out at the point where you started re-winding, pull the
doubled thread smartly out. This brings the end of the lapping right
through under the re-wound portion, where it will be held secure
until again cut through by the thumb-nail. This is the method
employed in fastening off new lappings. If you have not the time or
patience to do it this way a little sealing wax will hold the loose
end down during an evening's practice.

Considering that re-hairing is one of the most natural and most
frequent events in the life of a bow, it seems somewhat anomalous to
include it under the heading of "repairs." However, I will crave the
reader's kind indulgence for so doing.

At the outset I must emphatically assert that I do not advise
amateurs or artists to attempt to hair their own bows if any value
attaches to them, for it is astonishing how soon even a fine bow will
lose its _cambre_ if persistently haired in an unskilful manner. It
requires enormous experience to enable one to get the pull of the
hair equal in every case, and the slightest extra pull on one side or
the other gives the bow a twist that renders its action erratic and
extremely disturbing to a good violinist. The preceding operation to
re-hairing is that of unhairing. This is comparatively a simple
matter. The hair is first cut off short at each end, then hair at the
head is lifted up to disclose the plug (Fig. 40_a_). This is readily
lifted out with a pointed tool, and the curled up knot lying beneath
is pulled out. So much for the head. The nut is slightly more
complex. First the ferrule (Fig. 41_d_) is pulled off and the slide
(Fig. 41_f_) is pushed out. After this the hair is raised as with the
head, and the plug (Fig. 41_e_) picked out in the same manner. The
wedge in the nut (Fig. 41_c_) is used to spread the hair and keep it
firm at the heel, to give a good attack for heavy down strokes. This
is usually destroyed in unhairing, as it frequently has to be cut
away, owing to its being glued into position.

The process of re-hairing is now identical with that of hairing a new
bow in the first instance. Some keep the hair ready made up into
"hanks" of the right quantity for a bow, and others have it in large
bundles, pulling it out as required. One soon gets practice in this
to judge by the eye alone how much will be sufficient. At one end it
is tied securely with waxed silk or thread, and the short ends are
cut off to within about a sixteenth of an inch from