How to remove the hair from a violin bow

TUTORIAL BY FRENCH MASTER BOW MAKER GILLES NEHR
/ gillesnehr
Removing used horse hair from a bow the safe way
Works for violin, viola, cello and bass bows
Gilles Nehr has restored and rehaired on regular basis bows from Isaac Stern, Pinchas Zukerman, Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell, Sarah Chang, Augustin Dumay, Jian Wang, Kolja Blacher, Julian Steckel, Alina Pogostkina, Nicolas Altstaedt, Vilde Frang, Mi-Kyung Lee, Ulf Wallin, Guy Ben-Ziony and many more.
Gilles Nehr was also the exclusive caretaker of the Juilliard School bow collection in New York City.
Website: www.gillesnehr.com

[@lionharpmusic]

Dear Gilles - Thank you for your videos. I have learned a lot from them and really appreciated the pace and explanations. I was taught ip to frog and was getting uneven and inconsistent results. Having tied frog to to method that you recommend my re-hairs have come out much better, more consistent and overall higher quality. Thank you. I've watched other tutorials. Yours is the best by far (for me at least).

[@MsBlueRajah]

i didn't expect, and am delighted to find, the comedy along with the tutorial

[@odconstant]

Thank you for these videos! I wish my hair removals were so smooth. I get glued-in plugs more than often.

[@GillesNehr]

Thank you Oliviu! I know that feeling unfortunately... Keep faith!

[@freddeagostino4038]

What excellently done tutorials! Slow motion, pauses, to help understand etc. Plus, the 'Crown Jewels' are the comic 'clips' and occasional wise cracks that appear in your videos. I'm about to rehair a bow for myself for the first time since the 1970's, long before youtube existed. I've watched quite a few now and I'm 'Sticking' with you (pun intended with a bit of American slang thrown in). 'Hope those parentheses translate ok (?). Thanks for your time and effort!

[@GillesNehr]

Oh thank you so much! Very kind of you you made my day!

[@WayaAskin]

Thank you for this excellent video! A friend gave mea very old violin, which needs new strings, bow rehairing, and some cleaning up. I don't play (yet, though I play other strings) but the cost either of a new bow or rehairing was a bit prohibitive. Thanks to you I can attempt it on my own.

[@kornelijapalle6468]

Thank you for this nice and knowledgeable video!!!

[@BensWorkshop]

Thank you very much, a very helpful tutorial.

[@robinmarwick1982]

This is an excellent video...love it.

[@jamesdongvideos]

Very helpful video, thanks! When is the bow making tutorial coming out? I'm interested in trying!

[@GillesNehr]

Thank you James! Really can't tell when :)

[@timursalikov6913]

Thank you! I love you! It was helpful for me!

[@marans22]

Really amazing video valuable Thank you

[@rickpiper4668]

Well done once again our favourite yt bow mentor, bravo! (Pls say hi to Monica) 😉

[@GillesNehr]

Thank you Rick! A pleasure to read that! I said hi to her ;) should I bring Monica back to my videos?? Who is for it who is not?

[@Francisco-k3u]

can we reuse the wedge if is taken out without any damage? the same for the piece used in the tip?

[@Adrian_AdamViolonDiGerma-tm3nq]

You've removed the cork (kind of wooden plug) at the tip so easy with no trouble. It looked so loose, am i right?

[@mar-tes98]

First like dem watch. Bravo Maestro.

[@GillesNehr]

My pleasure thank you

[@andresleon6818]

What is the name of the tool you use to know how much hair you need?

[@Vietitier]

You can use the Kägi ferrule saver at schilbach shop. It prevent damage on the ferrule :)

[@GillesNehr]

It's not just about preventing marks on the ferrule put how straight it is pulled out so the ebony tong is not at risk

[@Vietitier]

@@GillesNehr sorry I wanted to answer to a comment. This should not be a regular comment. But yeah youre right! With any devices it is important to pay attention :) I like your humor on insta videos haha beautiful bows!!

[@GillesNehr]

@@Vietitier Thanks! :)

[@digatandan4950]

Bonjour, très bons tutos ,mais avez-vous les mêmes en français ?

[@GillesNehr]

Merci beaucoup hélas j'ai dû faire un choix de la langue pour être accessible à un plus grand nombre de personnes :(

[@michaelwhisman7623]

Lucky you. I always get the bow with the large plug that takes forever to remove.

[@tonylee8132]

but,if the slide is very difficult to move ,such as use any method waste two hours not remove the pearl slide,how to do then?

[@Louise-zs9rl]

Brilliant video, the tip wedge is refusing to move so I will use my chisel !

[@lgyqchen5074]

Put a couple of water, then it will be very easy to take of the ferrule. Even without any tools but with your fingers.

[@GiovanniCorazzol]

I use exactly the same vise that you have. I bought it many years ago from an electronic surplus reseller... I think it comes from Russia. But, sometimes I have to get rid of the wedge before I can remove the ferrule, so I use a modified purfling chisel for that. Removing hair from inexpensive school grade bows is so annoying and all the plugs must be chiseled away. Thank you for your videos!

[@GillesNehr]

Thanks for sharing. It indeed takes lots of work removing hair, reshaping mortises to be able to be rehaired, from inexpensive factory bows.

[@GiovanniCorazzol]

@@GillesNehr I am now employed at Atelier Tranin in Lyon, the firm from the late Frederic Tranin. I know about your bows from my friend, Michele Dobner from Cremona. I would like to visit your workshop when I can.

[@Louise-zs9rl]

Oh my God.... I'm covered in glue. Before watching your video I tried removing the bow hair by pulling it and there is glue all over my left hand and my violin's neck!

[@jack002tuber]

Oh when you cut the hair, I was cringing! 😮😣😣😣

[@erodrigolopez]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Adrian_AdamViolonDiGerma-tm3nq]

Thair is just still good, no rosin residue, not sticky, dirty, or even oily! Omg im feel so sorry for the hairbow

[@wannabecat369]

@@Adrian_AdamViolonDiGerma-tm3nq Hair can be worn down even if it is not visibly dirty. (My bow is this way, haha. It is so hard to play on, it is slippery and the rosin doesn't stick to it for long.) Of course, I can't say whether or not Nehr's bow has worn hair or actually new hair on it. But it is possible that it is simply worn down hair of a violinist who washes their hands.

[@Adrian_AdamViolonDiGerma-tm3nq]

... From the kingdom of Strings You've been executed many strings at once, they lost their Crown 🤭😭