than ever,
When I slippet on his fiddle wi' the old man's bow.
Noo I ken o'er weel hoo to cure a squeakin' wheel,
Wi' a dee a doo a durn a diddle-aye-dum-doe
And I'm thinkin', says I, that there's somethin' guid and dry,
So I dou't will meet to lubricate the old man's bow
By I hunted in the glory hole that's in below the stair,
In the box ahind the tractor, but there was no' any there.
Faith, I hunted a' the house, but the oil had been a'missing,
So I rubbed a bit o' butter on the old man's bow.
Gi'ed a twiddle tae the string, put the fiddle to me chin,
Wi' a dee a doo a durn a diddle-aye-dum-doe
But alas for me chin, ye c'ad heard a drappin' pin,
For there was no' e'en a whisper frae the old man's bow.
Why I worket at the fiddle like a joiner wi' a saw,
'til the clods o' Orkney butter fairly studded off the wa'
But I could no' get a dee or a doo a durn a diddle
When I slippet on his fiddle wi' the old man's bow.
Then then kirk-folk cam' in and I smarted for me sin,
Wi' a dee a doo a durn a diddle-aye-dum-doe
For he played such a tune that I could no' set me down,
But was minded o' the butter on the old man's bow
Noo I'm finished wi' the fiddle, and theres no' the slightest doubt,
If I ever learn an instrument, it's going to be the flute
For when unco'n folk come by, and they mak the introductions
I'm the boy that put the butter on the old man's bow."
# Posted on July 20th 2004 by John J Returns
Re: Don't try this at home
Or, at least be careful. I loosened off my bow hair and used one of these steam cleaners with a very small nozzle. Along with a small amount of washing up liquid, I was able to get rid of the grease. After, reapplying some rosin, it seems to be ok now.
I'm not sure if I did the right thing here but I was very careful and it appears to have worked. Much more effective than butter, in fact.
# Posted on July 20th 2004 by John J Returns
Re: Cleaning Bow hair
Well I'll suggest some alcohol, although vodka works the same I suppose ^_^; ::Can't wait to go on Violin shopping spreeeeEeEEEe::
# Posted on July 21st 2004 by armandale
Re: Cleaning Bow hair
We as a family have my mother to thank (yet again) for this method of cleaning bow hair.
1 tighten bow hair as normal.
2 hold bow by frog over, but NOT in a bowl of warm soapy water.
3 use nailbrush or good(!)toothbrush to scrub hair over the whole length taking care NOT to allow the frog to become wet. I usually rub the really dirty part between finger and thumb.
4 here's the first really IMPORTANT PART. Rince out hair thoroughly (use outside tap or cold shower)
5 2nd IMPORTANT PART release hair as much as possible without completly releasing frog.
6 3rd IMPORTANT PART allow to dry NATURALLY ie not in sun, not above heat source. Hallway or bedroom over night.
7 use lots of rosin and get playing again.
If there are any doubts or problems e-mail me (glenribbeenbnb@oceanfree.net) or call Ireland (353) 58 54499
Peter
# Posted on July 21st 2004 by Peter O'Connor
Re: Cleaning Bow hair
Peter, um, what kind of soap, exactly?
(The lodge looks lovely -- it's a shame you haven't more rooms, or we could've had The Session's Irish session there next spring.)
# Posted on July 25th 2004 by Zina Lee