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What can you do to maintain the value of a bow you now own? While normal wear and tear is inevitable, you should take a few simple precautions:
- Protect the bow from any impact or shock; especially avoid dropping the bow or banging the head.
- Protect the handle area from excessive wear with a covering of thin leather or similar material. This will extend the life of the bow.
- Replace the leather thumb grip as soon as it shows signs of wear. This will also help protect the stick [and whale bone or wire winding] from becoming worn.
- Keep the bow away from extreme heat (as is found in a closed car in bright sunshine), which could cause warping or twisting.
- Loosen the hair when not using the bow. When going from a humid climate to one that is extremely dry, the bow could actually snap.
- Avoid exposing the bow to the hard abrasive pressure of the fingernails; keep nails short and away from the wood surfaces.
- Keep the bow clean; always wipe off excess rosin and especially perspiration after each use, since they have a corrosive effect.
- Take your bow only to experienced and qualified people for its repair and rehairing.
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