[Illustration: FIG. 39.]

Very often the original handle can be restored and made sound. Thus,
when the screw hole becomes worn and the "cup" (see Fig. 39, which
shows the two "cups," that at the extremity of the stick and that in
the "tip") broken, it is customary to drill out the hole, turn up a
piece of well-seasoned bow wood in the lathe to the exact diameter of
the enlarged hole, and glue it well in place. When thoroughly dry a
new screw hole of the original dimensions can be drilled just as in
making a new bow. Sometimes, when there are cracks in the handle, the
trench has to be filled up and re-cut, as is also done to the head if
it is cracked through the pressure of the plug (Fig. 40_a_). Repairs
to the nut are also done when the nut is original, _i.e._, when it
belongs to the bow and is of a distinguished maker. Old nuts
frequently get cracked down the sides where they come in contact with
the stick. In this case the worn part of the nut is cut away and new
wood glued on and worked up to the original shape. I have seen a nut
so restored by Mr. Tubbs in which it was absolutely impossible to
discover where the new piece was joined on.

[Illustration: FIG. 40.]

With regard to the screw hole, it often becomes worn to an oval shape
just above the trench owing to the screw being too short. This is
frequently found in old French bows, even by the best makers, and
causes the unsightly tilting of the tip. In Fig. 41 is shown a
section of the nut and handle showing the action of the screw and the
way the hair is inserted. The screw in this diagram is the exact
length necessary to prevent the wearing away of the hole described
above.

[Illustration: FIG. 41.]

Bow repairers are often perplexed as to their customers' meaning when
sending instructions by post for the restoration of the "tip," as
many people use this word to denote the extremity of the head (Fig.
40_d_).

This, however, is known to experts as the "peak," and the word "tip"
is applied solely to the octagonal piece at the opposite end of the
bow, by means of which the screw is turned and the tension of the
hair regulated.

In some bows the octagonal portion, known as the handle (Fig. 38_d_)
on which the nut travels has the lower face rather larger than the
rest as in the section shown in Fig. 42. The object of this
enlargement is to give the nut a broader surface to travel on and
thus prevent the tendency to rock exhibited by some nuts. But, thoug