Bow Health - Part 3 of 3 - Inspecting Bow Hair Tightening.
Is Your Bow Tightening Properly?
If you notice the bow hair tension won’t seem to hold or you’ve turned it as tight as it will go and the hair is not tight, it would be a good idea to have an orchestra teacher or strings technician take a look.
One possibility is that the bow screw has been stripped. Normal wear and tear over the years will slowly wear the threads away. In this case, the screw will need to be replaced. Occasionally a troublesome screw simply needs to be cleaned and lubricated to get it working properly again.
Another possibility is that the eyelet has been worn out. Over tightening the bow can wear the eyelet out faster with the increased tension created by the over tightening. This can also be replaced.
Lastly, the bow hair may be too long. In this case, the bow hair can be shortened to the proper length.
All of these issues can be fixed by a bow repair person.
This is Part 3 of a three part series on inspecting your bow for repair issues.