Why does the hair on a violin bow break when it is sitting in the case?

I'm assuming you'd released the tension before storing it?

If not, I believe your problem might be that as humidity goes

up and down the hairs--if they're natural hair--expand and

contract and if the bow is left taut, when they contract

they can be over tensioned and break.

If you stored the bow properly with the hairs left slack, it might

be the same problem I had. I'd borrowed a friend's violin. Years

later (don't worry, he knew who had it and could get it any

time if he wanted ;') the person from whom his family had

borrowed it asked if they still had it and if so, would they

please return it?

I'd never known it wasn't owned by my friend. Before returning it I opened the case to examine it and make sure it was in the same condition as I'd borrowed it. Most of the hairs were as you've

described. Since there were so many, the evidence of what had

done it was much more in evidence---the shed skins of the larvae

of carpet beetles. Those things eat just about any organic fiber--like genuine horse-hair carpet pads, for instance.

If your bow has natural hairs in it, this could be your problem.

Though I was somewhat irritated at having to go get the bow refurbished before returning it, when I got the report on it's

return I was very glad I did. My friend's mother reported that

when the neighbor got the violin back she litterally hugged it

as it it were a long-lost child. Evidently she'd not given the

violin much thought in years but had begun thinking about it--

possibly during retirement or as a consequence of "empty nesting"

and had really begun to crave the pleasure playing her instrument had

provided in earlier life.

I hope my answer helps you. Examine your instrument case carefully for any minute little worm-like creatures with bristles all over them--they're about the size of a grain of rice. There were a lot of shed skins of them and some live ones in the case of the violin I had,but it might only take one small one which is not very evident on a cursory examination to have done the damage you're describing.

I don't know, but if that does turn out to be the problem, the solution might be as simple as keeping some moth-crystals in the case, or maybe you could seal the bow in some sort of tube to exclude the little munchers. I'll bet silverfish or clothes-moth larvae would do the same damage if it was insects.

i have been playing the violin for about 4 years and i would the metal tip at your frog that holds the hair in place is bent or not right or something in the case is snagging it. Also if you have been touching the hair a lot the oils from your skin will weaken the hairs to where they will break easier. If this continues take the bow back to the store where you got it and have them check it out. good luck.

p.s cheaper bows will break more i suggest if you are going to be serious with your violin playing to go a person who specializes in violin making and buy a bow that is more expensive like 500 dollars plus. Also remember to rosin your bow before and after playing (if you dont have rosin it is sold at almost all music stores.)

With time and use, violin bows will lose hairs. Played most often, it is exclusive to lose a few at any time when you play. I suppose you must ask your trainer's recommendation to ensure your bowing manner is proper. Eventually, you'll be able to lose adequate hair that the bow will want re-hairing. If you will have an low-cost pupil bow, it probably inexpensive to shop for a brand new bow than to have a low-cost one re-haired. The price of re-hairing will differ, however $50 - $seventy five is a ballpark determine.

Has the bow been loosened before going into the case? If it's tight then this could cause the hair to break. Also if you have weather that kinda wacked up (like at my place), you know like hot one day, really cold the next, then this could make the bow subtly loosen/tighten by itself. Kinda the same way it goes out of tune.

If that's not the problem I'm not sure. I've been playing for ages but I'm not a genius.

Hope it helps.. Good luck with your playing.. ! xx

It is mainly the weather conditions consider going to a music store and ask for advise that has happend to me a few times

they are just like the bones of an old woman, brittle. use your rosin, loosen the bowhairs and you'll be ready to join the boston symphony orchestra in no time flat!