Loosening a violin bow
What does it mean to loosen the bow? Is it really important?
Yes, it is very important to look after the bow well. Always, always loosen the bow after playing, even if you think you’re going to need it again within 20 mins.
Loosening the bow needs to become a reflex.
Leaving the bow tight will stretch the hairs and they’ll start falling out. And the tense hairs will pull on the wood, eventually warping it.
Immediately after playing, twist the screw (the silver part in the top right of the above image) counterclockwise about four times. You will see the hairs become loose as you’re doing this. Put the bow safely back in the case with the tip (it’s the lower part in the above image) on the left side and the frog (the upper part) on the right. Turn the safety clip to secure at the frog.
The damage caused by neglecting your bow is fixable. A luthier can rehair it (fit a brand new strand of hairs) and the wood can be repaired. However, this can be costly and may add up to a bill that’s more than the bow is worth. Much better to look after it from the start.
Student bows can last well if they’re properly cared for. I have one collection that is five years old now and those bows are absolutely fine.
Parents AND teachers need to be strict about this or it doesn’t happen!
Good luck! 🙂