Any opinion about the Hervex sythetic bow hair ?
Gaetan Mailloux
Hi
Any opinion about the Hervex sythetic bow hair ?
It's at the International Luthiers Supply, catalog number HE 902, they say
that it is better than other kind and ordinary synthetic bow hair.
Thank
Bye
Gaetan
Bert Boon
On 14 Jan 1998 18:12:45 GMT, ba...@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Gaetan
Mailloux) wrote:
Why use synthetic where there is enough natural horse-hair in good
qualities available ?
Bert Boon, Groningen, the Netherlands
Gaetan Mailloux
Prices.... :-)
Gaetan
Howard Lee Harkness
bbvi...@worldonline.nl (Bert Boon) wrote:
>Why use synthetic where there is enough natural horse-hair in good
>qualities available ?
If you play outdoors (I used to do Rennaisance Faires), you will appreciate the increased durability and lower cost. You might also want to check out a fiberglass bow...
<ssen...@skeptics.org> (name is reversed)
This is not my address, it's for the harvest-bot:
ab...@airmail.net
Jean Parent
Gaetan Mailloux (ba...@FreeNet.Carleton.CA) writes:
> Bert Boon (bbvi...@worldonline.nl) writes:
>> On 14 Jan 1998 18:12:45 GMT, ba...@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Gaetan
>> Mailloux) wrote:
>>>Any opinion about the Hervex sythetic bow hair ?
>>>
>>>It's at the International Luthiers Supply, catalog number HE 902, they say
>>>that it is better than other kind and ordinary synthetic bow hair.
I ask a luthier that I know, and he said me that the Hervex are worse than
the Glaser bow hair and that both are just same plastic use for fishing
line !!!!
So just buy fine small fishing line and make with it your home made bow
hair ... it may work if, after you put it on the bow, you wet the bow hair
with alcohol before puting the rosin on it, rosin will melt a bit and grip
on the fishing line home made bow hair so it give grip to it and sould
play quite ok.
Good luck
Jean
>>>Thank
>>>
>>>Bye
>>>
>>>Gaetan
>>
>> Why use synthetic where there is enough natural horse-hair in good
>> qualities available ?
>>
Mark Middleton
David Decker wrote in message <34bdb114...@news.jps.net>...
>I use Hervex synthetic bow hair for my 'Cello. It plays very well, and
>looks and feels like horsehair. Of those who have tried my bow, no one
>suspected it was synthetic.
>
<snip>
>
>I tried synthetic, because I object to any form of animal cruelty, and
>refrain from using any animal products.
>
>
>Dave Decker
>
>"Animals . . . are not brethren they are not
>underlings; they are other nations,
>caught with ourselves in the net of life and time,
>fellow prisoners of the splendor and travail of
>the earth."
>Henry Beston - The Outermost House
Dave,
It is my understanding that the best bow hair comes from the mane of Belgian
draft horses. Any doctor or vet will tell you that the hair is one of the
prime indicators of health and well being in any animal. For the mane hair
to be strong and healthy enough to be used for a violin bow this is an
indicator that the animal is well treated and respected. The collecting of
bow hair from the animal is not cruel and in no way harms or injures the
animal any more than a hair cut would harm or injure you. I dare say that
every horse that gave mane hair for violin bows survived the ordeal.
However, the animals that went into making the hide glue that is used to
cement your cello together with didn't survive.
I am afraid that you can keep the bow but you are going to have to give up
the cello.
Have a nice day!
Mark Middleton
David Decker
Mark,
Thanks for all the info. I've read that most bow hair comes from
dead stallions, (Strings Mag Jan/Feb 95 #46 page 40.) I still
refrain from using it for the same reason I don't wear leather. Even
if the hair is not the main reason the hores was killed, it's still
blood money contributing to the enrichment of those doing the killing.
But even if the best hair comes from live horses, are they left
with no tail hair? I know violins need really long bow hair and they
need every inch they can get. (Same article) How do they remove the
hair from the tail. I'd guess, they use a clipper, leaving no tail
hair for swishing flies.
I'd appreciate any more info you can shed on this subject.
As far as the bow, goes, I'm ashamed to admit that it contains
what looks to me suspiciously like abalone shell, and ivory, and even
leather in the grip. So, I guess I have to give up cello, and bow!
Do you know of any good bows that have no animal products? I've
tried a couple of 'Coda' bowes, and thought they sounded very dead
with my 'cello. Perhaps a maker could be talked into making a veggie
version of his good bow.
What about the hide glue you mention? Is this the glue that holds
the top and back to the edges? This has to hold well, but then
permit a hot knife to rip it apart, right? Is there any substitute
for this glue?
I'd appreciate any other info you may have on animal products
commonly incorporated into string instruments, and possible
substitutes.
Thanks,
Dave Decker
Please use only one 'h' in mush. I'm trying to reduce the spam.
Peter Schug
David Decker wrote:
[snip]
> What about the hide glue you mention? Is this the glue that holds
> the top and back to the edges? This has to hold well, but then
> permit a hot knife to rip it apart, right? Is there any substitute
> for this glue?
>
> I'd appreciate any other info you may have on animal products
> commonly incorporated into string instruments, and possible
> substitutes.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dave Decker
No kidding, years ago, I used Higgin's Vegitable Glue that I bought at Art
Brown's in NYC (35 yrs ago!!) to make a playable banjo out of cardboard. I was
just goofing around, but the neck and ring/hoop whatever were laminated out of
corrigated cardboard and glued with the Higgin's glue. I am currently building a
fiddle using glue from animal hide. I must admit, that I eat meat and it doesn't
bother me, but if we are going to eat meat I don't think we should let anything
else go to waste.
Sorry, I don't know if Higgin's Vegitable Glue is still available, or if you could
or should use it to make a string instrument. The min criteria will always be
strenth and ease of repair.
Pete
Peter Schug
A7ECorsair wrote:
>
> I guess taking a little hair isn't any more harmful than milking a cow for
> something to drink!
Is that before or after you make veal cutlets out of her offspring?
I eat meat, but I know where it comes from!
Pete