Broken Violin!! Can Olaf Repair This Cracked Violin?

[@davidfife4855]

Amazing work Olaf. The instrument came into the shop in a heartbreaking state and left in a condition that was probably better than when it was newly purchased (probably not set up by a professional). I wonder how much the repairs changed the sound of the instrument? The way I play, it probably wouldn't be a noticeable change.

[@macwinter7101]

Even if you play terribly, an improved instrument will add more of a ring to the sloppy, out-of-tune notes. Hope that helps haha

[@Adrian_AdamViolonDiGerma-tm3nq]

I love deep, wide, dark, resonant, and powerful sound. It's Tasty, Crunchy! Digestive

[@JohKemStYl3]

The clients should be super happy with this repair. It looks as good as new.

[@ddazuulada]

I'm having a great time watching these restoration videos 😁👍 thank you, Olaf

[@picksalot1]

Good repair as usual. I've seen a interesting repair technique of using a small Suction Cup to "push" glue into tight cracks on an acoustic guitar top before clamping. Might work on Violins as well.

[@mercoid]

That’s a technique used to repair windshields as well.

[@Mr.MT3]

Makes sense. Might give it a try

[@rossthefiddler5890]

You 'crack me up' with your jokes! :D

[@thecatofnineswords]

Split my sides laughing

[@MarinaUganda]

How much did this cost? I have the same problem.

[@jervilopez1844]

I wish Olaf would do a masterclass on identifying fine violins!! I'd attend that class.

[@redbeardthepink4809]

This was such a heart-warming tale. I'm sure that poor kid got a talking to because I'm sure dad suspected that she didn't wanna fess up to whatever actually caused the damage, but I'm glad she got her instrument back in good condition.

[@zapa1pnt]

Olaf, beautiful work. It looks wonderful. Let's hope it stays that way.

[@ALAPINO]

I'm always happy to see you, Olaf!

[@tjanders9863]

Great video very informative and easy to follow. Thanks for your fantastic step by step.

[@josephgreeley5569]

Very well done video! I enjoyed watching it. But now some questions (not about the video). Yesterday I bought (for $12) a violin in very VERY poor condition. The neck has come off and the side panel has come away on the left side next to the neck. The seam on top has opened up not quite all the way from bottom to top. In short, it's a wreck. I am a woodworker, but not a luthier and I don't know how to play the violin, but I thought it would be an interesting challenge to try and repair it. I was hoping you might be willing to offer some suggestions about fixing it and in what order to tackle the repairs. I was also hoping you might be able to shed some light on when it might have been made. The label inside says "Johann Adam Schonfelder, Violin-macher in Neukirchen auf 1743", but below that it says "Made in Germany" which I'm pretty sure wouldn't have been present on the label if it really was made in 1743. I did some searching, but couldn't find anything about reproductions. Any ideas? I'd be very grateful for any assistance you can give!

[@pgsharrow3714]

Who would believe I would find a strange Little man working on Violins to be very entertaining. One craftsman to another, Good Show young man. And thank you for the education on the Art/Science of Violins..

[@mellissadalby1402]

Wow! You really did just a super job fixing those cracks!

[@WeilunP]

Love your video as always! Your videos always have a calming kind of magic, like I watched them after I came back from work and I feel like I feel calmer as I was watching! Thanks!

[@wakingtheworld]

Beyond impressed, Olaf. So the only way to find out if any violins that have passed through your hands have previously had cracks, is to crack them open!

[@albertneff7180]

Lieber Olaf, tolles Video. Dr. med.viol. Olaf Grawert !! Herzlicher Gruß aus Deutschland

[@BensWorkshop]

Great repair. Interesting glue pot arrangement.

[@elbowache]

I spend all day repairing guitars and then I watch this at night to relax? ... it's like what I do but impossibly smol... and every instrument is the same

[@toddpj2166]

I have learned so much from your videos!! I wish I could come and train from you.

[@IgarashiDai]

I question your choice of relaxation music, Olaf xD Love watching these lengthy repairs. :)

[@randolphfriend8260]

🙉 😁

[@haysamW.B]

You did an excellent job 👍

[@carlosquintana1657]

wonderful repair job Olaf!

[@dayradebaugh]

Like the relaxation music!!!

[@knight16]

Have you ever herd of a C F HOPF Violin? Found one sitting in a antique store and paid next to nothing for it, sounds and plays really good!

[@zapa1pnt]

"Mmmmmm, caffine", he says as he takes a sip of his third 20oz cup, before 8am.

[@tjanders9863]

So cool man nice job !!!

[@carolknepp5791]

You do such fabulous work. I love to watch your videos.

[@itsverygreen532]

It would be nice to see more detail shots, for example of the re-touching and the clear varnishing. We got just a very brief glimpse.

[@richardlaplant5621]

So cool, just got an old violin needs work and you know how to work on them! Thanks

[@kyproset]

Great work as usual, as far as coffee is concerned, I'm a coffee lover myself. Try adding a few grains of salt into your portafilter along with the ground beans. It releases more flavour.

[@rossthefiddler5890]

Maybe just enhances like it does with any food.

[@RevivoViolins]

Brilliant repair and presentation once again! Can you touch on the the 're-touching varnish' and color process. What it is, what you use, and how it's done. Thank you for considering!

[@reinaldoiturrino1853]

Nice job mate

[@Weeping-Angel]

I don’t know why but I find that watching Olaf repair violins is very exciting.

[@Adrian_AdamViolonDiGerma-tm3nq]

It's containing many relaxing sounds n Action

[@Adrian_AdamViolonDiGerma-tm3nq]

When he carve the plate, it looked as easy as when you scoop an ice cream

[@zzp1]

Degrease with industrial degreaser agent then use a resorcinol-phenol formaldehyde glue, is as duable as durable can be, leaves no trace and almost invisible for the eye. Much better than using patches. remnants of glue can easily removed. Drying time about 24 hrs. Aerodux is the best (Ciba Geigy).

[@glaflamme]

That was fascinating! Beautiful work

[@ALAPINO]

Olaf, might one assume when applying cleats wood grain orientation is taken into consideration? Cheers!

[@rossthefiddler5890]

Typically most repairers have it across or on an angle, such as in a diamond shape.

[@dougdumbrill7234]

Now this may seem strange, but I always find I’m curious to see what kind of person owns the violin😁😎!

[@trampslikeus3575]

All those reinforcement blocks do they affect the sound at all? Can you do a video repairing a cello?

[@kevinvanover4005]

Could you please tell me, what does a typical repair like this cost?

[@rossthefiddler5890]

Thanks Olaf. It came together nicely, with your expertise, of course. :) I'm glad you mentioned the benefits of using hide glue as it's another reason no one should attempt DIY repairs with white glue (happens too often) as it becomes so hard to repair nicely afterwards. I can go to bed now. ;)

[@zeniktorres4320]

Very nice tone from it. good jb.

[@rongrosstube]

Greetings, such patient and precision work! At 12:47 you clean the top under the fingerboard...what do you use to clean that area? Thank you, amazing work you do.

[@emmanuelmantzios]

I was wondering if the clamps make a difference in the sound of the violin, because of the extra timber on the top plate. Lot's of Love from Crete Greece!

[@lotsabirds]

Beautiful work!

[@rossthefiddler5890]

That looks messy & beside the bass bar. I'm waiting to see how you approach it. :)

[@scratchcrafter]

great video, what is the powder you us applying on the cracks?

[@iggyzorro2406]

what beautiful work. I just wish you had held the violin up to the camera by the neck before and after the work and then showed a split screen to see the before and after product. thanks

[@wakingtheworld]

I took a screen shot of the 'before' and 'after' but yeah, would have been better...

[@tehminagoskar2043]

Amazing job! 🤩 🎻

[@trampslikeus3575]

Do all those reinforcement blocks alter the sound at all? Can you show a repair on a cello?

[@dayradebaugh]

Olaf: What was the adjustment you made as you played the instrument? Apparently you thought the sound could be improved, and you did so by using that tool to adjust something on the inside. I find it fascinating that you can "tune" or adjust the overall sound of the violin. Would this be worth a video to explain this process?

[@SkylineGTR06]

He’s adjusting the position of the soundpost.

[@AlipashaSadri]

I would like to see some Cello work 😅 Thank you 😁

[@acswu2617]

Cello did it!

[@AskOlaftheViolinmaker]

🤣

[@tomerdvir2394]

Hi olaf, I wanted to ask: does this kind of damage affect the value of the instrument? Or since it has been properly repaired, the violin should hold the same value?

[@AskOlaftheViolinmaker]

Exactly. You'd be amazed at some of the repairs done on collectable violins... Grain by grain to make it virtually invisible.

[@quintinlindsey7967]

I am looking to get back into the violin after 20+ years away from it and would like your opinion on a good solid wood starter violin in the $500.00 range if possible and thank you for any insight!!!

[@Kojubefra]

Dear Olaf, thank you for your helpful videos! What kind of filler are you using to fill the glued cracks around 13:17 into video? Best wishes from Berlin in good old Germany - Frank

[@AskOlaftheViolinmaker]

@@Kojubefra it's called Deft. I bought it ages ago, so I'm not sure where you can get it now... I'm sure I've seen it at violin maker supply shops though.

[@peterg4832]

I would love to see the owners reactions when they pick up their instruments if possible

[@terrygreene1395]

Curious what grit you use to polish the finish…..looks like around 1000 ??

[@alext8828]

Is there ever a time when you need to open the crack right out to the edge of the plate so you can get sufficient glue between the two halves?

[@Cancun771]

Show us how you sharpen your tools!

[@ab-zg8pt]

I worked at a luthier's and we'd see this often. Parent would come in and say the exact same thing and ask what could have caused it. We'd tell them something was more than likely dropped on it or something with substantial weight was either put down upon or hit the violin. 9 times out of 10 the parent would answer 'No, that's impossible, my child would never do that/allow that to happen.' It was WILD seeing the hoops they'd jump through to deny that their child could damage an instrument. Does one just open a cabinet door and see a broken dish?? The parents who acknowledged it were some of the best customers we had, because they understood the luthier had a skill set with experience that they didn't possess.

[@ghlscitel6714]

Would blowing the glue though the slit with compressed air be an alternative to rubbing the glue through the crack slit with the finger? Is this clotted cream you add and mix in your coffee? What is the name of the paste you smear into the cracks before the retouche? What is the monetary consequence of this accident? (i.e. how many $ must the owner reckon with?)

[@quest-cequecesttonvisage]

Wow i didn’t know it took so much days to fix a crack. How much time would it have taken if there was only one crack in a not-so-challenging place?

[@blehkelekwet9642]

Olaf the violin surgeon.

[@johnjriggsarchery2457]

What I wonder is if an instrument had a crack that was repaired and the two sides weren't fixed together perfectly flat, can the fix be undone and redone. I have a 1924 Gibson snakehead and a mid 1800s French violin with solidly repaired and cleated repairs that aren't perfectly flat.

[@主内一家亲]

What kind of glue did you use to glue the front part and back part together?And what kind of glue do you use for the cracks?Thank you so much!

[@AskOlaftheViolinmaker]

Hide glue... I made a whole video about it

[@主内一家亲]

@@AskOlaftheViolinmaker Got it thank you so much for your reply! I found the video 😃

[@主内一家亲]

@@AskOlaftheViolinmaker Thank you so much!

[@psyclopean]

"play some relaxing music" *ominous bass* 😱

[@donaldrhodes8761]

Placing the sound post seemed easy compared to everything else?

[@AskOlaftheViolinmaker]

Definitely... After 38 years it becomes second nature.

[@j.e.711]

Which kind of wood can be used for the reinforcement cleats? I´m trying to repair a very expensive Gunnar Helland Hardanger fiddle and need to know what to use in order to not degrade the sound in it.

[@AskOlaftheViolinmaker]

Spruce for the top and Maple for the back

[@FriPilot]

Olaf, do you have to be concerned with glue and varnish fumes in the shop? Do you have an exhaust system?

[@lachlanwallace4092]

You just hade to put music over my favorite part (the opening of the violin)

[@MarinaUganda]

How much did this cost? I have the same problem.

[@lorelupo3465]

Good morning Olaf, i have a question about hide glues... I had to repair my daughter violin by my self because it was to expensive to take it to a professional. I did use titebond líquid hide glue to close the violin, but it seems that is opening up, maybe the glue was old even though I just bought it. Which hide glue should I use? Rabbit skin or bones hide glue could you please suggest me one? Thank you so much

[@geffreimaudeleyne6041]

I always like your collection of tiny specialized clamps.

[@andreferland2726]

Can you do a video on mutes and dampers for violins. Asking for a friend.

[@JacquesLuu]

yeeeeah olaf playing tchaikovsky violin concerto intro

[@535Salomon]

Patient arrives to the ER. The paramedics, we need a surgeon now! Olaf as a surgeon: what's wrong? Paramedics: a person chopped his head in the street, probably cannot be fixed... Olaf: Nothing I can't fix! Paramedics: what? Olaf: now give him 5 minutes and he will be good to go, I have attached his head to his body! Patient: thanks Olaf *plays Paganini crapice 1*

[@thecatofnineswords]

Is there any reason you don't use a heated palette knife to separate the top? I'd think the heat could help soften the glue, instead of cracking it.

[@mr.incognito9100]

How do the clamps for the first crack not damage the sides of the top plate? It doesn't appear to me to have padding on one side (I could be missing it of course), and I imagine that it needs at least a bit of pressure to do anything useful

[@michaelbalzano2366]

Olaf likes his coffee ... well, so do I (like my coffee). ☕☕

[@namvanbui7721]

Hi Olaf is, Bernd hiller and sohn violin good?

[@tonibarski4283]

Hi Olaf , really enjoying your channel, do you ever use heat before you " crack " a violin open?

[@ghlscitel6714]

As for me, you'd rather chill the seam before cracking. I already tried heating and it turned out to become quite messy. The glue plasticises and tore off the ground in quite uncontrollable ways.

[@johngeddes7894]

It’s such a scary thing to set one’s violin in its case for a minute in the shoulder rest. Sometimes an overly courteous passer by thinks they’re doing someone a favor by closing the lid of the case, which can easily put enough pressure on the sound post to crack the top and even punch a hole in it. Luckily, there are trained makers/restorers like Olaf that can make those violins sing once again!

[@randolphfriend8260]

❤️ Hopefully the "little one" (player) learned . . . a lesson. 😢

[@heathermcdougall8023]

Rule 1. Lock your case and never let kids get anywhere near your precious violin/cello. Rule 2 . Never leave it out, put it back in its case. Rule 3. Never leave it on your chair, it can slip off, or some idiot can sit on it. Rule 4 . Secure your instrument in your car, so when you brake, it doesn't suddenly fly around the car. Rule 5. Pay close attention to your bow, rosin, straightness of stick, slacking it off when you've finished and not over-tightening. Your bow makes the sound, so don't forget to try to get as good a bow as possible.

[@sarabaldeschwieler7763]

If the student just opened the case and found it like that, they need a new case!

[@flyingskyward2153]

I'd examine the case for footprints

[@seabrookel5037]

As a mom, I feel the more likely story is the kid had the instrument out, probably when they weren’t supposed to or at least doing something they weren’t supposed to, and knew they’d get in trouble if they told the truth. So “I don’t know, Dad, I just opened the case and found it that way!! 🥺” 😂

[@Sagramore92]

Me, watching this Video... *Mom walks in The Video: "....so I can get the Crack"

[@AskOlaftheViolinmaker]

Ooopsies... It's all about context 🤣

[@dont-want-no-wrench]

i opened up my case once and had a single crack at the f hole, now i keep a humidifier in the case.

[@edmiller4149]

I’m sure that Olaf can repair.

[@rossthefiddler5890]

And he did, beautifully. :)

[@billygraham5589]

Why not use regular wood glue?

[@hammerfall321]

Because regular woodglue gets stronger than the surrounding wood and cannot be loosened again, after it settles down.

[@bobbiecat7139]

What is the purpose of that piece of "wood(?)" that you dropped inside the violin via the f hole?🤔

[@physicsjeff]

It's the violin's sound post. The internet will explain it better than I could.

[@rossthefiddler5890]

Olaf has done a video on it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/enStnoyPrNOWbs0

[@julesbrunton1728]

Hilarious, you cracked me up 🤣

[@roytofilovski9530]

I have never even held a violin, let alone played one. But I do play guitar, which is also a stringed instrument, so I love watching these videos even more than guitar videos. These violin makers make most guitar makers look like butchers.

[@Soufiane-Jolane9439]

My dream is to become a musical instrument maker, but unfortunately in my country there is no center that teaches you

[@stevev5510]

The inside of a Brisbane violin ... Constant playing drives the bugs away!

[@wakingtheworld]

Aha, someone here NOT doing their 40 hours a day then! 😀

[@keyem4504]

Don't these reinforcements change the sound of the violin massively? In this case nearly all of them are on one side. Wouldn't that have an influence on the vibration?

[@AskOlaftheViolinmaker]

Not a lot actually. They are super small compared to the weight of the entire top plate. Sometimes people comment on the instrument sounding better after a big repair.🙂

[@wakingtheworld]

I wondered that too but Olaf has answered it for me!

[@mercuryshadow5452]

I was also wondering about this, so thanks for asking!

[@randolphfriend8260]

Dear Olaf: a today July 4th, video says that Sydney is flooding! 😳 Are YOU ok? 😢

[@SantaWithaViolin]

You don't hit burglar with a violin. You hit it with a golf club.

[@michaelwhisman]

SOMEBODY WAS ANGRY AT THE GUY'S DAUGHTER AND BROKE HER VIOLIN. i HAVE SEEN THAT BREAKING VIOLINS TO BE COMMON WHEN ONE HAS AN ENEMY.

[@aeriseong1270]

whooooo

[@zapa1pnt]

Seeing the condition of that violin, both inside and out, tells me that owner is Not someone I would want to shake hands with. ☠😬🤮