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MAKING A BAROQUE VIOLIN BOW
ROGER ROSE describes the delicate process of making a long, light Baroque violin stick
Many of the techniques used in making a Baroque bow are quite different to those used for a modern one.
Of all the early models, I find the Baroque violin bow the most demanding to make as it is rather long for its
weight - although it is already much shorter than the modern bow. A typical Baroque violin bow's playing
hair-length is up to 60cm (compared to 65cm for a modern bow), but the weight is only around 50g (a modern
bow weighs in at 60g; a Baroque cello or bass viol bow is typically S5-90g). I often make a bow to a particular
weight or match it to a particular instrument or player's need, A heavy, unresponsive instrument wiil need
much more bow than a light, responsive instrument, for instance. So, although I use machinery to cut the
rough shape of the bow, I base the final dimensions on previous examples that I have made over the years
and establish the final size by judging how the bow stick feels in the hand. Many existing bows from before
1720 have no screw adjustment to tension the hair but instead use a clip-in frog. I use this system for some
bows, but most players prefer a more modern type of frog with a screw adjustment. [Roger Rose describes
his method for making frogs using mammoth ivory in The Strad, July 2006.]
STEPS 1-3
This beautiful pattern shows exactly how snakewood got its name
n ] Such a long, light bow requires very strong wood. Snakewood
{piratlnera guianensis),vjh'\ch grows in central and South America,
was used for bows in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. It is
beautiful and good to work with, and its hardness keeps sharp detail.
Its strength varies from tree to tree, a fact which becomes apparent
when the wood is cut (each individual block of wood will be assessed
for its suitability for different kinds of bow, and a certain amount of
wood will always end up being discarded). But with a specific gravity
of around 1.30, snakewood is too heavy for a modern bow.
Marking out the nead wim a template
[2] After selecting the 5nakewood,the profile ofthe Sticks are drawn out
on a plank.The sticks are then cut out on a band saw. I usually saw
my own logs, to ensure that the sticks are cut on the quarter with the
growth rings across the bow, as this is the strongest direction of the
wood. I use a template of aeroply to mark the shape of the head.
[3] Having cut out the stick, I then plane the inside of the stick and
shape the inside of the i^ead with a file and a scraper. I use the inside
of the stick as the face surface, and piane the rough dimensions of
the top. I measure at frequent intervals using a vernier calliper,
because accuracy is very important and it is all too easy to remove
too much material.
Shaping the inside of the head with a file
THE STRAO AUGUST 2007
STEPS 4- 8
t l i f Mcli^s wi l h ,\ taull-nose plane
The face of the head is left bare, with no facing plate
[6]
[4] While the sides of the stick are still parallel. I mark a centre line and
saw to length. Once the rough size is achieved (leaving everything
a millimetre oversize), I start reducing the width of the stick near the
head.Thi51 do using a bull-nose plane, leaving the head of the bovt/
parallel so as to be able to hold it in a vice. I find it easier to set the
stick out in this way and to drill the wedge mortise in the head using
a machine vice on the drill press.This will keep everything lined up
and square, so that the head and frog will be perfectly in line with
each other. Later on in the process the use of measuring tools
becomes impossible and the experienced eye takes over.
[5] The wedge mortise is opened to its final shape using a small chisel.
I then begin shaping the head using many files and scrapers rather than
sharp-edge tools as the wood is so hard. I shape the face of the head first,
setting the final width that will control the width of the hair-band.The
head of a Baroque bow does not have a facing plate and so the wedge
mortise must not come too close to its edge, as this would make it very
prone to splitting.The hair-band on a Baroque bow is much narrower
than on the modern bow. Then I rough out the rest of the head shape.
Having the head shaped at this early stage allows me to start planing
the octagon shape of the stick without the head gening in the way.
[6] Stili keeping the dimensions a millimetre or so oversize, I ptane
the stick to an octagon using a small block plane.
Planing the stick with a small blocit plane
Opening the mortise with a slotting dri
The stick is held in a lathe for drilling
17] I drill out the mortise for the frog adjustment and clean it up
with a chisel.
[8] Then I set the stick in a four-jaw chuck in a lathe to drill the end
for the adjusting screw. While the stick is in the lathe, I turn the nipple
on the end of it. It is usually 6mm in diameter, t.
AUGUST 200? T Hi S n i W
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STEPS 9- 11
[9]
The handle with its nipple and the bunon with its matching recess
ig the stick, using the knee to achieve an even tufve
Rounding the stick with a scraper
19] This nipple is designed to fit into a matching recess in the adjuster
button, which acts like a ferrule, taking the strain of the hair tension
away from the hole for the adjusting screw and keeping the end of
the stick from splitting.
At this stage I like to make sure that the bronze screw eye that will
attach the frog to the adjusting screw runs smoothly in the stick.This
is to avoid any trouble with the fitting and smooth running of the frog.
I plane the frog end of the stick - the handle - to its final dimensions
(it remains an octagon) and fit the frog to the stick. Once I am happy
with the alignment and fit of the frog, the hole for the bronze eye can
be drilled in the frog and the frog fitted to the stick.
The bow is now at a rough stage with the frog fitted and running
smoothly and both the mortises cut.The final dimensions of the stick
are. of course, criticai to the bow's strength and balance - and,
therefore, to its performance.
no] I leave the bending of the bow stick until this stage. My starting
point for this is the experience gained through curving the other
bows I have made, but the curve can be altered in order to adjust
the performance of the bow.
The stick is heated with a hot-air gun or over an electric hotplate.
When it is hot enough to bend without burning, I use my knee to
achieve an even curve, heating a large area of the stick to avoid
kinking. Compared with the modern bow, the Baroque bow uses much
less, if any, inward curve of the stick, and too much curve could result
in the bow being quite unstable. Some final adjustments can be
made even after the hair is in the bow.
[11 ] Now it is time for the final shaping of the stick, which I do with
a scraper, if the stick is to be round, it can change enormously in
the rounding process and so the dimensions as an octagon must be
on the full side. If it is to be an octagonal, fluted stick, the fluting is
carved with a shaped scraper.The fluting runs along about two-thirds
of the bow's length.The handle can also have a reeded grip, which
I carve with a shaped scraper.
With snakewood, the finish is critical as every scraper and file mark
will show when the stick is polished. I finish the stick with wax. as any
varnish would fall off snakewood in a short time.The wax finish will
improve with age as long as the player wipes away any rosin from the
stick after playing.The stick can be easily cleaned using methylated
spirit, with a little wax if needed.This bow is made to my own design,
based on anonymous Baroque originals.
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AUGUST 200? mi STRAD